Our Trip to Spain

 

(Above:  Selfie with Toledo in the background.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

We've been home for just over a week but it has taken until today for me to sort through more that 550 pictures, catch up on overdue correspondence, and do all the little things that needed done after being away for eight days!  In a nutshell, however, the trip to Spain was FABULOUS.  Yes, it rained a bit while we were in Madrid but not on the days when we went to Toledo and Zarazoga.  When it rained, we stayed in a few of Madrid's magnificent museums. Photography isn't allowed at the Prado but I made up for those hours with dozens of pictures from Reina Sofia and the Thyssen Museum.  I'm not going to post any of those.  Why?  Well ...this blog post is going to be a long one and the artwork can be accessed on-line!

We also walked a lot, more than 20,000 Fitbit steps most days.  We climbed towers and followed paths outlined in our Lonely Planet guide book.

We even stayed in a room in Zaragoza with the most amazing view to the main plaza and the imposing facade of the basilica.

We visited the royal palace (and recommend to anyone going to Madrid that they go there too ... and get advanced tickets to avoid the very, very long line.  Also, book an English tour.  It was grand and far better than wandering around with information headsets.)

 

I couldn't get over just how ornate every room really was!

 

The floors were gorgeous; the fabric exotic; the mirrors and clocks and furniture ... just WOW!

 

The chandeliers were simply over-the-top!

 

We visited the Temple of Debod, one of the few structures that were physically moved, piece by piece, from out of the area that is now under water due to the building of the dam on the Nile River.
 

 

On Sunday, there's a giant flea market in Madrid.  Visually, it was stunning to see all the vendors ... especially the one selling all sorts of picture frames!

We sought out unique architecture ...

... and visited several covered markets.

At one place, I added my prayer to thousands of others!

We didn't have a meal at the restaurant under this rooster sign ...

... but we did eat very, very well.  One night we had a traditional leg of lamb. Another night we had a seafood paella.  On this occasion, we ordered tapas ... both cold ones and hot ones.  We really have no idea what we ate because the restaurant was very much a locals hang-out.  We told our waitress to pick for us!  Everything was delicious.

I lost count of the beautiful churches we visited. Some were ancient. Some were much newer.  All of them, however, included elaborate decoration and a variety of styles.

The vaulted ceilings were often stunning.

Many were part of a larger complex with a cloistered courtyard.

Statues filled the many side chapels.

I can't ever remember seeing so much gold!

Even smaller niches were intricate.

We visited a synagogue and another church strongly inspired by Moorish design.

Ornate patterns were everywhere!

Domes were often over-sized and soared to unusual heights.

Several churches maintained separate museums ... like one for a grand collection of tapestries ...

... and another for stained glass masterpieces.  All in all, the time in Spain was inspirational and fun!

Love is a Tidal Wave

(Above:  Love is a Tidal Wave VIII.  Framed: 21 1/4" x 17 1/4".  Gelli plate printed tidal wave with acrylic glass bead gel and pigments; free-motion stitched outline; beads; college of letters.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

While I was in Montana last fall, I took a half day workshop that taught participants how to use a Gelli plate.  I was pleasantly surprised at just how super simple this technique really was and ordered a 9" x 12" one for myself.  I've used it twice.  The first time, I just played around.  The painting I made were laminated and cut into bookmarks that were sent as Christmas surcee to a few special friends.  The second time, however, had an intention!

 

(Above:  Love is a Tidal Wave I thru VI.)

I wanted to see whether or not I could create a tidal wave resist using a stencil that I cut out from a piece of release paper (the cover sheet to my Pellon Wonder Under ... a sleek, non-stick thing).  Well ... sure enough, it worked.  I must have printed thirty or thirty-five different tidal waves on random pieces of sheet music and cardstock.  From them, I selected fourteen to progress.

 

(Above:  Love is a Tidal Wave VI thru XII.)

The fourteen were fused to a heavy watercolor paper.  Buttons were stitched as an outline.  Five-point stars filled the background.  Holes were stabbed through the center of each star in facilitate a thin beading needle ... and beads were added.  The crest of each one was also treated with Golden's glass bead gel mixed with a dab of acrylic paint to mimic rushing foam of a real wave.  Finally, individual letter clipped from vintage ephemera and modern magazines were collaged to read: Love is a Tidal Wave.  

 

(Above: Love is a Tidal Wave XIII and XIV.)

I'm not sure how I came up with the line "Love is a Tidal Wave" but while watching the Olympics, I couldn't help but to notice the many '80s melodies used by ice skaters.  Television commercials use plenty of '80s songs too.  Finally, I realized that my mind was almost channeling Pat Benetar's 1983 Love is a Battlefield.  For all I knew, her lyrics were about tidal waves instead of battlefields.  Steve laughed and laughed when I told him about this strange "almost" connection.  As a result, I've signed each one below the image on the right but on the left ... in pencil ... I wrote "With apologies to Pat Benetar!  We bought 100 feet of a cool moulding but it only was enough for the first twelve, standard 20" x 16" frames.  The last two are simply in clear cellophane bags.  In case anyone is interested, the framed ones are priced at $275.  The last unframed two are just $195 each.

Found Object Tidal Wave X, a miniature

 

(Above:  Found Object Tidal Wave X, a miniature.  Framed:  12 3/4" X 13 3/4".  Small found objects hand-stitched to a section of a very tattered antique quilt and buttons.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

This piece was a real challenge.  For some artists, working BIG is a problem ... especially for an embroiderer whose stitching is extremely detailed.  For other artists, working small is an issue ... especially for quilters who are accustomed to bed sizes.  Ordinarily, I don't have a problem with big or small but that's only because I work intuitively.  Whatever size seems to dance in my imagination is what I'll gravitate to.  For the tidal waves, the size has always been rather large.  

 

(Above:  Detail of Tidal Wave X.)

Perhaps the assumption for a large size was due to the enormous impact of a real tidal wave.  Perhaps it related to the stash of random things that just didn't work for a Found Object Mandala ... things that I didn't have in multiples. I'm really not sure but making a "little tidal wave" was a scary idea.  I really didn't think I could pull it off.  

(Above:  Found Object Tidal Wave X as seen at an angle.)

My doubts caused me to start with an old frame ... just in case this idea didn't pan out.  My doubts also made me select one of the most tattered quilt scraps in my stash.  After all, if this didn't work, I wouldn't have lost anything too precious. (There is a piece of felt under the quilt!) Yet, it worked!  The button outline created enough contrast with the background to make an obvious tidal wave.  Apparently, my stash included enough tiny objects too.  The quilt ... though tattered and threadbare ... was safely under a layer of soft yellow netting and on top of the felt.  I spent time stitching/quilting these layers together.  I'm really pleased that this challenge was successful!  Who knows?  I might make another little tidal wave!