Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/116876
Sarasota News Leader March 22, 2013 Rojas Morales added, ���For about nine years, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has been playing an important role in the sale of the masks and, consequently, substantially improving the quality of life of the Borucan people, among others.��� In an interview with the News Leader, the other artist present at the reception, Francisco Rojas Morales ��� Pedro Rojas Morales��� brother ��� offered more details on the process of creating the masks. He said each one takes about three days to carve and three days to paint, for a total time investment of about one week per mask. His favorites to produce are the ecol��gicos and the combinados styles, he added. Asked about his inspiration, he said it comes from his own imagination, which is influenced by seeing the animals and experiencing the environment of the rainforest where he lives. Page 76 THE PROGRAM In addition to the exhibition, the Gardens has hosted a number of Meet the Artists events, as well as a lecture titled, The Road to Boruca and Beyond; a Create Your Own Rainforest Mask class; and a Costa Rican cooking demonstration. A final free lecture ��� Riches of the Costa Rican Rainforest ��� is coming up on Thursday, March 28, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Great Room by the Bay of Selby Gardens at 811 S. Palm Ave. Those who were unable to participate in Create Your Own Rainforest Mask this year will likely have an opportunity to do so in 2014, when the Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica exhibition will be back at Selby Gardens once again. Those who want to see or purchase the masks in the current exhibition ��� if any are still for sale ��� may do so with the purchase of regular admission to Selby Gardens until Friday, April 19. % Ecol��gicos style Borucan masks made from balsa wood and acrylic paint by Neftali Rojas Morales were on display during the Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica exhibition reception on the evening of March 7 at Selby Gardens.