Wow! Did I say WOW!! I just got back from our Journey to the Costa Rican Rainforest. We were 14 artists traveling together and it was an amazing trip. When I first started doing tours about 20 years ago, I was nervous, wondering whether people would like it. I have not been nervous for many years because it is such an AWESOME place, especially if you are an ARTIST and you LOVE NATURE! Sharing the experience with like-minded people is so heartwarming.

Although I have been doing tours for 20 years I have been traveling to Costa Rica for 30 years and it never gets old. The biodiversity is astounding. The country is taking great strides in protecting the environment and its vast natural resources. In today’s world with climate change and extinction I worry about the future. Each time I go to Costa Rica I wonder if I will see a great decline. Will there be as many birds, animals and plants? It has always been that every year, I see things I have never seen before. This year was no exception. I saw several really cool bugs, about 7 new species of birds and even some new frogs!!!! I also saw so many of the animals and plants I see every year. I can’t wait to get to my studio to create a new collection of work. I am so inspired and I know everyone else from the trip is too!

Here is a favorite photo from the journey. Although primates are not my favorite animals, and I have seen the Capuchin Monkey before….. I have never seen a baby nursing from her mom in the wild. It was such a precious moment and one I will never forget.

Mother Capuchin Monkey nursing her baby in the Costa Rican Rainforest. ©2020 Mindy Lighthipe

I have the new dates for next years JOURNEY to the Heart of the COSTA RICAN RAINFOREST! I have to get moving on setting the itinerary and the pricing. To see what we did this year check out the link. It will be similar and different! Start Saving and SAVE the DATES!!!!

In the meantime I am starting a new set of 4 online classes April 1, 2020. If you haven’t taken these classes yet….. don’t miss out. They are packed with useful information which are geared towards getting your skills up to speed for…#DrawingtheBeautyofNature! For more photos and art from the trip follow me on INSTAGRAM.