Three were three…

«Three were three…»

(much better if you click on it!)

In answer to Frizz  «TTT challenge»…Three doves looking to life from an old Spanish castle…

Multicoloured Walls Found Inside the Old City, in Vitoria-Gasteiz…

Last week I was in my hometown, Vitoria,  paying a visit to my family…And they shared their flu with me! (you know, we are a close family!! :))

But, before, I had two days to take some pics, and some of them  I think  are good for Ailsa´s challenge: «Multicoloured», and to the WPC: «Inside»

I introduce you to one interesting initiative that started in my city in 2007: to paint big murals in the Old Part of the City, as a tool for expression of citizens and artists, and as a way to rehabilitate this part of the city not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also social, favouring local participation…

Here are some of them…

«Al hilo del Tiempo».  (Plaza de las Burullerías).2007

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Paying homage to the Medieval role of this square: the market of Fabrics and Cloths (in fact, «Burullero» is an old Medieval Spanish word that means «cloth weaver»).

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«El Triunfo de Vitoria» (C/Santa María). 2009

Inspired by one work of the French Baroque painter Georges De La Tour: «The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs», but in a more Medieval atmosphere (here XIV century). It shows the Lady «Vitoria» playing cards with a man (that symbolizes the Power). This man is trying to cheat (see his hand behind), but the Lady´s maid (people from Vitoria) sees everything, and alerts her mistress  (click on the images…It looks great! )

The Lady, Vitoria

The Maid

The Power, cheating…

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«Cubiertos de Cielo y Estrellas» (C/ Pintorería).  2009

«Covered by the Sky and the Stars» is a modern version of one of Giotto´s works: «The Meeting at the Golden Gate»:  the kiss Anne gives to her husband Joachim, at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem…It is big, is full of life, and aims to inspire the desire of love in every person that sees it! (I do not know about the dog on the window, on the left! 🙂 )

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«La Noche Más Corta» (surrounded by the Old Walls of the city).  2010

Represents the Night of San Juan and its magical pagan festival, with bonfires, music, dancing…

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«Ezkuz Ezku» (C/Herrería) 2010

«Ezkuz Ezku» is  Euskera for  «Hand in Hand»…It is a big mural, with two painted facades with a mosaic base (John Pitman Weber was in charge of this mosaic). Here the hand («Ezkua») is the main subject, as the origin of music, art and work…

Ezkuz Ezku. Detail

Ezkuz Ezku. Detail

Ezkuz Ezku. Detail

Ezkuz Ezku. Detail

I only want to say thanks to Christine and Verónica Werckmeister,  Brenan Duarte, and all the artists and people that have helped to make my city a little different..

It you happen to be in Vitoria, it is possible to follow a guided tour, and if not, but somehow you are interested, you have more info here: http://www.muralismopublico.com/

Abstract in Black & White…

«There is not abstract art….

You must always start with something…

Afterward you can remove all traces of reality….»

(Pablo Picasso)

In answer to Sonel´s challenge «Black & White: Abstract»

This is a picture of the stairs up to the second floor…I took it yesterday from the coach, in the living room, while resting from a gastro intestinal virus I am suffering from…(And Sigh as well….!!!)

Fleeting moment..

It was a fleeting moment..

When I saw them…

Just flying around…

Trying to follow their mother…

Trying to become themselves….

Click here for more magical and fleeting moments….They are around us everyday…

Damascene Work in Toledo, Spain

This week, for the Daily Post Challenge, «Pattern», I have chosen a craftwork that is made in Toledo, Spain: Damascene Work.
As it is made by hand, it is impossible to find two pieces alike…

The work is hard:
-1º: Artisans have to shape the piece of iron or steel they are going to work with.
-2º: They have to mark it: to créate lines, shapes….All with a little chisel.
-3º: Here it comes: they have to embed a gold thread, or a silver one, or even a tiny gold sheet with a flat base punch very small (1 mm diameter!)
-4º:Then they use a wider punch (well…Only 3 mm diameter!) and a special hammer, to fix the threads or the sheets with a lot of accuracy…
-5º: After, the piece must be darkened through a chemical process.
-6º: Finally, the artist must still burnish the piece with burins and chisels to polish it, to increase or decrease contrast…

And here is the result….

I have to say I love it!!!! What about you? Do you like it?

Frizztext challenge:Tagged «N»…

Nest of Needles in the Night…

I wonder what D.Quijote would have thought if confronted with this in the Manchegan night…

Go to Frizz page to see and read more about «N»

Tagged «J»: Juggling with Jokers

Frizztext challenge this week is «tagged J»…
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Tagged «H»: Henry Moore

This week Frizztext challenge is «tagged H»…So, I introduce this work by Henry Moore…

It is one of his latest works  (1986)…

It is made in golden bronze, and it weights almost 20 Tm…

It is located in Gernika (Basq Country) in the Garden outside the Assembly House…

Henry Moore: «Large Figure in a Shelter»

I love it!

Divertimento (3): The Answer….

Well…Today is the day for the answer to my little Divertimento….

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As you remember, the first thing we could see was something that looked like what I called «Ghostly dancers»…
An example…

Almost all of you agreed on the answer: clothespines, wash line…
But it was not…

.Then I gave a clue: when looking from further away they became clearly «Ghostly Butterflies«…Another example

This time the answers were different…And Madhu was quite close…»something stuck on electric wires»…No, close but better to look closer to the ground…

And here is the solution.

Do you remember I told you some days ago that «my» forest had been encircled ? This is how it looks like…Wire and plastic…But everytime the sun is shinning the plastic somehow takes a magic light…

As Vera said, the important thing is not the reality, but what it suggest to you…It is possible to find beauty EVERYWHERE….

Have a good weekend….And take care with the meteorites!!!

Divertimento (2) : a Clue…

Welcome everybody….
So, yesterday I posted «Divertimento»…A little game for all of you that check my blog from day to day …
The question was…What is this? Where are these «Ghostly dancers» coming from?
Seems to be iIt suggested almost the same thing to all of you: wash line, clothespins…
Well…It is not…
But it has something to do with lines…And something to do with trees…
And here is another clue…

Ghostly dancers become «Ghostly butterflies» when looking at them from further away….

Tomorrow the answer….:)