Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Salt air and blowing sand had obscured some of the beauty of the Vallarta Dancers sculpture on the Malecón. So, internationally famous sculptor and creator, Jim Demetro, decided something should be done to bring back the statue's magnificence.

Last Friday, he and Enrique Barrios, the director of the Xiutla Ballet that inspired Demetro's sculpture, gathered a few members of the dance group to clean the work of art. They power-washed it and then restored some of the patina coloring that time and Mother Nature had diminished. Two hours later the statue, the most photographed art on the Malecón, shone bright and fresh once more.

Demetro is currently putting the finishing touches on his newest art project for Puerto Vallarta. This sculpture is called The Burro, and features a full sized burro with one small Mexican boy pushing and another pulling the stubborn burro. A dog gets into the act by pulling on the pant leg of one of the boys. When complete, Demetro will donate the sculpture to the people of Vallarta and install it on the Malecón for all to enjoy.

Originally from Battle Ground, Washington, Demetro has been sculpting professionally since 1992, and has created almost 50 public art pieces. In the 13 years that he has been living in Puerto Vallarta, he has already donated two public sculptures to the city: the iconic Vallarta Dancers on the Malecón and the Washer Woman in front of Molino de Agua.

To learn more about Jim and his art, please visit JimDemetro.com, or send him an email at jimdemetro1(at)gmail.com