It was great seeing familiar faces on my second visit to Limon, Costa Rica - Several of the art teachers that took my previous class a couple of years ago, were back to take this new session of workshops, which consisted of 2 days of reflecting, focusing on inner and outer peace, expression, trust, communication, intuitive painting, breathing exercises, mural conceptualizing, organizing our thoughts and the groups that were created, centering ourselves as well as maintaining a positive attitude and a humbled ego. Then the following 2 days the groups which had a team lead and particular roles for each of the participants, went straight into non-stop painting of the large scale mural with Pacuare high-school students and community members. The classes were a success - the community mural painting was a sucess. Even when the base coat paint was delayed for 2 hours, the people of Limon brought out a speaker, an amplifier and a music player and began to dance! There was nothing - including the rain - that would stop this project from being joyous and a success. Thank you to all the art teachers and everybody that participated - Thank you Kendall Cayasso for the awesome interview. Thank you Vice-Ministerio Por La Paz, Arte Por La Paz MSC Gina Marin Rojas, Beverly Thacker, Carlos, Gabriela Bolaños and the US Embassy in Costa Rica. I am truly grateful. :)

1. What does it mean to you to be taking your art to Costa Rica, or different countries and to have been invited to Costa Rica? This is my second invitation to Costa Rica via the USA Embassy in Costa Rica and the Vice-Ministry for Peace in Costa Rica - Max Loria and The National Art Advisory and the director for Arte por la Paz MSC Gina Marin Rojas. I feel truly aligned with their work – which is a methodology based on the culture for peace, something, I’ve been providing for the past 6+ years now – To use art as a tool for inner and outer peace. I strongly believe and stand by my work so working with like-minded groups and individuals is always a blessing to me.

2. You teach art often, why do you teach your craft?  Its something that I need to do, it channels through me on a constant basis. The fact of the matter is that I feel a strong responsibility to share positive information to the masses via my entire body of work, which includes, public murals, speaking engagements, hands on workshops and creating collections of paintings. All created with the intention to produce and ignite positive vibrations and joy to those who experience it.

3. How long will you be in Costa Rica, how many murals are you working on and how many classes are you teaching? I will be here in Costa Rica for a total of 3 weeks. I will direct 3 large-scale murals – One at Pacuare High School in Limon, CR, the second one is at a Buen Pastor Detention Woman Center and the third one will be in Centro Penal Juvenil Zurqui. Additionally Central American artists and counselors will attend the art for peace workshops with the aim for them to reproduce the workshops in their own countries. The murals will be the result from a culmination of skills learned from the workshops. Participants have been selected prior by the Vice Ministry for Peace in Costa Rica. I will partake in a total of 12 workshops – 4 for each space mentioned earlier.

The actions are connected to FIA Festival Internacional de las Artes and Arte Por la Paz Ministerio de Justicia y Paz Convenio Ministerio de Educacion Publica Asesoria Nacional de Arte MSC Gina Marin Rojas

4. What are you working on in San Diego that people can go check out soon? I just finished a mural for Buggy Bath Car Wash in Linda Vista, CA. Literally finished it before leaving to Costa Rica. I titled the piece: Linda Vista Messenger of Tranquility and Peace.

Please contact me regarding any inquires for speaking engagements, workshops and/or public art that promotes positivity, love and creativity. I’d love to be a catalyst and a reflection of inspiration to you and your group.

Isaiascrow.com – isaiascrow@gmail.com 619-550-1454

I've arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica - I've been invited by the US Embassy in Costa Rica and the Vice-Ministry for Peace to partake on a series of mural paintings, hands on workshops,  and speaking engagements on my use of art (which is rooted in graffiti art) as a tool for inner and outer PEACE. This is something I have been putting into practice for a good 6 years now. More on this subject and the progress on the work I'll be producing in Costa Rica soon :) - Isaias Crow