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The Working Bulls of Nicaragua

The Colonial city of Granada is an architectural jewel that seems almost frozen in time. It is gradually emerging from Nicaragua's troubled past of political and military clashes as an oasis of Colonial beauty and offers a rich palette of colors to local and visiting artists. But before I turn my paintbrush to architectural scenes, I wanted to capture some of the ubiquitous working bulls of Nicaragua. To be sure these bulls do not stroll the streets of Granada, but it doesn't take long before one gets out of the city limits to have bull encounters.

The working bulls on the Volcanic island of Ometepe, a twin volcano piece of land that stands smack in the middle of the large Nicaraguan lake, are the subjects of this body of work. I tried to show versatility in the depiction of the bulls, because versatility is what these beasts of burden are about.

The canvas murals are mostly oil on canvas, but some are more multi-media, blending charcoal and pastels (and strips of financial times newspaper).