GATA DE GORGOS BOASTS A WONDERFUL EXPLOSION OF COLOUR AND ART

Steve and I with two friends decided to go to Gata de Gorgos on Saturday 19th August 2017 to see the hanging textiles that make up the Art al Vent, (art to the wind). This open air textile art exhibition continues until the 3rd of September.

Review and Photos by Lizzie Clayton
(click photos to enlarge)

3 FLOORS OF FUN AT BIG ART SCHOOL SHOW BRINGS ALL AGES TOWARDS THEIR VISIONS

The Escola de Pintura Mediterránea de Xàbia (Javea School of Mediterranean Painting) opened an exhibition of 116 paintings to showcase its students as it wraps up another school year.

I was curious as to what types of visions were being created by these students so I visited the Lambert Arts Center to have a look.

Review by Karla Darocas, Hons.B.A. Fine Arts Historian

MURCIA CITY AND MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS EMBRACES STREET & GRAFFITI ARTISTS IN A REALLY BIG WAY

Urban art: From the Street to the Museum is a really exciting show that is on offer at the Museum of Fine Arts of Murcia (MUBAM) · From 05/04/2017 to 07/09/2017.

GOYA * FOLLY, WAR & MADNESS - tba

The second half to Goya's life and works showcase his overall perspective of life becomes dark and cynical. Now he turns the dramatic Romanticism deep into the monstrous side of the irrational and the dangerous flaws of Enlightenment.

He uses the new invention of "aquatint" (a print resembling a watercolour, made by etching a copper plate with nitric acid and using resin and varnish to produce areas of tonal shading.) as a form of print making to fuel his revelations and revolutionary expressions in order to lampoon, satirize and mock the institutions, practices and commonly held beliefs of his time.

In 1799 Goya published 80 Caprichos prints depicting what he described as "the innumerable foibles and follies to be found in any civilized society, and from the common prejudices and deceitful practices which custom, ignorance, or self-interest have made usual."
Another collection of 82 prints called the Disasters of War, 1810s, Goya vents his visual voice with protest against the violence of the 1808 Dos de Mayo Uprising, the subsequent Peninsular War and the setbacks to the liberal cause following the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1814.

The scenes created withing these prints are singularly disturbing, sometimes macabre in their depiction of battlefield horror, and represent an outraged conscience in the face of death and destruction. Goya expresses the randomness of violence in these prints, and in their immediacy and brutality they have been described as analogous to 19th- and 20th-century photojournalism of the atrocities of war.

They were not published until 1863, 35 years after his death. It is likely that only then was it considered politically safe to distribute a sequence of artworks criticising both the French and restored Bourbons.
Goya created another set of prints - Tauromaquia (the art of bull fighting) between 1815 and 1816, at the age of 69. Bullfighting was not politically sensitive, and the series was published at the end of 1816 in an edition of 320—for sale individually or in sets—without incident. It did not meet with critical or commercial success however.
His late period culminates with the Black Paintings of 1819–1823, applied on oil on the plaster walls of his house the "Quinta del Sordo" (house of the deaf man) where, disillusioned by political and social developments in Spain he lived in near isolation.

The paintings originally were painted as murals on the walls of the house, later they were lifted off the walls and attached to canvas. Currently they are held in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

At the same time, he worked on 22 prints called Los disparates (The Follies), also known as Proverbios (Proverbs) or Sueños (Dreams), again a series of prints in aquatint and etching, with retouching in drypoint and burin, created between 1815 and 1823.

The scenes of the Disparates, which are difficult to explain, include dark, dream-like scenes that scholars have related to political issues, traditional proverbs and the Spanish carnival.


Goya eventually abandoned Spain in 1824 to retire to the French city of Bordeaux, accompanied by his much younger maid and companion, Leocadia Weiss, who may or may not have been his lover.


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APPRECIATE ART & CULTURE * LOVE SPAIN
Resource Books written by
Karla Ingleton Darocas 
and published by
SpainLifestyle.com 

CLICK  HERE *

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GOYA "WITNESS OF HIS TIME" * RARE ENGRAVINGS SHOWN IN ALICANTE

The Gravina Fine Arts Museum of Alicante (Mubag) held an exhibition in June 2017 entitled "Goya. Witness of His Time", which brought together 138 prints from private collections. They invited reflection on themes that are still relevant 200 years later.

SEE WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE AT THE TRIBUTE TO VALENCIAN ARTIST * MIGUEL SALA COLL

This morning my friends and I were very pleased to visit the retrospective tribute to the Valencian painter - Miguel Sala Coll at the the Lambert Arts Center / House in the old town of Jávea.

ART FILM * THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL . directed by Luis Buñuel.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH
10:30 * Coffee, Film & Discussion
5 euro donation
DAROCAS STUDIO * Benitachell

Starring Silvia Pinal, Jaqueline Andere, Enrique Rambal Mexico 1962, 35mm, b/w, 94 min.
Spanish with English subtitles.

Watch as the legendary Spanish surrealist film master Luis Buñuel psychologically tortures a mansion full of uptight high society dinner guests.

Leaving Franco Spain for the artistic freedom of Mexico, in 1962 Buñuel stays true to his surrealist roots and makes this iconoclastic film.

It is a film that demands your attention by breaking narrative rules.

It also draws you into the tragic reality of the characters who cannot process nor escape their situation. These characters are a class of people who thrive by materialistic values and conventional attitudes. They are bound to their rules by duty and etiquette. When the reality of their dinner party becomes very strange, it is their base instincts and phobias that come to the surface.

This film is full of sarcastic wit, unconscious and dreamlike images, Freudian slips, drugs, sex, death, suicide - just to make sure you are paying attention... and so much more!!

It is a timeless masterpiece of surrealist art.

It is also a revolt against all oppressive civilizations... like Franco's Spain.

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PICASSO IN PARIS


A really big Thank you to all who came out to support me today at my public lecture on Picasso in Paris. It was wonderful to see some of my very first Fine Arts Friends from way back in the early days of teaching in Javea. It was also great to see my regular Fine Arts Friends and of course - new faces!

The folks over at the Church Centre are truly lovely people and this time they made cakes for all the Fine Arts Friends. Lizzie and Steve Clayton were helping me with the door, seating and transport and I give them an extra thanks because I am lost with my car in the repair shop at the moment.

Congratulations to Karen and Keith who won my Picasso-inspired paintings today. I hope you will always remember me when you look at these fun pieces of art work.

I hope that you all enjoyed and maybe even were inspired by my lecture today.  I am always appreciative of feedback.

Please take a minute and fill in my FeedBack Form. CLICK HERE

FILM

This Saturday morning, I invite you to come to my studio in Benitachell and watch the film "MIDNIGHT IN PARIS". It is a 2011 American-French romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The main character is transported in time and meets all of the artists from today's lecture and some from my past lectures on the Impressionist & Expressionists. It is witty and fun!

SATURDAY 21ST, 2017
10:30am - 5 euros includes cafe or other beverage and breakfast snacks
DAROCAS STUDIO inside the offices of BENITACHELL PROPERTIES - main corners in Benitachell opposite the banks at the traffic light.

Just email me if you wish to come along!

ARTFULLY YOURS,
Karla Ingleton-Darocas, Hons.B.A. Fine Arts
www.SpainLifestyle.com
info@SpainLifestyle.com


PHOTOS FROM PICASSO IN PARIS - SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2017. CHURCH CENTER . JAVEA





REVIEWS

ART ART and More ART.
Yesterday I attended a really interesting lecture in Javea about Pablo Picasso. It was really interesting and gave me much more of an insight into where his inspiration came from. Although the concentration was about his time in Paris I still love learning about his Spanish roots. The lecture was by Karla Darocas and she truly is inspirational and passionate about her subject. We live in a wonderful country awash in colour and light, I came home wanting to get my paints out again. I want to attend more of these lectures so anyone who wants to join me, anyone who wants to turn off the TV and give the bar a miss to do something cultural, please let me know.

***Lauren Staton


It was brilliant - we were so inspired that after a lovely lunch in the pueblo we got out our paints and created our own works of art - all in the blazing sunshine (25 degrees) on our patio!

***Sue Bell

VIEW MORE REVIEWS - VISIT - www.KarlaDarocas.com

FINE ARTS TRIP MADRID 2016




Thank you from my heart to Karla Ingleton Darocas for organising an unforgettable few days of visiting art galleries in Madrid. Sorolla House, the Spanish masters at the Prado, the Thyssen museum with a fantastic Renoir exhibition, the Queen Sofía for mind-blowing Dalí and Picasso and the exquisite romantics and costumes of the period at Queen Isabel II House...

A stroll through Retiro Park and a blissful 10 minutes listening to an audio art installation in the glass house, the sights, sounds and architecture of this great city, joyful dinners, cake and coffee morning teas, and hot chocolate and churros at the famous Choclatería San Gines.

Travelling at 300+ kmph on the high speed train was a thrill. Enjoyed every minute of all of this and grateful to Karla for organising it all and especially her fantastic in-depth knowledge of the paintings, the painters and the juicy gossip about the characters of the time, just fascinating and enlightening. XXXXX

- Kathleen Misson

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Hi Karla.
I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful few days in Madrid - I had a great time and really enjoyed the museums especially with all your immense knowledge surrounding the artists and paintings and of course the Spanish history - although I am now brain dead and absolutely knackered what a time spent with everyone on our whirlwind tour!
- Janis Turner

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Hi Karla
Thank you so much for your lively commentary and company, you were the cherry on the cake, that made our trip to Madrid so perfect.  Having participated in both the Dali lectures and Sorolla, it really helped me to have a better understanding of their art form, rather than just saying "I Like" "I don't like".  And, opened my eyes to alternative art forms as well.

Only disappointment for me, was that the Sorolla Museo was only partically opened.  Having been there last year, before your Sorolla lecture, I was so looking forward to greedily feasting my eyes...

- Helen Baxter

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How did you hear about Karla Darocas educational sessions, trips, films and workshops
* Through attending her other lectures and talks

What did you learn?
* Not just about the paintings but also much more about the lives of the artists

What features did you feel were beneficial in this event?
* Seeing the actual paintings that were shown at the lectures and talks - it makes it so much more real it brings the whole thing into prospective especially with all the extra imput from Karla about the why and how surrounding any particular works.

What elements did you like about the teaching style of Karla Darocas? * Her absolute passion about art which makes the student want to learn more

Would you recommend Karla Darocas teaching and events to others?
* Absolutely

FULL NAME & LOCATION * Janis Turner

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How did you hear about Karla Darocas educational sessions, trips, films and workshops
* From having attended her lectures

What did you learn?
* So much that my brain aches but am hungry for more

What features did you feel were beneficial in this event?
* Karla somehow manages to combine not only her immense energy but also a wonderful laid back and thoughtful approach to her lectures that evokes hunger for more knowledge along with an inspirational new viewpoint on the artists whilst delving into their lives and loves.
She brings it all to life and I absolutely love it.

What elements did you like about the teaching style of Karla Darocas? * Her vast knowledge

Would you recommend Karla Darocas teaching and events to others?
* Absolutely

FULL NAME & LOCATION
* Sue Martin from Pedreguer

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How did you hear about Karla Darocas educational sessions, trips, films and workshops
* Media

What did you learn?
* Artist technique, brush strokes how you interpret what the you are seeing. Understanding how art changed when able to take the canvas outside into natural light.

What features did you feel were beneficial in this event?
* I learnt about the history and context of when a painting was created. Who influenced the artist, the people who commissioned the paintings. The style of painting and the advent of photography alongside new techniques in painting. All learnt alongside a great deal of fun, Karla makes the time and artists come alive with a great knowledge of history. Fantastic trip and I can highly recommend it to anyone wanting to broaden their understanding. Thanks Karla and all the ladies who came too as that friendship is very important too.

What elements did you like about the teaching style of Karla Darocas? * Making it fun with so much insight

Would you recommend Karla Darocas teaching and events to others?
* Yes

FULL NAME & LOCATION
* Lizzie Clayton

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FRUITS OF FUNDRAISER BRINGS FORTH A COMPUTER TO ENHANCE CREATIVITY


On October 24th, I held a Fine Arts lecture on the master painter - Joaquín Sorolla at the Church Center in Javea. It was well attended and raised much needed funds for one of my Fine Arts students - Laura Aldridge.

Laura is a single mother struggling to raise a young boy. She is also a creative artist who produces artworks as an entrepreneur and this drives some income.

A few months ago, Laura was sent to me to train in some other skill sets that I teach like photography and marketing by a charity called Guardian Angels. While the charity paid for her training, they did not wish to fund a new laptop for Laura. Fair enough. However, I know by experience that in any business platform it is impossible to generate revenue without a computer these days.

Hence the Sorolla fundraiser and the result!!!
We went shopping at Media Mart in Gandia and bought a good quality Hewlett Packard laptop with Windows 10 and all the bells and whistles.

Thank you to all who helped in this campaign and attended the lecture on Sorolla and Thank you to Lizzie Clayton for driving us up and to Gandia :)

We all can expect great things for Laura in the future!!

Big Love,
Karla Darocas

PS. A representative from the Fine Arts Society of London was at the Sorolla lecture and after the event I received an invitation to London to give a presentation to a judging committee up there in order to become an "accredited" Fine Arts lecturer for that society. However, I don't think I will be going to London any time soon - but they have left the offer open if I do decide to make the journey.


LURE OF THE LIGHT LECTURE ON SOROLLA BRINGS OUT THE ART LOVERS


Sorolla fans and art lovers alike attended my lecture / fundraiser event in Javea on Monday the 24th of October to learn about the Valencian master painter and his favourite genre of painting - Impressionism.

Thank you to all who attended. We raised enough money for my student Laura to go shopping for supplies and tools that will keep her moving forward as an artist / entrepreneur and as the sole provider in her single family home.

Special thank you's go out to Chris and Veronica over at the Church Center in Javea who allowed me to use their space to hold this event and did not charge me an arm and a leg for rental. They are lovely folks and I hope that we can gather there again soon.

I will take over a thank you gift to them on Thursday - as that is the day that people tend to drop by the center. It is a great meeting place with plenty of friendly folks to chat with on that day.

Also, a very special Thank you to Lizzie Clayton who has signed on to be my Public Relations person and keep me "sorted" - as I am so busy all the time!! And her hubby Steve for his support and encouragement too!!

It's all positive and full of light!!

Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A.
Please share with your art lover friends.
info@SpainLifestyle.com