Rhythm, Light & Colour in Cádiz

Rhythm, Light & Colour was the name of the workshop from "Pushing your Sketching Boundaries" held by Isabel Carmona, Celia Burgos and Swasky. Although I just came from three weeks of holidays I decided to join it. The workshop was about exploring the city and its people during the week of carnival. The carnival in Cadiz famously transforms the city to an open-air theatre with its singing men group (chirigotas) which are performing on big stages and in narrow streets.

We were 18 men and women, young and old, from different countries. We were divided in three groups and each group had two workshops with each tutor. It was a great combination. Working was different with each one of them but "rhythm, light & colour" held the sessions together.

As Celia lives in Cai Cai (Cadiz, Oldtown) we had the great opportunity to spend some hours on her rooftop terrace and sketch the amazing view. 

A day later Isabel took us even higher on the Torre Tavira, where we worked on capturing the impressive panorama in different exercises. 

With Swasky we explored the central market of Cadiz, which is a meeting point for locals and tourists alike - especially during lunchtime. 

Usually all of us spent the lunch breaks and the evenings together in some bars or restaurants, sharing our sketchbooks and sketching of course.

 

My personal highlight was the big carnival procession on saturday. We stood with our sketchbooks among all people experiencing this special atmosphere. On each wagon was a group of (mostly) men, dressed in special costumes singing these beautiful songs (chirigotas). I was really touched.

I had a great time and enjoyed every minute. These five intensive days were just about sketching in very good company
lead by 3 wonderful tutors.

Natalie captured me...

Isabel is keeping an eye on us :)

Sherry, fried fish and a sketch book

holding and showing our sketch!

La Gomera and Tenerife

Since a couple of years my husband tries to convince me to travel with him to the Canary Islands. „I don’t like islands, there are too many tourists and no natural citys“ these were my words against such a trip. His arguments that the natur ist faszinating, that the tourists gather in special spots and we can avoid them didn’t work on me.

But this year I needed the sun and the light. The weather in Hamburg was so bad - cold, rainy and grey that I just wanted to escape and to spend some bright, sunny and warm weeks anywhere. 

We planned three weeks holidays. One week in La Gomera in Valle Gran Rey and two weeks in Tenerife.

On the ferry from Tenerife to La Gomera we met a woman who knew everything about Valle Gran Rey. „It’s not your first time“ I asked her „Since 30 years I come here every year. Everybody is smiling, the sun is shining and there are no big parties“ she said. And thats how it was. 

We hiked a lot in the rainforest, through terrace landscape and to beautiful small bays.

We visited small and not so small villages, we were just sitting in the harbour watching what is happening arround us.

I was very sad to leave Valle Gran Rey. The house that we rented in Garachico, Tenerife, „Casa de Nedi“ was so special, decorated with so much love and passion , that the week in Garachico turned out to become a very unique experience.

We were fascinated and enjoyed this elegant and quiet old city and it’s interesting history.

We hiked in the region of Spain’s highest mountain El Teide and experienced the impressive lava landscape around us.

We spent some time on different beaches, 

visited beautiful towns, and we always had time for café con leche or sumo de naranja fresco.

Shoes

All this started as I was looking for space in our shoe cupboard for my new winter shoes. I noticed that there were some empty shoe boxes because I got rid of some old shoes the other day. I wanted to use these boxes for other shoes but how will I know which shoes i have put in which box? „I can take a picture with my phone", I thought but then remembered that my printer was not working. „So, I can sketch them, this can be fun.“ It was snowing outside for the first time this year, so what can be nicer than spending the afternoon sketching my shoes cosy at home?

While sketching my shoes I realized that I had an emotional relationship to some. 

I love red shoes and I love boots. I bought these FLY red boots 6, 7 years ago. In that time I knew only one shop in Hamburg that had FLY shoes and it took me a whole year until I finally bought them. I still love them and wear them a lot.

These shoes I bought in London while visiting my most beloved R & P. R and me spent the day together in London and we ended at the Clarks shoe shop in Oxford street. Now, always when I wear them I think of R. and that day in London.

Also, these blue boots remind me of R & P because I bought them in their hometown Leamington Spa.

These are shining silver shoes. I fell in love with them immediately because they are very comfortable, pure leather on the out- and inside and they where half price! I was very unsure about buying them because I am not the type for shining silver shoes… But after a week of going to that shop every day I finally bought them and I really love them!

Also with these shoes I've had difficulties to decide. During a sommer holiday in Austria at the end of a rainy hiking day with my friend C., we visited Schladming and investigated the shops there, especially the shoe shop… I loved the orange shoe lace, but actually I didn’t need any shoes…  C. was very patient with me as it took me a long time until I finally bought them. Everytime I wear them I think of C. and our time there.










I had so much fun sketching my shoes, getting lost in memories and stories that I actually forgot the reason for this big mess. The sketches are way too big to fix them to the edges of the boxes. „I can take a picture of them and print them smaller“ but then I remembered: „the printer doesn’t work…“