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one down…
14 Monday Jun 2021
14 Monday Jun 2021
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03 Thursday Jun 2021
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Yeah, you all know I’m not religious, but I do love art and beauty and they always come together on celebrations like Corpus Christi in Sevilla. This is the second year the procession has been suspended due to Covid, and I find this is the one I miss the most. I miss getting up way too early to get out there before everyone arrives and walk the route freshly strewn with rosemary and flower petals, and look at all the decorated windows, balconies and altars that line the route.
Anyhow, I’ve been posting my Corpus photos here for many years (have only had to miss 2 or 3) and so, if you’re interested, here’s a link to them… Corpus Christi Sevilla.
17 Monday May 2021
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I was so excited when Alex pinged me with a link to this video about her latest project. I had no idea that she was doing this and it’s absolutely amazing. She will be creating 15 gigantic murals themed around the 500th anniversary of the first round the world voyage, the Magellan-El Cano circumnavigation (1519 – 1522). See those buildings up there? Those will be her canvases. Located in Calle Tarfia, facing the river it is expected to set a Guinness world record.
Below you can see virtual depictions of how they will look when finished. Impressive, right?
I first met Alexandra by chance ten years ago when she was starting out here working as a “graffiti artist for hire” painting shop and bar shutters so that they wouldn’t get vandalised by taggers. One day I saw her painting a bar shutter while out for a walk on a Sunday afternoon and stopped to chat and we’ve been friends ever since. She once even joined one of my tapas tours in progress while “on the job” painting the shutters at Bodeguita Romero.
And while Alexandra still does the occasional shutter art, she is now also an award-winning artist recognised both here and abroad. An amazing accomplishment for someone who arrived here from Rome in 2010 with a young daughter to start a new life. I am quite in awe of not only her talent but also her energy and spirit. You can check out her website here…

12 Friday Feb 2021

Renovarse o morir! Reinvent yourself or die. Look what I just got from my lovely friend Delia. A few years ago Delia worked with me on my We Love Tapas project, then she became an accredited official tour guide and branched out into more historical tours (history is one of her many passions). Another of her passions is art and being creative, and she never stopped taking courses in drawing and painting. And she is really very good. But of course it’s hard to make a living by art alone, so she continued with her tours. Until Covid. When pretty much everyone’s livelihoods (and especially those working in tourism) went belly up.
Well it turned out that this was just the push Delia needed to start thinking beyond the obvious and hitherto easier ways to make a living, and once again she started to focus on her art. Within a few months she came up with Printbow, creating hand-crafted items (handbags, totes, tablecloths, aprons, etc) all printed by Delia herself with designs she has created, and she also sews everything herself from home. I was in love with this concept from the start and was really in awe of Delia for turning her life around, and probably ending up where she has always wanted to be. Honestly, this woman is amazing.
And so I was surprised yesterday by this gorgeous tomato tote bag. A gift from Delia (she knew it was my favourite). As you can see, it rolls up into a tidy easy-to-carry in your handbag size. And then it unrolls into this beautiful work of art that you can use to carry your shopping home. If you’re in Spain do get in touch with Delia to see all that she has to offer. Or if you have a business and want a special logo print made up, Delia is your girl. This is just the beginning, I see Delia and her business taking off not just because of her beautiful designs but also because of who she is. Honest, straightforward and caring. I’m lucky to know her.
08 Friday Jan 2021
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All of the Fiestas de Primavera have been cancelled for this year, well in advance (unlike last year when it was all quite unexpected and last minute). This means Semana Santa, the Feria de Abril and the accompanying month of bullfights will not be happening. Once again.
I came across these small sculptures in a shop window and thought they were interesting. Couldn’t tell if they were a playful mash-up of the various fiesta images or if there was a more serious (sinister?) meaning to them. But it also looks like a way of adapting? Since it’s unlikely we will return to how things used to be.