Smokebrush in Mexico

In 2005, Smokebrush employee Lindsay Ray took the Foundation global by introducing art classes and community art projects to students in the town of Otates, Mexico (approximately 2 hours outside Puerto Vallarta). Other members of the Smokebrush family visited her last fall in order to work with the students in her classes, and dozens of others in the community who wanted to be a part of workshops in movement and mural painting. In 2006, Lindsay and her students will put their skills to good use, decorating trash barrels for a town where trash pick-up is a new and exciting concept. Watch the site for photos and stories from Smokebrush employees about their experiences with students in Mexico.

We have exciting news to share with you. While Lindsay has always had abundant, eager students, workspace has been hard to come by. The existing classrooms are very small, working outside is difficult due to a lack of shade to protect the kids from heat and sun. In order to remedy this problem, Lindsay and her husband Richard Willan have begun building a ramada, or covered outdoor room, which will give the students an ideal place to work. There is a great deal of community support for the project, which is already underway thanks to Richard and locals who have begun raising funds and donating labor toward the much-needed, environmentally-friendly structure. The children will participate in the building project by decorating their new tables and benches with mosaics.

If you would like to contribute to Lindsay's Mexico project, contact Smokebrush about making a donation of art supplies or funds for the building of the ramada.

Adam Conard's Thoughts on Mexico ...
"Going to Mexico made me realize just how different the way of life is there compared to life in the USA. I got the opportunity to meet and interact with the locals and became quite close to a number of them. Most of these people have next to nothing and don't have a lot of opportunities, and yet they are full of life and happiness. The children were so great and pure, I was privileged to influence them and inspire them through art. Working with the kids on painting the mural was one of the most enjoyable things that I have ever done. They admired and closely watched every move that I made and really tried to learn to do what I was doing. It was like by teaching them how to paint, I was opening a door for them that has never been opened, and that was very gratifying."