Description of Program:

Women from sixteen families have formed a group called The Association of Small Farmers of Ortega, which implements activities tying agriculture, tourism and the preservation of the environment to improve social and economic standards of their community. One such activity is the production of handmade paper incorporating the use of sugar cane by-products and other natural materials which provides employment and a source of revenue during the non-harvest time.

Twenty people from this association attended training at the Institute of National Learning to learn how to produce handmade, recycled paper and how to design and market products made from this paper.

Currently their small workshop is within someone's home and their production resources are extremely limited. Output has been small for the paper, and the cards, notebooks, bags and decorative items produced from it and sales have been small with not immediate earnings.

It is the Foundation's goal to provide equipment, other production resources and additional training so that production methods and output can be improved. We will encourage the Association to produce art quality paper that can be used for printmaking. We are in the process of soliciting print makers from both Costa Rica and the United States to participate in a Foundation sponsored print exchange using this handmade paper made from sugar cane.

Help is needed:

Donations of monies or papermaking supplies can be sent to the Foundation. All donations are tax deductible and the cause is worthy. All checks large and small should be made payable to "The Amity Art Foundation, Inc."

Artists interested in participating in this international print exchange may contact the Foundation for details and to reserve what will be a limited opportunity to participate.

Galleries wishing to show an exhibit of the completed portfolio should contact the Foundation to secure their position on the schedule.