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| Balbino is one of the top young painters in the Rays of Light Youth Art Project, now drawing recognition in both El Salvador and abroad. He’s quite shy, so its not easy to get him to talk about his work. Instead, he prefers to express himself through his artwork. |
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Balbino Jimenez
20 years old
Tierra Blanca Community
"I started participating the art project in 2002 because I like painting. It draws me in. I found out about it through my friends. So I went and spoke to the teacher and found out that the classes were free: the only thing I had to provide was myself. This was great because there aren’t any other places where you can learn about art.
"In 2003 I graduated from High School. Since then I’ve been helping my dad to grow corn. There isn’t much other work available in the community.
"I call this painting El Descanso (Rest). After working in the fields all day, you really want to rest. This man, like so many others, spends a lot of time outside of the home to provide food for the family.
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"You can see his corvo (sickle), tecomate (a dried gourd for carrying water), his machete, and the metate (bag). Those are the tools he takes every day to the fields. Behind him, you have the forest, which is the Earth’s lungs, giving us oxygen to breathe. I began the painting thinking about my father. It’s the first time I’ve painted someone in my family. This is how he rests after working in the cornfields. We rent about 3 acres of land, and have two harvests a year. This keeps us very busy." |
To obtain paintings like this one from the Rays of Light Youth Art Project, contact Sean Hale (512-388-7957).