Corte de Sol Spain...

sunny, warm, colorful, wonderful..

not unlike the coast I live at in Southern California!

I'm sure that's why it feels so welcoming and friendly...not to mention the many expats from Britain that are always happy to help you find the right stop on the bus or train, ready with food recommendations and happy to lounge in the Mediterranean sun all day! Once we figured out the transit system we were off to see Malaga, Marbella, The Alhambra in Granada, the mountain village of Mijas with the oldest bull ring in the world. Each with rich histories and so much color and texture that captured this artists eye and imagination!

I did try to make time to play in my travel journal when I needed a little respite and some creative time (above)...though out seeing these Spanish surroundings was really much more inspiring and something I can't do at home. So off we went to Malaga and the Picasso Museum.

I was especially interested in his line work drawings and Lino cut prints. He was an artist that didn't think twice about jumping from one medium to another and exploring his creative hunches. I like that about him, especially since I've been playing around with simpler shapes and compositions in my own art. I'm not daring to compare myself to Picasso, to be sure...but we both jump around alot...just sayin'.

I was especially enamored with all the beautifully tiled streets in Spain..

marble, travertine, stone, brick...

smooth and shiny from centuries of use.

(If you can't see the video of the many streets I walked...

click the link below for the browser version of this post.)

I'm so loving the textural elements I'm seeing all round me, especially in these street tiles and will keep finding new ways to add that into my work

I also discovered another art medium I'd like to play with...

slab clay, to see what layers and interest I can create with that.

So much texture and warm earthy tones everywhere you turn...and wonderful antient history to find out about. I was super lucky to not only have my art buddy Catherine along with me on the first leg of my trip...but to also have traveling friends from San Diego join us for a few days in Malaga. Then my son and daughter in law came to Spain for a few days to usher me off to France with them for a completely different climate with more art and history to explore...

and warm French baguettes!

Travel makes you modest,

you see what a tiny space you occupy in the world.