Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Spain


If you are looking for T Stands For Tuesday, it is the previous post.  You can scroll back if you came by way of my main blog, or click on Previous Post if you came from this direct link.

Our host for the month of September at Art Journal Journey is the very talented Jo at Let's Art Journal.  Her theme is Texture.

This is a bit outside the box when it comes to texture.

I assure you, there is plenty of texture here

as you can see in these photos of the fan blades.

It's also the first time I've felt good about a real collage in a long time, too.

The bull is actually a huge sign above a Toro grape vineyard in Spain.  As many in Spain will tell you, they love their bulls.  They are a poignant symbol of national pride.  There are still 94 of them along motorways, many of which are in northern Spain near the Portugal border.  According to the current regulation in the European Union around motorways, billboards are not permitted to display advertising, especially alcoholic.  Although the brand name has been removed, the Osborne bulls have stood the test of time due in part to their aesthetic value and in part due to a "Save our Toro" campaign to keep them.  The shape of the bull is enough to associate it with the brand.

The bull was designed in 1956 and first survived the attempt by EU advertising to get rid of them.  Later Spanish traffic safety authorities tried to have the bulls torn down, claiming they distracted drivers.

The vineyards over which this bull sits don't look like those we are used to.  The vines in the Toro area are near Castile and Leon close to the northeast corner of Portugal.  Vines found in this area are mostly a local strand of Toro red wines, and only a few parcels are devoted to white wine grapes. These vines grow low to the ground, mostly in dry, rocky soil because of the extreme climate, and many of them are thick and twisted because of their age, which could be a century or more. 

This Spanish flamenco dancer has lots of texture in her costume.  She is dancing on a wooden floor that accentuates the rhythm of her high heeled shoes.  The flamenco is itself a dance performed by a mixture of singing, guitar playing, dancing, finger snapping, and hand clapping.

Spain is famous for its bulls and dancers and Rome is famous for its coliseum.  Although it may come as a surprise to some, Spain has their own coliseums, although they probably aren't located in a vineyard!

I didn't want to forget the date, which I never seem to remember.  Yes, I'm STILL a terrible stamper.

Here's one final look at how I filled in the pin holes.

For this page, I first deconstructed a hand fan.  I kept five of the blades.  The holes at the bottom that I filled with gold Scribble paint, allowing more texture, is where the pin would normally have been attached.  The substrate is a sheet of 110 lb cardstock I dry brushed with gold fluid acrylic and allowed to dry.  I found images from various magazines to complete the collage that really makes me happy.  I cut the larger image to size and outlined it with a blue felt tipped marker.

Bleubeard and I are thrilled that you visited today.  We hope you will join Jo, Yvonne, Erika, Bleubeard, and me this month at Art Journal Journey with your own art inspired by Texture.  Please be aware, we want to see your altered book pages, journal pages, loose journal art, canvases, fabric pages, and digital art.  However, we cannot accept cards, ATCs, ATCoins, tags, small index cards, or 3-D art, and, as much as we don't want to, will be forced to delete your entry.


22 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said... 1

Fun journal page, with lots of texture, and takes me back to holidays in Spain. I used to have an Aunt in Madrid, and her daughter lived in Barcelona, so was able to enjoy lots of vacations there in past times. Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

aussie aNNie said... 2

Fabulous journal and delightfully different. xx

sheila 77 said... 3

This is really unusual (which is not unusual for you). The dancer certainly has a textured frock and the bull has lots of texture which I would stand well away from A deconstructed fan! You always amaze me with your ingenuity, Elizabeth. Your AJJ piece has lots of life.
By the way I was once told by a person from the States that "unusual" meant a different thing to her, and not a good thing. Can I reassure you that when I say a piece is unusual I mean it as high praise.
Love,
Sheila

Sami said... 4

The fan blades are a great addition to your collage Elizabeth. The "toro" sign is so familiar in Spain, I remember seeing them all over when we traveled through Spain.
I so miss travel!

My name is Erika. said... 5

That's such a clever idea to deconstruct a fan for texture. The blades look fantastic on your page and add so much beautiful detail. The hint of gold is great. And nice to be taken to Spain. I like the large bull and the story behind it. Traveling seems like a lost art right now for anyone not willing to risk Covid exposure. Hope it's a great start to the new month. Hugs-Erika

PerthDailyPhoto said... 6

Oh my gosh what a super collage Elizabeth, you put a lot of thought and time into this.. the blades from the fan was a genius touch 💜

CJ Kennedy said... 7

Wonderful page and story behind it. The fan blades are gorgeous.

Sandra Cox said... 8

Lovely! I enjoyed the history that went with it.
Be safe. Be healthy.

Let's Art Journal said... 9

Wow, such a fabulous page! Love all the texture that you created, the fan blades look amazing and capture Spain so beautifully 😀. Thanks so much for the invite to Guest Host at AJJ this month and for such interesting textured inspiration - awesome! Happy and creative wishes! Hugs, Jo x

sirkkis said... 10

Really original and well done. Wonderful design and materiaas.
Happy September, stay safe xx

Lisca said... 11

Great collage Elizabeth. Fabulous subject matter!
Yes, we have those toros here in the south too. I hadn't realized the government were trying to ban them. There are plenty of advertising billboards along the motorway that really distract (as you're trying to read them). Those should be banned!
There is also the man in the black cloak (the Sandeman don), which stands for Sandeman sherry. “Sandeman Don” is one of the first brand images created in the world and the first large icon in the
world of wines. It was designed in 1928 by George Massiot Brown. With its black cloak that evoques
a student in Coimbra, it symbolizes the Port, and the typical “sombrero” of Andalusia, to represent
the wine from Jerez, it still retains all its mystique and attraction, representing the mystery and sensuality of the brand Sandeman.
Sorry I can't add an image, but you might know which one I mean.
Cheers,
Lisca

Halle said... 12

Love this page! The use of fan blades is so unexpected but awesome!

da tabbies o trout towne said... 13

those fan blades are awesome !!!! ☺☺♥♥

peggy gatto said... 14

Oh my, love all the details!!!

Divers and Sundry said... 15

I can definitely see the texture and detail here. That must've been a lovely fan, and I'm glad you could use some of the blades in your art.

Jeanie said... 16

This really works -- it tells a wonderful story and you certainly picked up the texture thread of this. Very nice!

Rita said... 17

Seeing that giant bull on the horizon would distract me!
Cool page. :)

Iris Flavia said... 18

Ohhh, I love this! We have a bull on the kitchen ceiling. A huge one. Took my family some whopping 20 minutes to notice! The Gurri-fan moved to the wall and there is a Spanish house in the South. A former friend of mine learned to dance flamenco - you bring back heaps of good memories with this beautiful collage!

craftytrog said... 19

Wow! That's an amazing collage page Elizabeth! I love the images you used.
Alison xx

Meggymay said... 20

A fabulous page and post, I loved how you used the fan blades, they had so much detail on them.
I liked the trip to Spain theme as well, that was an enormous bull . Spain is a restricted destination and quarantine on return area again for UK folk.
Stay safe.
Yvonne xx

pearshapedcrafting said... 21

Really fabulous Elizabeth and great textures too! Hugs, Chrisx

Neet said... 22

I can see why you were delighted with this page Elizabeth. The picture tells such a story but you have filled us in on facts and figures of interest that are connected to the illustration. Thank you.
Love the idea of the fan blades used for a great deal of texture on the page, such a beautiful fan too.
Hugs, Neet xxx
ps no, I did not have back surgery. They just gave up on me after 18 months saying there was nothing more they could do - not that they had done anything bar talk me out of visiting a chiropractor which would have helped.