Sculptor Manuel Vargas

Julie and I were invited by Guiselle Vargas, a swimming companion from a group who exercise at a pool nearby, to visit her husband, Manuel Vargas, who is a famous Costa Rican sculptor. Manuel invited us on a tour of his shop and his exhibition studio to see some of his work. Below is a piece he did which is made from pure Cocobolo wood (this would be Costa Rica's most famous wood and a version of the famous Rosewood). He took full advantage of the grain for this piece:

The painting below was given to Manuel in trade for some work he did. Julie and I loved this work and are considering buying it, but we can't figure out where to hang such a thing in our house! The photo doesn't really do it justice. The colors and style are great--especially the light and shadows.