Mask Artist Painter - Boruca, Costa Rica

“I have always loved toucans for their striking colors, for their singing and diversity. In my work, I enjoy drawing and painting them. They are so free to fly wherever they want and always attract attention.”

In 2000 at 14, Esteban started learning mask making from his brother. First he learned how to cut the wood from the tree, measuring, and carving. Two years later, he started drawing and painting his own masks which is what he enjoys most.

His art is evolving, and Esteban likes to incorporate iconography from the pre-Columbian art left by his ancestors in ceramics, stone, and gold. Besides mask making, Esteban is proud to have created wall murals for educational institutions in Costa Rica and hopes to create more in the near future.