This Boy Never Gives Up

What would you do if you can't find a job at a public nor private institution? What would happen if you have not enough money to set up your own business?... Well, if work doesn't look for you then you must go out to look for it.

This time I would like to share with you my friends something about a young man who also work on streets of Chimbote city. His name is Richard Castañeda and lives very close to downtown. He likes art (make pictures) since he was about 5 years old. The sun already fell down in Chimbote and Richard is willing to share with with me about what he does for a living.

Through years he improved by himself his ability for art. Well, time went by and since 2003 Richard went out to streets of downtown of Chimbote to work showing others his gift to make pictures on sidewalks only using colored chalks.

He is young and has talent and is using it (his best asset) to earn some money to live in a legal way. He tells me police sometimes does not allow him work on sidewalk and when it happens he has to leave it just when he was about to finish his picture. But he doesn't give up and as soon as possible looks for another sidewalk to keep working on it.

A friend of his, as Richard works, encourages people passing by there to give some money telling: "Please, collaborate with art." Some people collaborate and some people don't. "Paving Art" is what he is doing.

Richard tells me that in countries such as: Spain, Italy, France, etc authorities of cities do not obstruct these artists on the contrary they give them some support. For example, he continues, the government of Brazil assists people who are keen on "Paving Art" because this is a way for they to avoid young people fall into drugs, robbery, etc.

Richard would like mayor of Chimbote to gives them a exclusive place for them to be able to work and if it is not possible he would just like police to allow them work on sidewalks all along. About 3 years ago, Richard set up a picture exhibition on a street of Chimbote which gathered artists of other cities just like him who were able to show their art works.

On the other hand, Richard would like to study at "Nice Arts" school and to invite some people to perform art workshops here in Chimbote to avoid that young people waste their lives falling into bad ways. Good example to follow, keep on going Richard !!!