Spain, Portugal, and Scotland...why not?

Post trip artwork

2009-05-01T08:10:00.001-07:00

Phew! Now I'm back in NYC I got to finish up some drawings I didn't have time to while on the road. These drawings return back to my internal subject matter than drawing surroundings. (Please click on image to see the full size!)

I've had this image in my head for WEEKS and finally got to dump it out on paper. It's about how independence and loneliness seem to come hand in hand...well, at least that's how it feels to me. It's hard to find a balance.

I started this drawing by literally spitting whiskey on a blank piece of paper, then drawing on top of it. So I did sorta vomit it out. It's about bottling up thoughts and feelings for WEEKS without an outlet. ("Outlet" for me meaning my normal art-therapy drawings and people who I can be totally open with.) I love the acidic green color...and yes, after I threw this up I did feel a lot better.

This is airport hell. It only takes a couple hours to fly from Lisbon to Edinburgh but due to a canceled flight and an unexpected detour through Frankfurt, I spent 16 hours in various airports! And it was just an endless series of waiting in lines. You think you're done, but no...there's another line. Arrrgg!! (Notice how the figures evolve as they go though...) When I drew this out, I realized the people look like ants. Yup, that's what we felt like.

Scotland Pics

2009-05-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

Me and my Scottish host, Jamie Rodger!

Exploring around Loch Lomond

Shenanigans in Glasgow with Jamie, Spanish Andrew, Brechin Dave, and Siobhan!

Mr Duck tyring vegetarian haggis

Haggis Pizza?!

Hello to our friend in Iceland!

(Here was the other picture taken in Iceland)

Kelvingrove Musuem

Doctor Who exhibit

The end of my stay in Glasgow

Lisbon Video

2009-05-01T07:41:00.001-07:00

Sevilla Video

2009-04-30T22:21:00.001-07:00

Granada & Arcos Video

2009-04-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

I love the beginning part of this video the most...

Madrid Video

2009-04-30T10:55:00.001-07:00

Here finally is the video I made in Madrid...

Lisbon Street Art, etc.

2009-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

"Pushing myself" copper etchings by Karat. In the Barrio Alto neighborhood of Lisbon, Portugal. (On Travessa Do Pocoda Cidade between Rua de Rosa and Rua de Atalaia) Please click on image to see full size.

Now, about my personal art...well, I didn't have time to do any! But I did crank out a couple drawn-gifts. This one was the card for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. I'm rather proud of it... (And of them of course!)

And this is a little tour guide award I made for my brother since he basically was in charge of ALL our activities. He worked so hard planning everything! (In case you've never seen big tour groups in Europe, a lot of them use an umbrella or a handky on a stick to help keep the leader visable.)

Belem and Sintra Pics

2009-04-30T09:57:00.001-07:00

These were side trips from Lisbon...First, here is Belem!
View from the Monument of the Discoveries:

The yummy Pastel de Belem

Monastery of Jeronimos

After the Coach museum...

And here are pictures from Sintra!
View from the National Palace...

The delightful Pena Palace

Lisbon Pics

2009-04-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

Our last stop was Lisbon, Portugal!

I loved all the laundry hanging out to dry...

View from the Castle Sao Jorge...

Fado singer

Trying Ginjinha...

Sevilla

2009-04-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

Here are pics from Sevilla! Taking pictures on the hotel roof...

Around Sevilla...

The cathedral

Grave of Columbus

The gardens by the Alcazar

Drinking wine...

Amazing live flamenco

We did a walking tour with a lovely local lady named Conception...

We were there right before the May Fair, so the women were preparing their outfits...

The night of my parents 40th aniversary, the reason for our trip!

Arcos de la Frontera Pics

2009-04-17T07:43:00.001-07:00

Here are pictures from Arcos de la Frontera, one of the white hill towns of Andalucia. (Also the town of Ronda)

Another fun family shot...

Views from driving around...

View from the hilltop town of Arcos...

Around Arcos

This circle was a spot for exorcisms. We had to reenact.

There's Brian in the distance...

Our visit to Ronda...

The historical bullring in Ronda

Granada Pics and Art

2009-04-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

First, here are a couple drawings inspired by Granada. (They are photos rather than scans, so sorry for the quality! And please click on image to see full size.) I drew this first one on the rooftop of my hostel, inspired by the pattern made by all the tiled roofs...

And this painting is a copy of one of the MANY elaborate carved patterns coating the walls of the Alhambra. The walls just looked like lace...

And now here are photos! On our way to Granada we passed through La Mancha, land of Don Quixote...

And here is Granada!

Yet another processional...

There was a surprising amount of street art

The Moorish quarter

The spectacular Moorish palace, The Alhambra:

Fun fact: M.C. Escher visited the Alhambra a few times and studied the tile patterns...

I still remember when I first saw a picture of this intriguing dome back in an art history class years ago...I was so happy to finally see it in person!

Charles V Palace (that's me)

The Gulledges and wine.

Madrid Artwork & Etchings

2009-04-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

This first drawing was made in Plaza Mayor in Madrid, please click on images to see the full size. (And sorry for the poor quality of the images, I don't have a scanner so I'm taking photos of drawings as I go)

And this second drawing was done on a little street near Plaza de Zocodover in Toledo.

And now for the street art...

Here is "Switch," a pair of copper etchings by Karat that represent the front and back of a single postcard. It's in the Lavapies neighborhood of Madid, on Called de Jesus y Maria at Calle de la Esgrima.

Madrid Pics

2009-04-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures from our visit to Madrid, along with side trips to Toledo, El Escorial, and the Valley of the Fallen! I am having trouble uploading video, so that will have to wait until later.

Train ride from Barcelona

Around Madrid!

View from my room...

Plaza Mayor

Plaza de Canalejas

Lavapies neighborhood

Around Puerto Del Sol

Street art on Calle de Jesus & Maria

Subway

Convent where you buy cookies from hidden nuns

Processional through Plaza Mayor on Good Friday

Royal Botanical Garden (next to The Prado)

Pac Man Paella

Nuevo Cafe Barbieri (Spanish hot chocolate, yum)

More chocolate.

Museum of Ham.

Crazy Old Maurice

Toledo!

The Valley of the Fallen (Memorial for victims of the Spanish Civil War)

El Escorial Palace

Barcelona Artwork & Etchings

2009-04-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

These three drawings were all inspired by the buildings of Antoni Gaudi, but I tried to draw them in three very different styles. I don't have a scanner so these are photos of the originals, so please pardon the poor quality! (And please click on image to see full view.)

This first one I drew at Gaudi's famous unfinished cathedral, the Sagrada Familia. Every part of that building was stunning and unique, I spent hours there...

This one was inspired by Casa Batllo, but I took the organic art nouveau shapes of the windows and distorted them even more.

I drew this one at Parc Guell. Instead of clean graceful lines, I rolled my pen between my fingers while drawing this so I could embark on some unpredictable paths.

KARAT has made a visit to Barcelona! These copper etchings depict the front and back of a single postcard. (A postcard to Barcelona from inside Karat's head) It's located next to a piece by Spanish artist Paz in the Bari Gotic (Gothic Quarter) on the street Baixada de Santa Eulalia, where apparently Saint Eulàlia was put in a barrel with knives stuck into it and rolled down the street. Wow. (See, there's a shrine to her)

Barcelona Pictures & Video

2009-04-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a little video I made with scenes from our visit to Barcelona, sorry it's not the best quality! I just threw it together today on the train...

And here are pictures! Here is the view from Mont Juic...

Placa Reial

My parents and Mr Duck on the Ramblas

Casa Battlo

Casa Mila

Palm Sunday

Me and Dali

Barri Gotic

Sagrada Familia

One of Gaudi's hanging models

Interior of Sagrada Familia

Climbing the tower

Dad, Brian, and Mom

Visitng Montserrat

Parc Guell

Pssst, that's me...

My parents in the park

The plan

2009-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

I feel like I just got back from Iceland, and here I go again on another adventure! I leave tomorrow for 27 days in Spain, Portugal, and Scotland. Here's the planned route...

In Scotland I'll be meeting up with my friend Jamie, but in Spain and Portugal I'll be with my family. My brother Brian, mom Patty, and dad Maurice will be celebrating my parents 40th anniversary! Here's a picture from the last Gulledge family trip to Ireland in 2006...