Lecture and Workshop on "Alfombras de Aserrin"

On Wednesday, October 10th, NCA held a lecture and workshop at St Johns Church  featuring the Nicaraguan artist Marlon Moreno. It was a unique opportunity to participate in the making of an Alfombra de Aserrin (Sawdust Carpet).  Marlon is the Director of the Taller Xuchialt which is a community art school in the Sutiava barrio of Leon.   The lecture and workshop were free and open to the public. Over 25 people attended from as far away as Washington DC. The group made three distinct alfombras, all of which were beautiful. These works of art are traditionally made in Leon, Nicaragua for Friday of Holy Week (Semana Santa). They line the streets of Leon where the Holy Week procession takes place and are made by the families from the houses along the streets. The tradition is that the very last group of worshipers holding the large heavy statue of Christ have the honor of waling on (and ultimately destroying ) the many, many sawdust carpets covering the streets. For more images of the sawdust carpet process in Leon go here

Visit to Nicaragua, January 2012

In January of 2012, two members of the Nicaraguan Cultural Alliance, Barbara Larcom and Tom Hyatt, went to Nicaragua to visit Taller Artistico Xuchialt, a community-based art school in Leon, Nicaragua. The school serves young artists in the Xuchialt neighborhood of Leon offering classes in painting, drawing and other media. NCA was there to meet with the students and staff, to visit with the Director, Marlon Moreno, and to purchase art work for resale in the United States. All of the work purchased is available on our site and identified as coming from Leon, Nicaragua.