Coincidences Coinci-Gods or Karma Costa Rica Style

Adventure: An exciting and very unusual experience. I have always told myself, be careful what you ask for because the universe always provides. Now my definition might be a zip line or extreme bungee jumping, not the kind we got. However it all turned out.

Here is my story: We were going to the Hotel Aranjuez http://www.hotelaranjuez.com/ to shower and relax before we were to fly out at 6:00 a.m the next morning. I was planning to go visit Emilia Fung's Gallery: Galeria 11-12 Arte http://www.galeria11-12.com/ (she specializes in purely Costa Rican art past to present). That was not to be. After my shower I realized that I had left my backpack on the taxi, computer, cellphones, cameras, passports and money etc.! Fortunately, because my friend Martha Sanchez had called the cab for us, we had the name of the taxi company and the cab number. Panic and disbelief set in, the cab company began to give us the run-around so we went to the Organismo di Investigation Judicial (cop shop) that night and they said no crime had been committed. No Satisfaction.

Judy Vars and Martha E Sanchez

The next morning our friend Martha http://marthaesanchez.blogspot.com/ showed up to help us out, because we were scared and frustrated there was some loud arguments and bruised feelings. Thank you my dear friend  and Sebastian for everything! your warm home for three nights, your good cooking, yogi, showing us San Jose, introducing us to your friends and having a party, showing us a Hopi ceremony and most important, keeping with us even when things got difficult and crazy! Friendship is stronger than fighting. I love you!

We all went to the police, it was like an old episode of Hill Street Blues, the cops made some calls and put some pressure on the taxi company, next we all got into the squad car and drove to the taxi company. The driver checked the taxi, no backpack. Then the police detectives took us to the American Embassy to get our new passports. They gave us VIP treatment according to Martha.

That night, the night of the second day something unbelievable happened: The woman who had gotten into the taxi next noticed my backpack and decided to keep it instead of telling the cab driver, she looked inside and found my name and got onto Facebook. From there she contacted my friends in Alaska, Kimberly Bustillos http://artdebustillos.com/ she contacted my other friend Sharen AK Harris http://sharenakharris.com/about.html who called my son Porter and he called my daughter Nicole who reached me that night at the hotel. She said; Someone found your backpack and gave me Edith's name and phone number.

Edith Campos also contacted Martha and Sebastian Sanchez http://marthaesanchez.blogspot.com/ in Costa Rica. Martha and I jumped in the taxi and went to an older barrio and got the pack back. Everything was still there, computer, cameras, cell phones, money, passports!!! Edith Campos is my Facebook Angel. Facebook should give her an award.

Edith Campos, Judy and her MoM

Later that night Martha and I went to an Internet Cafe to try and change our airline reservations but I got nowhere with the airlines or Price Line (Alaska Airlines are shits) they told me that we needed to pay an additional $4,366 just to get home. The next day after we walked all over downtown San Jose, CR trying to make international phone calls, in defeat we returned to the American Embassy. HELP we cried! The phones at the embassy worked no problemo, they spoke English, and renegotiated the airline ticket. In a couple of hours we had our tickets home thanks to another angel Charmaine my daughter.

That is not the end of my story: We had only been eating the complimentary breakfast at the Hotel Aranjuez to save money. After things were sorted out and we knew we were going to be leaving the next morning we went to a soda (restaurant) called Isabel’s to enjoy our last meal in Costa Rica.

The next day in the Houston Airport aka George Bush International, after the first leg of our journey home. I was sitting by the internet port charging my computer when an older woman asked me for help, she asked me to send an e-mail informing her party in Boston she had missed her flight. I e-mailed her party the time and flight number of her arrival. I noticed her name was Isabel, so I said funny, we ate at a place called Isabel’s last night in San Jose, Costa Rica. She said; so did I, in San Jose by the hospital? I said: Yes, we must have missed each other by just 30 minutes .We both said; What are the odds of that? I ask; Are you Costa Rican? She said; Yes. I ask; Where do you live? She said: Golfito. I ask; Do you know Reymundo, our friend who owns DolphinQuest http://www.dolphinquestcostarica.com/Dolphin_Quest_Costa_Rica/About.html She said; Yes! and has known him since Raymar his oldest son was born in the ocean about 19 years ago. Everyone we met in Golfito think the world of Reymundo who is originally from Detroit. We begin to have a conversation,she says she has started the process to open a bilingual school in Golfito to teach English to children and adults. Coincidentally, Peter's and I have this dream for retirement to do just that.

We are asking ourselves what kind of crazy coincidences in the universe made this happen? We were all feeling goosebumps and praising DIOS!

The story gets even stranger if you think about it. Had we not missed our flight like Isabel, we would not have met in Houston at all. Suddenly I said; You are going to Boston, Isabel! and we are flying to Seattle! We looked at the ticket and we should have been at gate C-18 not C-14 where we were sitting with Isabel. We hugged took a picture and ran to our gate to get on our flight in the nick of time.

Judy Vars and Isabel Arias

I do not know the significance of this meeting but something tells me that there are forces larger than we know at work for our good and our protection if we can just get out of the way and let it happen. Thank you to the people of Costa Rica you have strengthened my faith in Humanity! Thank you Great Spirit!

I LOVE COSTA RICA and I love the people of Costa Rica! Thank You Dios!

Encaustic Wax Art (my article for Make-A-Scene)

If you haven’t heard of encaustic wax art you are not alone. It was Greek to me once. The art form has been around since Marc Anthony and Cleopatra had their fateful love affair. Encaustic means to burn in pigments made from pure organic beeswax, mixed with damar resin and fixed with heat. The exact formula was lost until a modern chemist reinvented it in the 1940’s. The earliest surviving examples are the Fayum mummy portraits, head and shoulder portraits painted onto wood panels for the mummy casing - an early Greek version of the funeral makeup artist.
Currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art there are more than 70 on display until May 2010. This funerary is a fascinating blend of Roman and Egyptian culture and is a rare glimpse into the faces and eyes of an ancient civilization.

Encaustic wax art fell into obscurity by the seventh century and was forgotten with the invention of more practical methods such as oil and tempura. Electricity and pre-made pigments have made encaustic more available to everyone. Now in the 21st century encaustic is back in a big way. This summer there are several major exhibitions on the East Coast and at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts in Oregon, in June, encaustic art is the cornerstone exhibit. My work is on display at Bagels Alaska, 6177 E Palmer Wasilla Hwy, The Alaska Gallery, 105 Arctic Ave, Palmer, and The Firefly Gallery, 419 L Street, Anchorage.

The qualities of the artwork that can be achieved with encaustics are unique. The beeswax is pure and organic, perfect for artists concerned with the Green Revolution. The methods are more like alchemy and magic than painting. It can be layered with translucent pigments to mysteriously reveal what lies partially hidden. The depth and luminosity that can be achieved is remarkable. Modern artists have taken the wax to amazing places. It also appeals to artists who want to carve, sculpt or collage.

As encaustic goes more main-stream, collectors and galleries are becoming more interested in the medium. Encaustic art is losing some of its novelty - which is good. Collectors will not shy away from this medium as more people hear about it and understand its unique qualities which include durability and permanence.

My mission is to spread the “cult of the wax”. So, fired up with enthusiasm and new techniques, I am planning a 2 day workshop in the late summer. I have taught encaustic wax techniques to artist organizations and art teacher groups. Also at Art on Fire and the Alaska State Fair. I teach children through the Alaska State Council of the Arts. I have taken several intensive workshops locally and in June I will be attending the 4th annual convention of encaustic artists in Massachusetts. Please keep on the lookout for more information in this Make a Scene paper.

Only you, the artist, knows it is not the paint that makes the painting but the artist who creates. Imagination and will are all that is required.