After driving through “virtual eye candy” for one whole day without actually stopping to paint, (from Porto, Portugal to Gijon, Spain on the north coast), I finally settled on a spot overloking a tidal area just 25km east of Gijon. Off road for a few km, we tried for parking at a spot where the hillside overlooked sea and the light was glowing, even at mid-day! The parking problem is perpetual over here, even in small rural areas - after three passes back and forth over a narrow roadway, we nearly gave-up. However, a house just uphill, with a small driveway access (and under remodel construction - probably about 300 years old) had a few people on-site, so we stopped to see about permission to paint near there,
This is what always delights me about the common dialogue of art - it transcends language barriers and makes instant communication possible. The woman who came to meet us at the bottom of her driveway, was at first, very cautious about any conversation (she spoke no English, likewise us in Spanish), until I showed her a few samples of my artwork (business card images) and pantomimed setting-up to paint.
Her husband and several stone masons, arms folded on chests, were also very askance about a stranger in their midst, especially when they were busy with a huge project.
I don't want to go off about this, but it is the essence of my travels and to do art wherever I go. Before I knew it, and once the language barrier was partly resolved, I was being ushered to a prime painting spot on their roof, with a 360 view and enthusiastic gestures about which way to paint, from everyone! This, my friend, is what it means for me to be at home in a strange land!
I finished the painting 2 hours later - it's ALWAYS scarey to show your work to a new crowd - and was met with great reviews plus an invitation indoors for coffee (which got spiked with something really good by Justino) and a “conversation” in Spanish, Italian and English for nearly an hour . . . all with arms waving wildly and gestures that were made with great passion.
We made life-long frinds with the Guitterexz family – they are Basque, (like so many of my old friends in Boise, Idaho, especially my brother-in-law, Carlos Mendiola) and even knew much about HIS heritage over here, telling us of his name-sake!! We have exchanged invitaions to meet again as guests of one another in either country and I sincerely hope that happens!
O.K, after this, no more epic opus from ol' Steve, just the straight stuff from the easel. What a trip this has been and we're barely started!