The Studios are open in Gaucín! Part 2

Don’t miss it this weekend!
Walk with me on the second part!


Finally, after three years, doors of Gaucín’s studios are open again!

It’s a long tradition – on the last weekend in May and the first weekend in June 21 artists of Gaucín open the studio doors. This event attracts always a loyal and also a new audience coming as far as Málaga and Tarifa. I was very much missing it in the two years of the pandemic.

I visited the first weekend for a day – a beautiful and fulfilling day full of interesting art, lovely chats and laughter and a restful break at a small bar. There are 18 stations to visit and 21 artists exhibiting – I saw a lot, but not all though. So this is a description of my personal walk, not a full feature of all you can see. The first part of the walk I published at the 32st of May. So here you read about part two of the walk from studio to studio in Gaucín.
And not to forget:

Gaucín is not only a great place for art, a beautiful white village with views as far as Morocco on clears days but also a place of fantastic restaurants! Reserve your table!

Only this coming weekend left for visiting!

See here, what you can see the coming weekend!

The „Open Studio map“ numbers the exhibition places from 1 to 18. My description goes the other way round – at the end of my information (9 to1) you‘ll find many artists in the same building or rather near together. So if your feet are getting a bit tired, it helps to take advantage of this by changing direction. I missed some studios – as I spend a lot of time talking with the artist. So here a description of those, that I managed to visit.

Catherine Hunter

You find Catherine in the beautiful hotel “La Fructuosa by Jose”. On this walk you have the chance to get to know this hotel gem and the endearing characters which are decorating every room. This walk will lead you up to a roof terrace witch opens up to a tremendous view.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!


Jim Rattenbury

Like in the last walks, Jim installed his exhibition in the garage of a friend. That doesn’t sound exciting – but just in the contrary, it’s a fascinating and very atmospheric installation for his fantastic art works. Sculptures created from found and collected materials that develop into partly mystical or somehow ethnic figures, some like finds from a bygone world. I very much liked his painting too, that in another way leads us into a world of imaginative beings.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Jenny Collins

Jenny is a newbie to the Open Studios Gaucín but not a newbie to the village of Gaucín, where she lives since more than 6 years. This is her first appearance in the Open Studios. I really enjoy to see some new artist and their works. Jenny has a history of being a Goldsmith and a photographer. After following a small, a bit hidden and somewhat enchanted path we find her small studio, where she presents her paintings which are characterised by kind of geometric structures.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

La Huerta

La Huerta is a building that now gives your feet a little rest. Five artist are showing their works in this somehow industrial building which gives an interesting back ground to the art works.

Lesley Riddihough

From early visits to Open Studious, I remember Lesley’s bright vibrant fruit paintings. This year, as a self-confessed cat lover, I especially enjoyed the feline portraits of two particularly beautiful feline personalities, painted in Lesley’s realistic, expressive style.

#Click onto the images to enlarge! (Photos by Art Gaucín)

Marta Bernad

Invited guest artist this year is Spanish painter Marta Bernard, Master’s in Advertising Creativity, Design and Communication and more, is actually living in Estepona. She shares her pleasure of this area through her paintings with us. Marta’s paintings show bright colours and the momentum in the works. She also demonstrated her swing to us with a little dance in front of her paintings.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Chris Klees

Dutch artist Chris Klees was known to me as a photographer. This year he presents a rich work of ceramics, a new love (?), in any case an important one, as his precious works and the huge oven in his studio demonstrate.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Christine Spencer-Green

British artist Christine fills her large studio with lovely portraits of women and cats. These painting very much speak to me as her style is something between realistic and blurred. I like these inaccuracies which do not tell the story to the last point. They give the viewer a lot of room for their own additions.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Sian Faber

New Zealand artist Sian fills her studio, which has a smashing view as far as Africa, with many colourful wall sculptors. When I first got to know her in Gaucín she and her husband had shortly settled in Spain, coming from Australia. Then her exhibition room was filled with paintings on paper inspired by the floating movement of the sea. Since in Spain she is incorporating the mountainous landscape into wall sculptures of stone and glass, that reflect the hardness and eternity of the mountains. Her love for the floating forms you find in this sculptures, that appear different with changing light and as well in her Flamenco paintings, which she exhibits as well.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Casa de la Juventud

Just opposite the Huerta, crossing the street, you find the Casa de la Juventud, a large, newly renewed hall of the administration of Gaucín. Three artists are exhibiting here in three different disciplines: Photography by Vivienne Whiffen, Landscape paintings by Ira Goldberg and Sculptures by Silvia Franco.

Links

Find information about all artists here:

Art Gaucín – organizer of the Open Studios

More about Gaucín

Read about former visits of the Open Studios Gaucín here.

Preparing for Gaucín


If you are interested to get information about art events in the Málaga/Marbella region, subscribe to this blog! You are very welcome!

See my art here:
Art G.Oppelland-Hampel

The Studios are open in Gaucín!

Don’t miss it this weekend!
Walk with me on the first part…..more to follow!


Finally, after three years, doors of Gaucín’s studios are open again!

It’s a long tradition – on the last weekend in May and the first weekend in June 21 artists of Gaucín open the studio doors. This event attracts always a loyal and also a new audience coming as far as Málaga and Tarifa. I was very much missing it in the two years of the pandemic.

The drive up to Gaucín, which leads through an extremely beautiful landscape is one of my yearly highlights concerning art events. Many years ago, being the first time in Andalucía , this event was a great discovery for me. Over the following years it became kind of my artistic homeland. As I love this place so much, I love to share this pleasure with you.

Gaucín

A great pleasure for me was the possibility to exhibit in Gaucín in 2018, being the invited guest artist. Driving up the hill feels somehow like getting in a kind of homeland.

Gaucín is not only a great place for art, a beautiful white village with views as far as Morocco on clears days but also a place of fantastic restaurants! Reserve your table!

Only one more weekend left for visiting!

See here, what you can see the coming weekend!

The „Open Studio map“ numbers the exhibition places from 1 to 18. My description goes the other way round – at the end of my information (1 to 11) you‘ll find many artists in the same building or rather near together. So if your feet are getting a bit tired, it helps to take advantage of this by changing direction. I missed some studios – as I spend a lot of time talking with the artist. So here a description of those, that I managed to visit.

Anna McGrane

A bit hidden in the landscape, before you cross the river, you find the beautiful ground of Anna. Walk down with her to her studio and enjoy the view to Gaucín and explore her studio and work that consists of very different disciplines like wood prints, ceramics and paintings.


Raffaela Zenoni

A newbie in Gaucín but not in the artworld. Entering the house is like entering a world of wonder. Behind the small entrance door of a house in Calle Larga is hidden a gem of a house and far views. All of this a great setting for the very strong and gigantic works by Swiss artist Raffaela. I was impressed by intensive colours, a very free style and also by the huge format of the paintings – can’t even imagine how to paint those!

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Ana Pellón and Juan Antonio Sangil

The years before Juan Sangil and Ana Pellón exhibited in a smaller house in Calle Larga. I have never seen the workshop of Juan, but if you see his art which consists of burning together different materials and you see the very solid artworks that come out of it, you reckon that the workshop has to be something. This year the couple exhibits in it’s own home, nestled away a bit under the castle, containing the huge studio of Juan and the studio of Ana. I was impressed.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

I always assumed that Ana Pellón was a studied architect, as she has a love in her works for houses that in their straight and reduced lines and austerity, seem to be reminiscent of architectural drawings. But I learned it was my fantasy. I very much like this reduced style and was most attracted this time by a white monolith towering over flat land – probably because I was just back from my visit to Ayers Rock and it reminded me of it.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

J.Sánchez Zabaleta

This studio is also a little way to go, but really worth while. Sánchez is a painter who can look back at an impressive list of exhibitions in renown galleries. His very muted colour palette underlines the atmosphere for one of his preferred subjects, used utilitarian objects that show the traces of time. Some of my favourite images are the dogs that belong or belonged to the family. After a warm welcome from Maria, you can watch Sánchez at his meticulous work and ask him questions, how he is performing these wonders.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Paddy Robinson

Always an adventure in different respect is the visit to Paddy`s studio, which occupies the 3rd floor of the narrow house and leads the visitor past many wonderful decorations and colours. Equally diverse are the artworks of Paddy, who, in addition to her very precise, fantastic works, also exhibits abstract paintings, to which I am more attracted. What to say, I am an abstract painter.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Jenny Waterhouse

When you enter this small, somewhat hidden house, you step into meadows full of flowers and almost feel their scent. Jennifer is a classic landscape painter whose paintings are mostly created open air directly in nature in the surroundings of Gaucín. The paintings breathe a lightness and freshness that captivates me every time.

#Click onto the images to enlarge!

Now you need a break, time to have a lunch in one of the beautiful and very tasty restaurants of Gaucín!
Watch this place and read more tomorrow about part two of the walk!

Links

Find information about all artists here:

Art Gaucín – organizer of the Open Studios

More about Gaucín

Read about former visits of the Open Studios Gaucín here.

Preparing for Gaucín

See my art here:
Art G.Oppelland-Hampel

What to do in Marbella this weekend?

Landscape with mountain in a yellowish light from the Sahara sands colouring the air.
Not only grey skies, but yellow sky that was sent to us by Sahara sands. Nearly hiding the Concha and covering many parts of the Costa del Sol.

I need some entertainment and something to lift my spirit.

It feels like we are having at least the 6th week of grey skies and rain warnings – some of them are happening, not as frequent (and necessary) as announced. And now a yellow dusty Sahara heaven like I imagine Shanghai. What to do?

I need some entertainment and something to lift my spirit. What can it be? At least nothing to do outside.
I am an artist. If you feel like me – or much better – here I share 3 art events that you can visit this weekend or the coming week.

1) Friday 25th of March: ELARTSenal Inoxis (Alhaurin el Grande)

This will be the opening of a group exhibition in this most interesting culture centre in which you find art, vintage articles and Inoxis – Stainless steel sculptures, classic cars and much more. ElARTSENAL INOXIS also offers a broad music program. The “maker” of this art event, are a gallerist and a stainless steal professional. Be sure, it all will be a great surprise! You find some interesting information and photos here: Artsenal Inoxis – a very lively culture centre in Alhaurin el Grande.

2) Saturday, 26th of March: Nueva Andalucía

As I have never seen the artist workshop and gallery of the artist couple Enar Cruz and Lothar Cames. It is in Nueva Andalucía. This Saturday there is an opportunity to visit it! I am very curious to find out, what can be expected. I love studio visits, open doors. A great opportunity to get to know the artists and their work in a their own creative atmosphere. Always a very special atmosphere.

Enar Cruz Open Studio Poster

Sunday, 27.03.2022 “Mar poética” at
12 noon, Cortijo Miraflores de Marbella

This is a very local event. Normally I wouldn’t know about it. But an Spanish artist friend invited me. So I tried to find out what it is all about. As far as I deciphered we can expect:
27 artist de “Artistas mujeres de Marbella” will exhibit their paintings inspired by 27 poems that were made by the Generatción de 27. All this will be accompanied with music and singing of a local singer, Sito Morales. For me a great opportunity to get to know 27 local artists!
By the way, what I looked up in Wikipedia: The Generation 27 is a group of Spanish poets and writers, very famous in the 20th of last century till the beginning of the civil war 1936. The name is honouring the baroque poet Luis de Góngora, who’s whose 300th death anniversary was celebrated in 1927. Find the website here.

More to lift your spirit!

I am about to publish my series of giclée prints called (and showing) “My Rose Garden” and going to publish it in my Art News. If you leave your email, you’ll get a dose of inspiring art and art talk once a month into your mailbox. Have a cup of tea or coffee. Relax. Nourish your creative soul!
Watch the artist – me 🙂 – working in my studio, get a glimpse into the painting process. Have first excess to available new work and the occasional readers treat! Let me take you to interesting exhibitions – like now – and be up to date about what’s up.

The next edition of ART NEWS will have details about the “My Rose Garden” series, another free wallpaper download for desktop and a special readers treat.

A daily portion of beauty!

As I am about to publish my “Rose garden”, a giclée print edition, I want to share with you my admiration for these wonderful flowers.
I love this sentence by Rumi:
WE ARE SURROUNDED BY BEAUTY.
So true. And so important for us to be aware of it in order to keep up our good spirits.

Enjoy the “Dark roses in white vase” each time you look on your phone! To add to your nice moments in the day I want to share these roses as a FREE DOWNLOAD for your telephone screen!

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Find more of my art here:
Art G.Oppelland-Hampel

A very special and unique museum in Málaga

The planned visit gave us a bit of a logistic headache as we are late people and the museum would be closed between 14:00 and 16:00 hours. I didn’t trust unknown parking spaces so we decided to park in the wonderful garage of Calle Alemania, and headed along the river to a very special and unique museum , the Museum Jorge Rando. (Find the link at the end of this article )

We originally planned to visit the exhibition of a Chinese artist, but we were two days late. Not a disappointment though, as we had the chance to get a rather complex view on the life‘s work of Jorge Rando, the neo-expressive painter of Málaga, who has gained such a fame that he was awarded with his own museum by the city of Málaga.

Jorge Rando: A very special and unique museum in Málaga

I love this museum. It‘s in itself a beautiful place and a centre of cultural life. It surrounds you with this wonderful stillness that you find in churches and museums – when you are lucky. At our arrival a chorus was just practicing in the beautiful yard. What an inspiring add on while we were exploring an impressive new extension of the museum building.

Mariposas everywhere…..

The main exhibition was around the butterflies. “Mariposas” are a theme that Rando tackled over many years again and again. The whole basement was dedicated to them.

A stair upwards: The human life

Jorge Rando (Spain – 1941) is one of the greatest international exponents of Neo-expressionism.

„For more than fifty years, his works have been exploring dignity as a testimony of being; the necessary construction of individual identity; the denouncement of injustice and the call to individual action and responsibility as the only path to hope; the exploration of the essence of human condition through feelings such as love and suffering; the defence and visibility of the role of women as protagonists in
the fate of humanity or the call to restore a harmonious relationship between humanity and animals and nature.“ (Quote Jorge Rando Museum)

Motherhood, Africa, Spirituality and more…

The themes that Rando covered and are exhibited here are centre exactly around his love of the human being, like Motherhood, Spirituality, Human life and more. As an abstract expressionist painter myself, I am always especially attracted by his abstracts. (Click onto the paintings to enlarge.)

In another part of the museum I got some goose bumps. There is a gallery of faces, some from people living in the street, some from soldiers. With the Ukrainian drama in the back of the head, I was not comfortable being faced with the theme of soldiers. I have seen these exponents already before, but never it worried me so much.

Not only the entrance is free for you, also the pleasure of art books

An incredible great and rich room is the library. The entrance to the museum and the use of the library are free. You find a collection of art books that you can only dream of. Sit down and have a look. Come earlier than we did. Reserve an hour of leisure to sit down and enjoy. And then…..maybe a lunch at Plaza de la Mercedes ? Its only 10 walking minutes away.

Jorge Rando

If you like what you see here

like to learn more about art places I visit ( many in the area Marbella/Málaga )and the art I make and show, follow my excursions via my Art News! Get your regular dose of art and feel inspired!

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Museo Jorge Rando

Here you also find the audio guide to the museum!

Another visit to Jorge Rando Museum

Running exhibition in Marbella Gallery – part of it is still up!

Want to now more about my art? Tap here.

Art, Food, Events – a discovery in Marbella!

A place that will be on my “to go to” list!

Its not brand new, but a new discovery for me. I am always happy to discover a new places that has the potential to become “my happy place”. The Mercado del Arte presents itself under the title: Art, Food, Events – a wonderful project by Maria Mena, Rosa Higuera and Emilio Mena, not far from the Congress Palace in Marbella.

The owner of the Art, Food, Events Mercado keep a wide range of offers in their portfolio:
Galería del Arte, Eventos Privados, Colección Permanente, Artistas Invitados, Exposiciones Colectivas.

While Rosa is head of the events, Maria is responsible for the art and Emilio is the chef in the kitchen, creating menus which excite him and which flatter the palate of the guests.

Its a pleasure to walk through the restaurant and the gallery. Everything is set up with love and great taste which makes it a very special and unique place. We had a coffee and some tapas outside on the large terrace – also a artful and tasty experience!

a little sitting room with comfy sofas

If you love to create a special event….

Continue reading “Art, Food, Events – a discovery in Marbella!”

Monumental Art in the harbour

One of the monumental sculptures in the harbour of Puerto Banús by Arne Quinze  at the exhibition "My secret garden" with boats in the back ground.

Art in the harbour

Arne Quinze’s monumental statues in Puerto Banús

Its always my pleasure to stroll through harbours. I love the atmosphere of the sea and to watch all the boats in their berth telling stories about adventures on the sea and dreams of far away harbours.

Looking at the boats swaying quietly in the wind and drinking a coffee is a wonderful afternoon pleasure for me, complemented by the very colourful crowd of visitors strolling through the harbour, always worth some attention.

The harbour of Puerto Banús and Concha on the background

The harbour: an Open Air Museum!

Monumental sculptures in the harbour of Puerto Banús
by Arne Quinze


The pleasure has now been taken to the next level:
the harbour has been transformed from a place of beautiful yachts and speedboats and exclusive shops into a huge open-air museum! This is a quite new incentive and worth a stroll through the harbour, which is very idyllic and quite Andalusian, framed by nested white houses while the boats stand out against the imposing backdrop of Marbella’s local mountain, the Concha.

Continue reading “Monumental Art in the harbour”

After The Gold Rush – Jules de Balincourt in the CAC Málaga.

I always loved museums and I have been visiting many exhibitions. But during the full lockdown in a way I forgot how much they mean to me. Putting my foot into the “After the Gold Rush” exhibition was again a great moment – a bit like coming home. I realized that museums are kind of spiritual rooms for me – especially when they have generous space, only few visitors, a delicate hanging and good art. So after the opening of our community lockdown I took a shower in art.

Who is Jules de Balincourt? And what about the Gold Rush?

I didn’t know what to expect – did you know this artist? So I went without expectations for the pure reason that it was possible to visit and full of trust in the choice of the CAC Málaga museum. Jules is a French born artist, who’s parents immigrated to California in his youth. So the title is more a metaphor for all the traveling, the hopes and the chances of a new start he and his parents experienced in his youth. This is a rather short answer. But you will find more competent sources at the end of this post!

I have to confess, Jules de Balincourt was not known to me. Its interesting which artists become like old acquaintances or good friends and which are completely out of sight. That´s surely a question of personal taste and education – but I wonder how much the culture of each country plays a role in defining who the big players are.

About 30 large paintings in very strong and somehow false colours are to be seen in the exhibition room. For me it seemed something between kind of naive and real and irreale. So in a way rather open, what to think about the paintings. I am not an interpreter, you will find interesting the explanation of this article in the English Sur.

As an artist I am very much interested in the overall impression and in some painting details.

What I spotted

Continue reading “After The Gold Rush – Jules de Balincourt in the CAC Málaga.”

“Lost souls make strong spirits”

Impressing exhibition of Nanon Morsink’s textil art sculptures and paintings at Galería Isolina Arbulu, Marbella

The first time I saw works by Nanon Morsink was when I was visiting the Art Walk Cómpeta some years ago. Seeing the work the first time I knew at once that I had met a very special talented artist. The happier I am now for the chance to visit the impressing exhibition of Nanon Morsink’s textil art sculptures and paintings at Galería Isolina Arbulu. Great pleasure to connect again with Nanon who’s way I have been following since.

Two figures symbolize several ways to connect with each other. Their arms are extra long to be able to get in touch with each other. They are in touch, but how? How easy this way of connecting can be changed and create another situation we all experience now in Corona times. Nanon Morsink, the creator of this couple and this exquisite exhibition demonstrates how easy connecting can be turned into separation. Still facing each other the long arms are used for embracing themselves. They become kind of a safety shield around each figure – Nanon demonstrates with this perfect symbolic arrangement what we experience just happening in our times.

Lost souls make strong spirits is the title of this exhibition in the beautiful GALERIA ISOLINA ARBULU who presents a most impressive choice of works by Dutch artist NANON MORSINK.

Continue reading ““Lost souls make strong spirits””

Beautiful black painting that shine

slighly colorful leaves shine from a black background

A collection of beautiful black paintings that shine

A visit not to be missed when in Málaga. Galeria Javier Marin presents black mysteries by José Luis Valverde.

Just a short stroll of 5 minutes from my very appreciated CAC Málaga (Centro de Arte Contemporáneo ) where we admired the exhibition “Gold rush” by Jules de Balincourt we had the chance to see a collection of beautiful black paintings that shine by José Luise Valverde, of whom we had just discovered two paintings which are exhibited in the CAC.
About two years ago I got to know the artist quartier Las Lagunillas in Málaga. For my husband’s birthday I had booked a guided tour through this fascinating area which included the visit of several artist’s studios. It’s always so nice to meet artists in their studio and see them at work. The Málaga artist José Luis Valverde shared his studio with Victoria Maldonado, a very gifted artist who’s mainly white and fragile objects contrast beautifully the black and heavy works by José Luis. If you are interested to read more about this quartier and its artists just push here.

After having seen some works in progress in José Luis studio, the happier I am now to see this beautiful collection on show at the Galeria Javier Marin in Málaga’s Soho district.

Have a look into the artist’s studio….

A special experience was it to see an artist working with lots of black oil paintings, imagen!

The exhibition at Galeria Javier Marin

Normally paintings in dark colors are not my favorite. But with this collection I saw at the gallery I can easy be friend with. Of course as a painter who is attracted to vibrant colors I was most driven to a painting that

Continue reading “Beautiful black painting that shine”

Moving works and a moving title

The running exhibition in the the Gallery Isolina Arbulu in Marbella

I saw the introduction picture and the title of the exhibition some weeks ago when I was not yet in Marbella. But the painting and the title captured my attention at once and stick in my head. I was very happy that I got the chance to visit the exhibition which will run till 10th of November.

“Entre el dolor y la nada” by Pablo Mercado

Exhibition by Pablo Mercado im Galeria Isolina Arbulu in Marbella

I have visited several exhibitions in the private gallery of Isolina Arbulu. The gallery has it’s home in an impressive house that you find at the end of some up winding streets. Each time I visited an exhibition I was very pleased and surprised by her choice of interesting artists as well of Isolina’s ability to introduce the artist and the intention behind the art.

The title of this exhibition, which impressed me at once, refers to the writer William Faulkner and his book “The wild palms”.
“Given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain.”

Continue reading “Moving works and a moving title”

Sol y Sombra – Sun and Shade – a new exhibition of the Costa del Arte Collective

We are pleased to announce the opening of our exhibition “Sol y Sombra” on the 29th of October 17h – 20h in the Gallery Art Club in Fuengirola, Málaga. The show will be open from the 30th of October to the 17th of November. We are very happy to welcome you! That’s what we normally […]
Read more by tapping the line below…

Sol y Sombra – Sun and Shade – a new exhibition of the Costa del Arte Collective — Costa del Arte Collective

Gallery time in Marbella 2

The perfect Illusion in Gallery Yusto y Giner and a Festival full of Art

A very simple little sign shows the interested visitor the way to the very impressively designed gallery Yusto/Giner, which is located in a POLÍGONO INDUSTRIAL in Marbella. Young people elegant dressed flock in droves to the opening of the new exhibition. Right at the end of the small street you see a huge gate that opens upwards like a garage door and can get a a glimpse of the spacious interior of the gallery.

The premises of this gallery are fantastic, high and spacious. They support the dramatic set up of the current exhibition “Before 1881” , the first solo show by the young artist Julio Anaya Cabanding from Málaga. “He reinterprets the works of the great classical painters in two ways. He works on discarded and deteriorated mediums, collected from abandoned places and rehabilitated in his studio, in order to give the a new identity in a different context.”(Text Yosto/Giner)

Continue reading “Gallery time in Marbella 2”

Gallery Time in Marbella

A comment on our time in EsArte Gallery
and an exhibition in the artists home.

Life comes back to the art scene in Marbella. Many things are happening only in a weeks time!! Galleries invite for inaugurations, the FestiArte will show 150 artists and the author of this article invites you to see an exhibition in her home – in the “new normal”. Follow her tour through the exhibition at home on her videos.

Continue reading “Gallery Time in Marbella”

Fascination of Glas Objects

Marbella Galeria Isolina Arbulu presents fascinating glas objects by Gala Fernández

This was a great surprise! I had seen some photos of the glas objects and was a bit reluctant to visit the exhibition – I tent to visit mainly exhibitions with paintings or photos. But as I like the Gallery of Isolina Arbulu and like to know what is happening in the art world of Marbella I made an appointment. How good I did it! I found fascinating glass objects in Marbella! It turned out that these glas objects had the power to fascinate!

Please click onto the images to enlarge and see the whole picture.

Organic Geometry – a collection of fascinating glass works

The exhibition “Organic Geometry” is part of an experimental project, a series of glass vases blown inside handmade copper wire geometrical structures by the artist and designer Gala Fernández Montero.

Nicely presented in a very puristic surrounding, getting their very special light that creates an interaction between the shadows and the objects, the glas works develop a special magic. The longer we looked at them, the all the more they revealed to us their special character and the more enthusiastic and fascinated we were. A good part of this was due to the sensitive comments of the knowledgeable gallery owner Isolina Arbulu.

The charm of these fascinating glass objects for me is a mixture of vintage atmosphere, workplace atmosphere and the poesy of an art work. I especially liked the transparent objects. They reminded me of places where fisher have their nets and you see these transparent glass balls. Some feeling of the good old times come up.

Award winning artist in Marbella

This exhibition was planned for March and like so many others had to be canceled. The artist had seen the venue but was then stuck due to the Covid 19 crisis and didn’t yet have the chance to see her exhibition. But next week she will fly over to Marbella and visit the gallery.

Continue reading “Fascination of Glas Objects”

A place to go to in Málaga! Juan F. Lacomba at the CAC Málaga

A place to go to in Málaga!
Juan Lacomba at the CAC Málaga

This was my very first visit to a museum since February this year, when I went to see the exhibition in the Museum Jorge Rondo, a secret tip for Málaga and definitely another place to go to in Málaga!

The CAC MÁLAGA is a temple for contemporary art. It has its home in a spacious and “clean” white building. Mostly three exhibitions are running at the same time. We visited the incredible show “Lacomba. Aqui a lo lejos”.

Having all the art for us alone!

Paintings of Lacomba in the CAC Málaga

For me stepping into a museum is like entering another realm. For me its a place of contemplation and joy. After a short fever measuring and putting our masks we were allowed to visit this great “free of charge” museum. Setting my feet into this temple of culture after long months of cultural starving was an incredible feeling. Seeing the paintings of Lacomba so wonderful set in this great environment was sheer joy. The more as it was a very specific Corona experience: we were the only visitors to have all this art for us – well watched by the personell of the museum. From this experience I can say: a museum is definitely a place to go in Málaga or elsewhere in these times. Maybe better to avoid the weekend.

Continue reading “A place to go to in Málaga! Juan F. Lacomba at the CAC Málaga”

If you happen to be in Marbella or Málaga, don’t miss these exhibitions

If you happen to be in Marbella or Málaga, don’t miss…

Dieter Nuhr in Reiners Contemporary Art Marbella

If you happen to be in Marbella or Málaga, don’t miss these exhibitions. In Marbella there are two gallery shows I am interested in and I would like to recommend. Both galleries – run by knowledgeable, charming gallerists –  present new shows in June/July. I visited the presentation of Dieter Nuhr’s large-format painterly photographs – in the “new normal” style- masks obligatory – at Gallery Reiners Contemporary Art.  The gallerist Flor Reiners offers visits by appointment ( phone 628374676) , Email: flor@reinerscontemporaryart.com
Thanks to Gabriela Berner, journalist of the German SUR I can show you here her article on the opening of the show of Dieter Nuhr!

Here is a little sneak prewiew into some photos to be seen. Due to the “New normal” and the fact that this was the first time after months to put a feet into a temple of art and on top to get to know a new gallery, I forgot t take photos. Two of the paintings you can see in the exposition in Marbella and more of these great works. I added two paintings from other exhibitions to demonstrate the size of this wonderful painterly photos that tell stories of Dieter Nuhrs travels worldwide. They guide our view on walls that show many layers and have seen many events and many years pass by. The work of time.

The exhibition will be open till 6th of July. It is open by appointment for 6 persons with masks. (Flor Reiners; 62803740674) or flor@reinerscontemporaryart.com

Read here (in German) the article about the exhibition of Dieter Nuhr in Reiners Cotemporary Art Gallery. Many thanks to Gabriela Berner, a journalist of the German SUR, for letting us read her article on this page and providing me with two images!

If you happen to be in Marbella and are interested in art and art exhibitions, you might be interested in joining my newsletter. Next time I will write about an exhibition, which I haven`t visited yet but hopefully will see next week. The exhibition promises to be interesting. The gallery Isolina Arbulu, Marbella, presents Gala Fernandez Montero – Organic Geometry. It will open tomorrow , 12th of June, by private invitation.

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Gaucín – Looking back to the Open Studios 2019

The Open Studios Gaucín had to be canceled like many other art events. The 17th  edition of this beautiful and inspiring event was  scheduled traditionally for the last May and first June weekend. Here you can grasp a bit of the art and the atmosphere we all will miss. Enjoy a memory stroll of Open Studios Gaucín 2019!

For me the Open Studios Gaucín have a special meaning as it was the very first art highlight 7 years ago when I came to Spain. I am really sad ( and I guess a lot of others too!) not to stroll through the beautiful village,  to visit the studios and discover the works and enjoy the chats with the artists.  And I will miss the nice break in one of the many fantastic restaurants!

Walk through Gaucín 2019

This was

Continue reading “Gaucín – Looking back to the Open Studios 2019”

New works in the Artist Support Pledge!

Good news! Three – inbetween four (!) – paintings will go to a new home – as soon as the post offices open up again! It’s not a week yet that I sent out my newsletter about my participation in this wonderful initiative! (Want to know more about Artist Support Pledge? Click here!)

My Costa del Arte Collective colleague Annabel Keatley and I, who participate in the initiative of the Artist Support Pledge have event got the attention of the local press! The article is announced for next Friday! Its wonderful that we got so much attention through the internet! Especially as all art shows in Spain are canceled. We had planned and prepared for an exposition in Fuengirola “Sun and Shade” which should have started 20th of April. Of course is not going to happen. Hopefully we can open it in autumn.

We are still in a very strickt lockdown which was just prolonged till 10th of May. I sincerely had hoped for the permission to do some sport for an hour or so outside. But that seems not to be in the new decisions. My rescuer will be the trampoline – finally the new elastic bands arrived! Its a urgent contrast to standing and sitting work at the computer or the easel. So the trampoline is the only possibility to simulate running at the moment!

With the extended confinement I will have more of this special time to contemplate the view from my window – which I often do as it is beautiful – but I never used is as a source of inspiration for my paintings. The stand-still inspired me to do two exercises: a literal-stand still in my place and concentrating on what is in front of me AND to do the opposite of a stand still for my mind: move to do new things. This very special time gives a lot of chances to think about life.

Here they are, the paintings of the series “From my window”. The middle one is one of my rather realistic paintings and features the view. I love the bold colours in the flowers and in the “Building houses”. I am aiming to capture more the spirit of a situation than the real view of it. The flowers are out bursting in the planter of the balcony with the most incredible red and greens. The tropical garden holds a bit of a dreamy landscape (and is sold already to one of my newsletter subscribers). Enjoy!

New paintings

Still available

With a little tear in my eye but with a happy heart I will say “Good by” to these three as they have found very nice new homes:

They were the favourite obviously – they would have found other houses as well. This is the wonderful and the sad thing about most art works: they are unique. So if you buy an original painting your are sure to have an unique piece of art in your home or office.

If you like art + puzzles…..here you have a great choice!

More than 8 puzzles easy, medium and rather difficult ones are waiting for you! Each of it an art work from me! You don’t need a huge table, just your computer!

Click onto the painting or the caption to get there!

2018GL03 Pink house at the fjord

Have a good week! Take care and stay safe!

A Secret Art Tip for Málaga

I love to create art and I love to visit art. Málaga is a city with a great richness of museums, some very famous names included as there are: Picasso Museum, Thyssen Museum, Contemporary Art Museum (CAC), the Russian Museum ( from San Petersburg) and the Pompidou Museum and many more.

A very special place….

“The only expressionist museum in Spain”, so labels Jorge Rando, the owner, curator and painter, his privat museum. He has strong links to many European countries and was just recently with his paintings in a great show in China. He also has strong links to Germany. When I visited the first time I saw an exhibition of paintings of Käthe Kollwitz, one of the most known German female artists of the 20th century.

This time the visite gave the chance to see a wide spectrum of the works of Jorge Rando, exhibited in 5 or 6 showrooms.

The museum is situated in the yet not so developed and posh areas from Málaga (which adds to its charme!) and has a rich cultural life of its own. Its definitely worth a visit and worth to check out the cultural program!!!!

I visited the museum, which was founded 2015, for the second time. If you are looking for a place of art that also gives some room to contemplate, this is your place! Great atmosphere, very interesting exhibition, no entrance fee! And if you love art books: a long wall full of this treasure in the Library! Sit down and browse the books! Museum Jorge Rando!

Look “Beyond the Horizon” in Marbella

This week I visited another fantastic exhibition in Marbella. The Gallery Isolina Arbulu , one of the treasure in Marbellas gallery world is worth to be discovered. Till end of March Isolina Arbulu is showing a very fine and silente exhibition – a combination of photos and sculptors that are in a great dialog with each other. The photos are taken during her activity as a consultant in the poorest regions of the world by ANGÉLICA ARBULU. Angélica tries to show the beauty in rather isolated places that don’t attract attention on the first glance. A wonderful match with theses photos are the taking sculptures by Málaga artist STELLA KAMAZÓN. Built from recycled materials the figures make a great link to the geographical areas where the photos come from. Stella shows nearly faceless figures which are lost in an other isolated world, the world of technique, phone and internet.

I was already taken by this wonderful combination in the entrance hall – such a great dialog between these two art works!

Here is a small choice of the art works to be seen!

The atmosphere of the gallery is very inviting, situated in a beautiful workplace. It has the notion of a very private house. We were happy to have Isolina as our guide and then the gallery for ourselves after having made a telephone appointment! Its a recommendation to make an appointment to be sure you meet Isolina Arbulu in person and get the interesting information about the exhibition.

I loved the title “Beyond the Horizon” and this description very much, especially as I was also engaged with the horizon when I working on my “Desert Trip Print Series”.