Your Hosts: Robert Masla & Monica Levine

Monica Levine and Robert Masla have three children, Aiyana, Narieka and Brahm. They live in Western Massachusetts and have been visiting Puerto Vallarta for over twenty five years. They found the community of Boca de Tomatlan, 10 miles south of P.V. warm and friendly and a perfect place to nurture the "Casa vision". Monica is a Clinical Social Worker who has worked with the local middle school to establish an ecological group in Boca. She has a private practice working with couples and individuals, specializing in relationship issues. She has an office in Northampton, MA, (MonicaLevineLICSW.com). Bob is an Artist. You can see his work at www.MaslaFineArt.com or in Northampton, MA at the R. Michelson Gallery, (see Bob's work at RMichelson.com), and also at the Grand Teton Gallery in Jackson Hole, (130 West Broadway), Wyoming, (www.GrandTetonGallery.com). When you are in Puerto Vallarta his work is on exhibit at Gallery Alpacora in "Old Town", and if you come to the Boca, drop by the Casa and visit the new "Patio Gallery" (best to call to see if we are in). You can also see photos from the 2007 opening reception of his 30 year retrospective celebrating his 50th birthday at the R. Michelson Gallery - Near and Far, A Retrospective.

He also teaches painting and drawing in the U.S. at his Studios North in rural Ashfield, MA as well as other locations. In 1985 out of their love for this region, as well as their commitment to individuals creative, personal and spiritual growth, they created Casa de los Artistas, Inc. First, offering art workshops that Bob facilitated along with some nationally and internationally renown artist friends, (Jane Lund, Peter Kitchell to name a few), it soon grew to regularly incorporate internationally recognized master artists as visiting facilitators. Later, expanding further, (with Monica'a influence from the Therapy world), including seminars by internationally acclaimed therapists and authors. Continuing our commitment to creativity and personal growth we have also conducted workshops incorporating dance and yoga. Though our main focus is the visual arts, we look forward to future workshops on many expanding subjects, (creative writing, performance...).

To see a list and find links to descriptions of current workshops offered by Masla at the Casa and his Studios North, please scroll to the bottom

Brief Bios:

Robert Masla
is an internationally exhibited artist whose work is in many discerning private and corporate collections. With over a 30 year professional exhibition history, Masla brings immense talent, technical expertise, imagination and masterful craftsmanship in whatever he puts his hand to.

Masla began his studies at age 11 in the studio of 20th century realist master and former president of the National Society of Mural Painters, Alton S. Tobey. Now, more than 40 years later, Masla continues his mentors commitment to excellence in art with a mastery of both traditional and contemporary technique along with expression through a versatility of style.

Through out his carrer he has been a commited painter of landscape, he has also always remained committed to pushing his creative edge and expanding his expressive boundaries. The past 8+ years Masla has worked to develop a technique and new body of work comprised of unique mixed media digital collage paintings, (see: www.DigitalCollagePaintings.com ) . These works combine Masla's life long passion for both traditional and contemporary painting techniques along with his longtime involvement with photography, creating what is distinctly an original and innovative expression.

Masla Fine Art Studios is a fully equipped digital print shop, capable of customizing commissions for color, texture, size and image personalization. The artist also creates hand painted wall or canvas murals or mixed media custom made digital collage paintings and prints.

For over 35 years Robert Masla’s painting has focused primarily on the landscape. A passion that still occupies the artist to this day. Working to uncover the universal language contained within the natural world, Masla fills the common daily setting with an aura of mystical divinity and the suggestion of other worldly experiences. In the 1970’s Masla coined the term Spiritrealism to describe how the spiritual can manifest in the so-called mundane realities of every day life. "We’re given the opportunity to participate in creation every day of our lives. Creating art is a form of worship, a form of spirituality born through creative living that connects us to the cultivation of humanity. A process that has been going on since the dawn of civilization", says the artist.

Painting the landscape around him brings Masla joy because it allows him to take things that we might pass by every day and bring them into focus – to see them again as if for the first time. Paintings such as Feel the Earth Move or those at the Falls of Niagara, is from what Masla calls his Grand Landscape series- images of recognizable monumental landscapes. Masla believes in the power of Nature as healing and that these landscapes contain archetypal imagery that both relaxes and empowers the viewer, reconnecting them to the sense of oneness and harmony with nature and creation. His success in achieving this goal is attested by the fact that his work is collected not just for private homes and offices, but for corporate conference rooms and hospital lobbies for it’s healing and peaceful qualities. This is demonstrated in works like the Niagara series which was inspired from a trip to the Falls in the spring of 2002. The artist typically works on location sketching in oil and then completing the work in his studio, the very large works being referenced from sketches and numerous photographs. He also works on still life, portraiture and other subjects, all in a variety of media, (see his website for more info: www.MaslaFineArt.com )

Masla has lectured and taught painting, drawing and art history at several colleges and institutions. He also conducts workshops from his home in rural Ashfield, Massachusetts, where he lives with his wife and three children and also offers workshops from their home/studio South - Casa de los Artistas, in Boca de Tomatlan, Mexico. The artist's canvases, murals and portraits can be found in private residencies, corporations, the hospitality and health care industries, public institutions, restaurants and on film. Collections such as Mass Mutual, Baystate Medical, and The Openheimer Fund to name a few. His teaching experience is extensive, from pre -k through college, as well as private workshops. He has been a products demonstrator and tester for various artists materials manufacturers. He was the Artist in Residence for the city of Springfield, MA, where, for 4 years, he was the creator and artistic director of the A4E program (Art for Everyone) which had been awarded 3 consecutive grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for bringing art into the inner city schools.

Monica Levine
Graduated with a Masters in Social Work from NYU School of Social Work in 1983. After getting her LICSW in 1983 (Licensed Clinical Social Worker certification), she became a devoted student of Psychodrama for the next 12 years while working in a variety of settings, from hospitals to schools to crisis intervention centers. For a number of years she concentrated her studies on Sex Therapy and is board certified as a Sex Therapist from AASECT (American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists).

She is committed to helping persons in their personal growth and connecting with their passionate self, feeling honored to participate with them in this courageous process. Monica's website : www.MonicaLevineLICSW.com