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on SUMMERS mt zuun ANI) zunl. my wife. Fjulie Sangster and I travelled with students to Costa Rica and Nicaragua to teach workshop classes in the studio arts. My recent course, Environmental and Cultural Workshop in Art, involved the creation ofvvork based on the ovcrwl1cln1ing bcauty and mystery ofthe island of Onu-tczpc in Lake Nicaragua. We also developed our artwork through thr study 0fprcC0lu1nbian culture, as well as the art and society ofprcsmt day Central The was challellging, but always inspiratiollal.

Our cl-aS5 was held on 21 Z76 sq km island that is home to two volcanoes in the middle 0l'Lake Nicaragua. Nahuatl word that means land nftwo v0lcan0es') is the largest island locate-cl in the world lncatad in a water lake. The two volcanoes that dominate its vista, Mach-:ra and Concepcion, rise straight up more than IUIJU fest. The: population of more than Jll people are mostly of the Indians that rcgarclecl the islancl as a holy place. Petroglyphs can be F01.1nd all over the isiand, and more are discovered every year. There are also uniqui-. CXRIIIPIBS of pnr-Columbian stone statuary and burial urns in the main city of Altagracia that can be stuciicd closely without h;w1'ngmlnok through a glass case.
We began our trip from Managua, than drove to the pier to catch Ft1'ry. a short, rclaxing boat rid: across the lake, wc walked out on to the private pier ofthe Omelzepc Field Station, a privately run teaching and research centre dedi~ cated to the arts and sciences. We unloaded our gear and headed up to our cabins. The red-tile roofed buildings were nestled under the huge presence of the inactive volcano, Madera, while on the other side you could look out across [116 lake that looked more iikc an ocean. Our studio was simply .1 table sct up under the thatched communal space where all classes are taught in the open air. We had no kiln, bagged clay, or wheels. These facts made us reliant on our own creativity and abilities and encouraged us to interact with our hosts on the island.

Our first project involved designs based on petroglyphs. We Went on a mountain bike ride across the dirt roads through the small town of San Ramon. Our guide, Rodolfo, took us to a private property where dozens oi" petroglyphs could be seen, We |1unt&dtl1en1out0Fthe half-sub111erg;ed rocks. and were told by the Falllily that owned the

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