Exhibition information:
The paintings for this year’s Artweeks were all done during the Lockdown from March until July 2020.
In early March, we left for Madrid in a plane full of terrified people fleeing the pandemic. We were visiting my daughter and son-in-law on our way to Ibiza. The plan was to stay a week and then “home” to Ibiza where we have lived the best part of half a century. I have a big studio in a very wild part of the magic white island.
My daughter has her home in the “Barranco del Rio Dulce National Park”, Pelegrina, a place of exceptional beauty in the middle of Spain.
There was nothing to do except paint and go for lovely walks.
This suited me; I could not have had a better lockdown.
In July I came away reluctantly with a heavy heart and a heavy suitcase full of paintings and rolled up charcoals.
I left a collection of large Pastels in my son-in-law and my daughter's restaurant “El Mirador del Dulce.” Pelegrina.
The restaurant overlooks the amazing "Hoz" which is a curved canyon with a winding river of icy sweet water fed by waterfalls and abundant with diverse species of trees and wildlife.
The other side of the village contains a wide sweeping valley with fields of grains, including ancient grains such as Spelt, plus the villagers’ gardens full of vegetables and fruit trees.
Enormous Griffon Vultures inhabit the cliffs above, deer, boar, foxes and a wide variety of smaller mammals are abundant in the forests and woodlands. There are huge varieties of birds including the Egyptian Vulture that visit for breeding.
It suited my love of nature to be in such un-spoilt surroundings. It was the perfect place to be at this unusual time. We have been visiting this place for many years and I have quite a portfolio of paintings and drawings that I am pleased to share with you in the Exhibition Booklet.