I thought I was done with painting Spain but a re-visit this year traversing the aragon pyrenees to the south rekindled the passion, and so it was that I started with the most memorable place that embellishes itself into my mind, and heart, forever.. Ainsa.
A little village in the Camino Aragones (see my Spain Camino series), Ainsa was once the capital of the medieval Kingdom of Sobarbe. With a colourful tumultous history, the town saw in turn the imprints of the Celts, the Romans, the Muslims and finally, the Christians in the Reconquest of the Middle Ages. I fell in love with it at first sight, drawn to its beckoning mystique and sense of history, and knowing that I would paint it, I went about taking postcard pictures :)
Strangely this was a canvas that I had tried painting a city landscape that didn't quite work. On impulse, I painted over it straight, and either the colours of the original canvas, or my strong emotions on reminiscing Ainsa, took over. It was pure delirium to translate the aura of Ainsa on canvas. And thus, the happy result where I discovered a colour tone that I have not used before but sets out the feel of the medieval architecture perfectly.
Title: Ainsa (O71)
Description: A is for Ainsa, a little village in the Camino Aragones, once the capital of the medieval Kingdom of Sobarbe and seeing the imprints in turn of the Celts, the Romans, the Muslims and the Christians in the Reconquest of the Middle Ages. I fell in love with it at first sight, drawn to its aura of mystique and history, and knew that I would paint it. Spain Vignettes 2011.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 61cm.
SOLD.
It has been a year long art journey painting the Spain Camino de Santiago, re-living my Way of St James pilgrim hike as I go along, so it was with trepidation and exhilaration that I approached the painting of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral - the penultimate destination of the 1000-year-old pilgrimage and holding the sacred shrine of Saint James.
Arrival at the city itself initially wasn't quite the emancipating experience I expected, not with the terrifying hordes of pilgrims, tourists, and just so many people that it was disorientating. But making the way through the clutter for the first sight of the Cathedral dispelled everything. The feeling was indescribable, akin to when I first saw Angkor Wat.. It was medieval architecture at its utmost glory and no photograph could quite capture its grandeur. And so instead of snapping blindly, I chose to feel the place.. and to capture those feelings on canvas one year on..
Title: Destined (O66)
Description: A bold expressionist piece echoing the artist's emotions on arrival at the famous Santiago de Compostela Cathedral - the penultimate destination of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James) pilgrim route. Spain Camino 2011.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 91 x 76cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
Comments:
james scrivano said...
Beautiful.
steve thorpe said...
Lovely work!
rob delves said...
nice expressive work Yen!
xueling zou said...
Wonderful painting, so well done!
jeffrey said...
This is lovely!
My pilgrim's journey on the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage (aka the Way of St James) began at the Spanish Meseta (plateau), starting the hike from a small village called Hornillos. It was a beautiful walk, lined with many pretty wild flowers amidst a backdrop of rolling green hills and valleys. "Buen Camino" (good way) was the greeting we call out to fellow pilgrims on this lovely hike as we journeyed on, listening to many a wonderful tale about the area, from the history of the boulders remnants along the path, to even conservation help for the path from quarters as far away as, amazingly, south africa.
But nothing beats the joy in our hearts as we approached the picturesque village of Hontanas, nestling comfortably in a beautiful valley and with the pilgrim's path going beyond up a hill yonder. The village dome building in particular seems to leap and speak to me, as with the trees on the distant hill. I knew I had to paint this scene, this feeling of jubilance. So I got my trusty camera out and took many pictures as we walked the pretty path into Hontanas, a wonderful stop for pilgrims to rest and unwind, and not forgeting to collect a stamp or two from the local tavern, before continuing on with the pilgrim's journey. Much like the journey in life, we encounter beautiful surprise highlights along the camino way, and this was a memorable one.
Title: Picturesque Arrival (O50)
Description: An exuberant piece featuring the Meseta (high plains) section of the pilgrim route of Camino de Santiago de Compostela (the Way of St James), which passes through many a picturesque local village like this one called Hontanas. Spain Camino 2010.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 60cm.
SOLD.
2 comments:
alice said...
Lovely!
demeter gui said...
Wonderful landscape, excellent painting!
