Art Changes Lives For Young Nicaraguans in Brookline’s Sister City

The Brookline Sister City Project invites you to view paintings from Quezalguaque, Nicaragua art students. The exhibit is featured in Hunneman Hall of the on Washington Street until Jan. 20.

This is our fifth year sponsoring art classes in Quezalguaque, Nicaragua. Every Sunday morning, Justo Lorenzo Lopez, the teacher, takes the bus from Leon to Quezalguaque to work with 15 to 25 students. For three hours, the community room of the library is transformed into an art studio.  In good weather the young artist move to the library patio to work. We have watched as some talented artists have developed and improved their skills. For some it has meant a change in direction of their lives. For others it is an exposure to art for the first time. 

Over the past four years I have visited the class many times. The students are always enthusiastic and very proud to show me their latest works. Many of the Brookline Sister City members that have visited Quezalguaque have purchased paintings from the students. In the spring of 2009, Brookline Sister City sponsored an exhibit and auction of the teachers and students paintings.  The proceeds from the event went to help continue Sister City’s support of the program. 

Last summer a few of us returned from Quezalguaque with more paintings from the class. They are now being shown in the library exhibit along with paintings done by Juliana Price, daughter of a Sister City Board member, of her recollections of her visit to Quezalguaque.      

To continue these classes the Brookline Sister City needs to raise $2,000 a year. This pays for the stipend to the art teacher and all the paints and other materials needed for the class. Some of the paintings in the current exhibit are for sale. All the proceeds from them will go to support the continuation of this program.

Carol Caro

Brookline Sister City Project