Costa Rica is also home to great artists in different fields. This country has great painters, and in view of the different international art exhibits that will be displayed in Costa Rica in this next few months it is important that some of his national talent is also recognized and remembered:

Francisco “Paco” Amighetti: One of Costa Rica’s most famous artists, Francisco Amighetti Ruiz was born in San Jose in 1907, his parents were Italian, his talent for art was evident since he attended elementary school. He stood out as a great muralist, his work is shown in several buildings in Costa Rica: Costa Rican Art Museum, Alajuela National Bank, Rafael Angel Calderón Hospital, Lincoln School and the Clorito Picado Clinic. Some of his most renown work was done with the technique of xylography (wood engraving), specially late in his career, but oil paintings and watercolors also had international success. Amighetti was also a poet, he published his first collection in 1936. His art was part of exhibitions in the main cities of America, Europe and Asia. He won the National Culture Award in 1970. Over 500 pieces of art were produced by this artist. He died in 1998 when he was 91 years of age.

 

Rafa Fernández: His full name is Rafael Angel Fernández Piedra, but Costa Rica knows him simply as Rafa Fernández, one of the most renowned artists of this country. Rafa Fernández was born October 24, 1935, he has won three times the National Award Aquileo J. Echeverría in Plastic Arts (1968-1972-1975), he also received the Santiago Award in Spain (1985) and the Magón award in 2002.
He once dreamed of being a bullfighter or maybe a singer, but the artist in him took over at an early age, his talent is natural, his first steps in art where in the House of the Artist where he was taught by some of Costa Rica’s best (Francisco Amighetti being one of them). His work has been shown in Colombia; Spain; New York, USA; France and Italy and it features mainly feminine characters.

Tomorrow he will be celebrating his 81 years of age, and despite having suffered several health problems he continues to paint, sitting on his wheelchair, he chooses to continue doing what he loves most.

Two of many great Costa Rican artists whose talent and work has crossed boarders and survived generations.  If you want to appreciate some of the work of these and other Costa Rican artists you can visit the Costa Rican Art Museum  and the Central Bank Museum.