https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=418116394939109&set=a.107416662675752.15777.100002222567513&type=1&relevant_count=1
I was going to set up a stall of my postcards and prints of Vejer, but sadly it was postponed because of the risk of bad weather...in the end it didn't rain, but I did go into town for the opening of two wonderful exhibitions in La Casa del Arco:
Mónica Rueda 'Berlin'
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560910560594178.1073741826.159121304106441&type=1
Lovely, loose paintings using charcoal and acrylic (one of my current favourite combinations) showing excellent drawing skills; capturing the movement and humanity of a bustling city with an astute sense of perspective and light. Mónica works as a dental technician and is self taught as an artist, she told me that although her job is very artistic in a sculptural sense she loves the freedom of working on a larger scale with looser materials.
Mariano Résquin 'Vecinos' (Neighbours)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560910000594234.1073741825.159121304106441&type=1
Mariano's lovely series of photos of people of Vejer in their working environments is another celebration of humanity. Mariano has made the people tiny; there's a sense of humour, warmth, intimacy and tenderness here which is doubtless exaggerated by the change of scale and really warms the heart. I know most of the subjects and he's really captured them beautifully.
On the whole the exhibition had a really good reception but I was a bit sad and disappointed by the reaction of a few people; one dismissing Mariano's photos as 'just photoshop really' and others saying they were unimpressed with Mónica´s paintings. Both artists have shown incredible imagination, drive, discipline, technical and artistic skills to put together their series of images, maybe it takes another artist to really appreciate that.
I will be exhibiting in La Casa del Arco next (end June-mid September), sharing the space with a Spanish artist I was introduced to on Sunday who showed me a wonderful little sketch book of punning cartoons he´d drawn. I´m very excited at the prospect but nervous at the same time as it seems very important to make the most of this opportunity. Luckily I can rely on the kindness and generosity of the experienced Casa del Arco folk to help me put my best art foot forward...the audience is another matter.
Next I went to see the photographic exhibition 'Ojos de Chaouen' (Eyes of Chaouen) at the hotel Casa del Califa
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=542926265748310&set=a.119558928085048.8819.119553218085619&type=1&theater
Jesús Botaro depicts the humanity of the vividly and beautifully blue Moroccan village Chefchaouen, which is 'twinned' with Vejer, but there´s no posing here; the people are going about their business as if the camera wasn´t there. The sense of light and colour captured in this series of photos is really strong and uplifting.
My last 'job' of the day was in a bar in Vejer. One of the new owners had approached me about a month before and asked if I would put up some of my prints and postcards of the town in the bar in exchange for them being up for sale...yes, of course, what a nice opportunity. Unfortunately I got knocked out by the flu for a week or so in the meantime, as soon as I could I sent a message to apologise for the delay and advise that the prints were ready and the framing would take another week. Fine, she said. Then on Sunday, when I turned up, her business partner decided that there was no room for my prints, that I was too late and that the nasty generic pictures from a 'Homebase' type chain they'd put up were preferable...luckily my friend was with me, she reminded me that this goes with the territory, that the man has poor taste and that it was his loss. Disappointing to say the least....
To be fair, I went back a couple of days later to put up my framed postcards and the man with poor taste told me they looked lovely and gave me a slice of very tasty cake.
Here's a picture
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