Guernica by Pablo Picasso

This week the mosaic piece advanced a lot. The clouds and the Atlantic Ocean are covered with vitreous tiles. I am going to work on the face next and the famous rock form of the island; "Roque Nublo". I guess next week the figure will build more...

"Over the clouds" work on progress

This week I applied another layer to the oil painting. It needs lots of work still. I think with patience it will come out nicely. Yesterday I was close to the beach; I looked at the details of the rock forms with my naked eye. Working only with the photo might easily fool you in many occasions, the best reference is your own eyes always.

"The immortal Wallpaper (Burrero beach) work on progress

I started to drawing sessions with the sketching the composition first on The Stonehange drawing paper. It is hard to see the drawing clearly at this stage. I am going to surprise you with a surreal and symbolist composition this time. Even though the idea of combining human faces with animals has been done so many times since medieval times perhaps... I think Canarian artists didn't use this idea with their own animals and landscapes. What makes you a unique artist is "if you could bring out something new from your own territory." This phrase is mine by the way. Look at Picasso's paintings and you will understand what I mean…

"Lagarta Gigante en la Cumbre" work on progress

First time I saw the original of this painting in 1991, I was travelling with Interrail in Europe by myself. I came to Madrid and visited Prado Museum. This huge painting was protected with a glass screen and so you couldn't get closer a meter or two to see it. A year later they moved it to Reina Sofia Modern Art Museum where you can see it very closely today.

Guernica at Prado Museum (til 1992) Madrid, Spain

Guernica in Reina Sofia Modern Art Museum , Madrid, Spain

A little bit Spanish art history for you. Here is the brief info about "Guernica" the world famous painting of Pablo Picasso. It was Guernica is a town in Basque Country in Spain. During the Spanish Civil War, it was regarded as the northern bastion of the Republican resistance movement and the epicenter of Basque culture, adding to its significance as a target.

At about 16:30 on Monday, 26 April 1937, warplanes of the German Condor Legion, commanded by Colonel Wolfram von Richthofen, bombed Guernica for about two hours. Germany, at this time led by Hitler, had lent material support to the Nationalists and was using the war as an opportunity to test out new weapons and tactics. Later, intense aerial bombardment became a crucial preliminary step in the Blitzkrieg tactic.

After the bombing, Picasso was made aware of what had gone on in his country of origin. At the time, he was working on a mural for the Paris Exhibition to be held in the summer of 1937, commissioned by the Spanish Republican government. He deserted his original idea and on 1 May 1937, began on Guernica. This captivated his imagination unlike his previous idea, on which he had been working somewhat dispassionately, for a couple of months. It is interesting to note, however, that at its unveiling at the Paris Exhibition that summer, it garnered little attention. It would later attain its power as such a potent symbol of the destruction of war on innocent lives.

Guernica by Pablo Picasso, big size image click on to see

This week's muse is an old time favourite of mine, Marc Ribot. He used play with The Lounge Lizards. I used to have a video recording one of his solo concerts in Knitting Factory, New York from the late 90's. I did an exchange with my Lounge Lizards concert record with a fan. Unfortunately, this recorded video tape got lost during our moving process to Spain by US Postal Service along with few important recordings. But thanks god that I did back up of some of them to DVD's... The song is called "For Malena" from the album "Party Intellectuals" by Marc Ribot. Enjoy it!  Please don't forget to put your comments below and please share this post with your fb, Twitter friends, tnx in advance... 

Have a great week!

"For Malena" from the album "Party Intellectuals" by Marc Ribot

(All copyrights acknowledged and respected and support the music artists by buying their music.)

* Click on the images to see them larger.

* Click on comments to leave your opinion, thanks.

Omnia Causa Fiunt, Over the Clouds...

The month of July is becoming a productive one. My drawing table is set with Prismacolor pencils and it's ready to draw on wonderful Stonhenge papers. Few years ago, I have made color pencil series (with mixed media) for "Ars Longa, Vita Brevis" solo exhibition. Surprisingly, I didn't sell any of this series at the exhibition; I was curious and disappointed a little bit. Even though some people gave very nice comments on them and told me they would buy them for sure... Anyways, there must be a reason for it... In the mean time, I am keeping one piece for myself and another piece will go to a long time supporter and follower friend. 12 more to find their new homes and walls in Istanbul... (to see more drawings click on my website )

Omnia causa fiunt (Everything has a reason) Artist Collection

Coloured pencil on paper with mixed media, 30 x 40 cm., 2009

In Vino Veritas (The truth is in wine) (Reserved)

Coloured pencil on paper with mixed media, 40 x 30 cm., 2009

The mosaic piece is forming slow but nicely. I am naming this artwork as "Over the Clouds", the sketch scene take place at the peaks (aprox. 2000 m.) of Gran Canaria where usually you feel over the clouds.

Detailed work of "Pinzón" bird

"Over the Clouds" work on progress

This week, I was listening Sixto Rodriguez's lovely music. I have seen the documentary "Sugar Man" when it released few years ago and felt deeply sorry for him. If you haven't seen yet, don't miss it, you will love it really... The song at the videoclip is "I wonder" from "Cold Fact" album. Listen to the lyrics, Rodriguez is a good poet.

Rodriguez, I WONDER,1970 official video clip

(All copyrights acknowledged and respected and support the music artists by buying their music.)

Have a great week!

* Click on the images to see them larger.

* Click on comments to leave your opinion, thanks.

What's on my mind? Nothing but Flowers

 Gran Canaria, the view from the boat 

Last week, my husband and I took few days off and we did a small trip to visit some family members in Tenerife island. We took the ferryboat (2.5 hrs) and stayed at cousins' beautiful Canadian Style countryside house built by them in La Esperanza. Right next to their house also the parents have a lovely cottage house with garden flowers and a vineyard. It was cloudy and chilly almost everyday so we stayed at home most of the days but it was great spending some time with them and their wonderful kids.

view from the vineyard

The oil painting is advancing little by little. More layers needed to be painted of course... I like to put the fresh layers on dry surface, depending on the thickness of the paint I have to wait for few days. Since it is not the rainy season, so I put the wet paint after each work session at the patio which has open air. This way the studio has more fresh air, too.

Burrero beach, oil painting work on progress

I made a short video clip about cutting the vitreous glass tiles with circle blade tile nipper. It is important to have alcohol swatches and band-aid handy around, small accidents might happen time to time. And never cut tiles without safety goggles for your eyes sake!

Cutting for the mosaic piece as usual. The branches and flowers area is coming out nicely. I will work on the little bird soon. Next week it will advance for sure...

The Lead Girl with Canarian Timple - Work on progress

Have a great week!

* Click on the images to see them larger.

* Click on comments to leave your opinion, thanks.

Recycled Screen Project - The Immortal Wallpaper

My computer's wallpaper photo; Playa del Burrero, Carrizal, Gran Canaria

I work with double screen and save a lot of time while working on the computer (see pic 2). A few months ago my secondary computer screen died and I got a new one. But I didn't throw it away the dead screen and saved it (see pic 3) at the storage room for a future project. Seven years ago, I used an unusable laptop screen as a paint surface for a collective exhibition called "The Ghost in the Self-Portrait", in Istanbul and created "Deadcam" oil painting (see pic 1). This week I started my second recycled screen project, this time I am painting the landscape (see pic 4) of our local beach, "Playa del Burrero" which was the same wallpaper photo of my broken screen for more than two years. It is going to be called "The Immortal Wallpaper".

The mosaic piece is growing slowly... The highest mountain of Spain; "Teide" at the far behind the view is almost completed. The other day I found some mosaic materials at the storage room that I totally forgatten 

them. With these round marble stone I can perfectly represent the almond flower bloom on the tree.

"Lead Girl with Timple" work on progress

Now that I have two projects going on in my painting studio, I organized around a little bit. It helped a lot really. I am using the portable table for set up of the marble and brushes and folding it once the session is done, so I have more space to work for the mosaic piece at the same time. If you have lack of space in your living area, in order to achive productivity you better use your practical mind...

Studio Carrizal 

My music muse for this week was the young talented British singer, songwriter George Ezra. Ezra influenced by Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie. He has an unique nd incredible bluesy toned voice. I am sharing with you the video clip of song called "Budapest" from his latest album; "Wanted on Voyage". Enjoy it.

Budapest by George Ezra

(All copyrights acknowledged and respected and support the music artists by buying their music.)

Have a great week!

* Click on the images to see them larger.

* Click on comments to leave your opinion, thanks.