Yvonne's Sketchbook

Successful Exhibition!

Well! What a month May was. I've now returned home, exhausted after a really busy month. I headed up to the Isle of Lewis on the 28th of April, neither Jane (Blue Pig Studio) nor I were totally ready for the exhibition at The Farmhouse, Callanish Visitor Centre, so the midnight oil was burnt on the 28th and 29th. Thankfully everything was done, ready and in situ for the preview evening on Saturday 30th April. Our Spanish-themed evening went really well and over thirty people came.

Considering that the theme of our joint exhibition "Walk this Way" was about our experiences walking the Camino de Santiago it was very well received. Over the month we had a lot of people through the door who had either walked the Camino or were thinking of walking - it was nice that our exhibition acted as a catalyst and a number of people have now finally made their decision to walk.

Jane ran regular workshops and I ran an "Improve Your Photography" workshop, a gelli plate printing workshop and every Friday afternoon during May I ran a drop-in crochet group - I taught 5 people how to crochet at the very first afternoon - yay!

My camino postcards were very popular - The Way in particular - so much so that I had to get more printed part way through the exhibition!

My journal from the first time that I walked the camino in 2013 evoked many emotions in people from laughter to tears - I ran the same gauntlet of emotions whilst putting it together. The general consensus seemed to be that I should find a way of publishing it so I may look into that. I enjoyed being able to share my experiences with people.

I'd like to thank Jane and her husband Peter so much for looking after me for the month - gonna miss you guys xx

The window into the world of our exhibition

Part of our exhibition space

Jane doing some last minute finishing touches...

Mmmm, tasty tapas for the preview evening party by super cook and caterer Sharon Borton! You can tell how good it tasted by how little was left over!

Wine (red, white and sparkling) and spanish goodies (magdalenas, povorones and turrón) that I brought back with me from my February/March trip to Spain.

Scallop shell signage - we had many people in who had seen the sign and exclaimed "I knew it must be about the Camino!"

More signage - just like the real Camino - follow the yellow arrows...

Now I'm back, and my studio at home is open from today (1st June until late September) - I'm still not fully set up but should be by opening time tomorrow. Then there is the small matter of finishing sorting out the 3000 photos I took in Spain! I'm happy to say that I'm still being Creative Every Day - if it's not art it's photography or crochet :-)

Taking stock

During 2014 I signed up for an art degree, a distance learning course with the Open College of the Arts but that has currently gone by the wayside as 2015 has been a bad year for me. Late last year a good and very dear friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I have spent many weeks with him during 2015, supporting and looking after him until his death on the 8th December. Advice received from another friend is "to try to focus on positives, whilst also being sad." With this in mind, and remembering how art helped so much after I lost my son in 2003, I am working every day, making art.

Not everything was bad or sad about 2015, I was able to return briefly to the Camino de Santiago in September and walk for three weeks with my best friends, I had a week in Gibraltar with another girl friend and I have been able to visit with my lovely daughters and my parents. I continue to be supported by a loving husband and I am very grateful for that - he gives me the time and space that I need, he's patient and tolerant, although this is stretched a little when, in the midst of creativity, I spread my art stuff all over the kitchen :-)

So, I've had a sense all year of life being on hold and not too much art has been done, although what I created during the summer - mostly little mixed media works, made into cards and bookmarks - sold very well both here in the studio and at the local craft centre. 2016 is almost upon us and I will be kind and gentle to myself, not too much stress, and allow myself to paint and draw what I want, when I want. I will experiment, have fun and do something creative every day - whether that be painting, drawing, working in my sketchbook, photography or crocheting. With that in mind i've signed up for Leah Piken Kolidas's Creative Every Day Challenge 

Other plans for 2016? I've signed up for Wanderlust 2016 which is described as "a year long class in mixed media and art journalling" so i'm hoping to learn a lot and most of all enjoy!

Journey Book

I'm having a joint exhibition with a friend next May, our theme is "Journey" so I'm writing up my diary from when I walked the Camino de Santiago in 2013. Each of the 44 pages represents one day of the 500 mile walk and includes a variety of writing, photographs, sketches that I did at the time, things I collected along "the way." Central to each day is my "colours of the Camino" gelli print, done with my 8 inch circular.

My "Journey Book" will be available at the exhibition for people to look through. I will also be incorporating "gelli elements" into the art for the exhibition too. It's no good, there's no hope, I've been a hopeless gelli addict for 12 months now.

El torro

El torro, one of the mini artworks I've been working on this afternoon, the handmade linocut is inspired by my recent travels on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I will be making these into cards for my forthcoming exhibition.

Cirueña to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Walk: Cirueña -> Santo Domingo de la Calzada 4 miles (a "rest" day)

A gorgeous sunrise over the distant mountains and a hugs and kisses goodbye from the owner of the albergue made for a good start to what was going to be an easy rest day.

The morning air was slightly chill and I was glad of my fleece. The fields were, once again, full of singing Corn Buntings - how lovely to hear them, they are getting so scarce at home. The colours and textures of the landscape were just beautiful.

Arrived not long after 10am in Santo Domingo and had coffee and tapas for breakfast. It was still too early to check in anywhere so P and J went for a mooch around.

I had booked a room at the hotel - El Corregidor and once I was checked in had a lovely bath and a rest then headed out again for more tapas. P and J were staying in the albergue opposite which is run by Cistercian nuns - I stayed there last time and didn't much fancy it again.

Wandered around the lovely shops in the town - I have to say I love this town and plan on staying here for a night next year on my long drive down from the UK to southern Spain.

Had a meal together then back to my hotel for an early night.

Walking to Santo Domingo, the "way" stretching out in front of us.

Enjoying coffee in the street, Santo Domingo de la Calzada

 

Nájera to Cirueña

Walk: Nájera -> Cirueña 10 miles

Early morning coffee by the river before setting off on the road to Cirueña. I'd arranged to get my rucksack transported ahead, which I was a little nervous about - would I ever see my bag again?!

So, I travelled light but had my raincoat as it looked slightly overcast at first light. Wasn't needed though as it turned into a marvellous, warm, sunny day. Many Corn Buntings singing in the fields :-)

Refreshment stop in Azofra and then out across the vineyards and fields again. Lovely light and scenery - it looked almost painted - stripes of greens and browns all blending into one another.

A long slog up the hill into Cirueña, the new part of which is still as I remember it from 2013 - a souless ghost town with row upon row of modern houses all "se vende" (for sale). We'd decided on Albergue Victoria in the old village of Cirueña and it was absolutely lovely with a very warm welcome from the owners. And happily about 20 minutes later my rucksack arrived. Yay! Happy!

It's amazing how good a shower and a change of undies can make you feel. Wandered around the village, took some photos, drank coffee and wine at the bar. Enjoyed a communal meal at the albergue which was delicious. This albergue is definitely going in my top 3 of favourites!

Fabulous old door in Azofra

Old farm implement in Cirueña

Pumpkins growing in the garden at the albergue



 

Navarette to Nájera

Walk: Navarette -> Nájera 11.1 miles

A cool, breezy start to the day and I kept my fleece on for walking. A little rain in the air. Chatted with another peregrina with mashed up feet and who was under instruction to rest up.

Missed the optional route into Ventosa and so had to walk the long way round into the village as I knew P and J would be waiting for me there at a bar! Rehydrated with coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and water.

Felt like a long slog into Nájera - my broken rucksack is taking it's toll on my back. Did enjoy walking through the vineyards though and the contrast of the green vines and the deep red soil. Thought about dad - he would love these vineyards, his own grapes, in England, are not ready for picking yet.

Treated ourselves to a private room as it was only 15 euros each, although poor P still got lumbered with the top bunk - I did offer though! :-)

Restored myself and my feet, sitting at a bar by the river, lovely drink of coffee. White Stork over and Cetti's Warbler calling from the reeds and a little later 14 Griffon Vultures over - everyone else there seemed totally oblivious to all these. Blister on little toe :-(

Hoped to have a meal out with P and J in the evening but the choices in the bar they chose were paela/risotto, pizza or pasta, none of which i'm able to eat. Could have gone to a shop and bought something but getting a bit sick of a constant diet of paté, cheese and ham. Went beyond hunger so didn't bother - survived on cigarettes and coffee.

Pilgrim's poem, just outside Nájera

I believe the rough translation of this graffiti poem is:-

Dust and mud, sun and rain,
Such is the way to Santiago.
Thousands of pilgrims
And more than a thousand of years.
Pilgrim: who calls you?
What hidden power attracts you?
It’s not the field of stars
Nor the great cathedrals.

It is not the beauty of Navarra
Nor the wine of Rioja
Nor the seafood of Galicia
Nor the fields of Castilla

Pilgrim, who is it who calls you?
What unseen power attracts you?

Not the people of the camino
Nor their rural customs.
It is not the history nor the culture
Not the rooster of the Calzada
Nor the palace of Gaudi
Nor the castle of Ponferrada.

All that is seen in passing,
And it is a joy to see it all,
Is still less than the voice that calls
The feeling that is yet so much deeper.

The power that pushes me
The force that attracts me
I know not how to explain it.
Only He who is above understands it.

 

 

Viana to Navarette

Walk: Viana -> Navarette 7.8 miles

Actually not a bad night's sleep on the two inch mattress - it helped that we had the room just to the three of us. Early morning coffee in the square opposite the albergue and watched the sun coming up as we waited for the bus to Logroño. Chatted with some American ladies, one of which had a badly infected toe and had already been laid up for two days and was under instruction for no more walking for four days.

A brief explore of Logroño - the wine festival is on - would have been fun to stay (I stayed here in 2013 during the wine festival and it was great!). Pretty warm walking and we'd had enough by the time we reached Navarette so checked into the municipal albergue which was very nice. A picnic tea in the albergue and Jane had an early night so P and I retired to the bar next door with glasses of 70 cents wine :-)

Chatted with a young German guy who had a very wise head on his shoulders and was taking the walk very slowly. Today we have gone over the 100 miles of walking mark, woo hoo!

Lots of snoring people in the dormitory tonight but i'm too tired to care!

One of the lovely brass waymarkers in Navarette

San Sol to Viana

Walk: San Sol -> Viana (8.2 miles)

I woke feeling quite dehydrated so P and J walked on and I visited the wee shop in San Sol for a can of soft drink then stopped a mile up the road at Torres del Rio for coffee, fresh juice and water. During the 7.5 miles walk to Viana my stomach felt uncomfortable and I feel quite tired. I think it's the heat and lack of a decent meal - my diet is so restricted because of my ulcerative colitis.

The hotel in Viana was fully booked so i've plumped for a 2 inch thick mattress on the floor at the parochial albergue Santa Maria. No pillows either. It was J's choice to stay here so P and I ribbed and teased her terribly but we all had a great laugh :-D 

The back adjustment on my rucksack has broken so i've tied it up with string. Enjoyed my first pilgrim meal of the trip at the 3 forks restaurant Casa Armendáriz and very nice it was too!

Trying out our mattresses for size...

Wonderful stonework on the floor around the church in Viana

Monjardín to San Sol

Walk: Monjardín -> San Sol (12 miles)

A good walk into Los Arcos where we rested for a while, rehydrating and then onwards in the heat of the day as far as San Sol.

Nice private albergue and we joined the queue for the washing machine. A little limited on the food and drink options here but I had some supplies with me so no problem.

The long road in to Los Arcos