Hidden Garden Art Gallery in Guanacaste
The other day my husband and I were on our way to the beach in Guanacaste and we happened upon the Hidden Garden Art Gallery. It was located just 5 km west of the Liberia airport between the Payless Car Rental and the German Bakery.
There is a sign on the road, but the actual gallery is set back behind a few trees. This is the largest art gallery in the Guanacaste province.
When you enter you are greeted by a beautiful building reminiscent of a villa built with what looks like travertine granite. We found out later the material was faux, and developed by a local artisan. The building itself is enough reason to visit. There is a duck pond, beautiful flowers and a café where you can enjoy bocas, fruit smoothies, coffees and pastries.
While the building is amazing, the best part of the Hidden Garden Art Gallery is the incredible art. Hidden Garden boasts 13 rooms and 3,000 square feet displaying the work of over 50 artists. They feature the work of the top artists in Costa Rica. Currently Otto Apuy, one of the artists whose work is on sale here, is having a retrospective of 40 years of his work including paintings, drawings, installations, video art and lithographs on display at the Costa Rican Art Museum in San José.
Indeed, I felt like I was in a mix between a top art gallery and an art museum. The staff, who spoke English fluently, were incredibly knowledgeable about the artists and answered all my questions. I learned quite a lot about modern Costa Rican art. The art here includes paintings, engravings, photography and sculptures. Works range from abstract to realistic.
Not all of the artists in the gallery are Costa Rican, but some are foreigners who have moved to this beautiful country and decided to stay. One of those artists is Carlos Hiller, the resident artist here and one of the founders. Hiller’s specialty is his incredible underwater landscapes. Carlos came here from Argentina twenty years ago and fell in love with the ocean and the rainforest and stayed. He is now a naturalized Costa Rica citizen.
Gallery owners have big plans for the Hidden Art Gallery to become more than just a fantastic place for fine art. They see it as a cultural and social center where the all the arts, including live music and dance interact.
Currently they have a Guanacaste show which will continue until August 17. Artists submitted works that reminded them of the Guanacaste Province. Artists involved in this exhibit include: Oscar Lios, Christian Porras, Cristina Lios, Juan Carlos Ruiz, Marco Tulio Brenes, Rebeca Alvarado Soto, Hernán Pérez- Pérez, Sara Larkin, Barbara Odio Yglesias, Ron Brocco and Doug Schutza.
Hours are from Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm. Saturday also features a vendor fair where you can purchase organic low-impact products such as cheese, yogurt, honey, peanut butter, homemade pies and green cleaning products.
I strongly recommend visiting the Hidden Garden Art Gallery if you are anywhere near the Guanacaste area. It is the perfect place to come anytime, but makes a terrific location for those morning or afternoon rainstorms. Additionally, this is where you will want to purchase a lasting work of art and a reminder of your visit to Costa Rica.