Saturday, February 12, 2011

"A Fantasy Trip To Catalonia..."

...and beautiful Barcelona, Spain
was the inspiration
behind this "Fancy Full Heart" for today.
Barcelona is filled with rich historic footprints.
One legend
actually speaks of the founding of Barcelona
by the mythical Hercules
some 400 years
before the building of Rome itself!
Barcelona
is filled with deep Medieval influences as well.
Catalan modernisme architecture
(often known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe),
developed here between 1885 and 1950
and
left an important legacy in Barcelona.
A great number
of her buildings are World Heritage Sites.
Barcelona
is the showcase city of the architect Gaudi
and
his famous church Sagrada Família.
When I was little, one of my best friend's dad
was an architect in Chicago.
Among other things, he designed churches.
As a special treat
my friend and I would go with him to his office
on weekends.
I was a paradise to me.
It was filled with industrial sized drafting tables
and pencils and pens and fancy rulers.
Simply,
it was a luscious, lavish banquet of art supplies.
I decided then...
that I would be an architect when I grew up.
But...that was never to be.
Maybe that is why
I am so fascinated by Barcelona. ♥ :)
Barcelona is also a city of energetic night life.
I think
she would probably also suit me well
as I can
usually be found late night...
into in the wee hours of the morning...
sketching, painting, and unknowingly greeting
the next day.
I also love the evocative allure of
Barcelona's passionate flamenco dancers...
rose in hand...shoes beating wildly.
I love
her gentile mantilla clad ladies.
I love
her motherly nurturing
of Picasso as a young and talented artist
so much so, that it is said
he regarded her in times of sadness or nostalgia
as his true home.
Ahhh! What a city of legendary art, and artists,
and architecture...
what a lovely lasting gift and legacy.
May we each be so fortunate
to be so well loved,
so well regarded, and so well
remembered in the pages of history.
Maybe, we should each
start to refresh and refine and polish
our personal, family, and life legacies now.
"The legacy we leave
is not just in our possessions,
but
in the quality of our lives.
What preparations should we be making now?
The greatest waste in all of our earth,
which
cannot be recycled or reclaimed,
is our waste of the time that God has given us
each day.”
~Billy Graham

10 comments:

Elza said...

You write as well as you paint - and that is well! You transported me to Barcelona, where I lived for a year or so. One of the most vibrant cities in Europe. It is always alive. I can see you strolling on the Ramblas at midnight.

Kary said...

another fabulous piece. the story that you write is a lavish as the heart. Thank you for the very visual journey!

Carole M. said...

oh my; such beautiful rich colours ... they're TANTALIZING!! No wonder Margaret that you see into the next day so easily when in the midst of such eager anticipation of quite what is happening with new colour exchanges on your paper. Are these atc size and what paper do you work on; is it watercolour?

Lynn Cohen said...

Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I love your heart & all the hearts you share with us! Have you been to Barcelona?? Hmmm.....maybe something to ponder ~ you & your muse! jgl:)

Teri said...

We get to enjoy your beautiful art AND learn history?! Wow, double pleasure. Thank you.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

The lace and flowers around this heart does evoke a Barcelona feel. The first thing I think about when I think of Barcelona is the lace of the mantilla. I remember wearing a small one to church on sundays. Jackie Kennedy got us all wearing them. I could just imagine you as a child in an architects office. What fun. We should never waste a day. I hate that feeling. Guilty of doing that occasionally.

marianne said...

I love Barcelona. And this heart!

Alex said...

Lovely!

Anonymous said...

I love your posts- the words are as beautiful as the drawing and educational!!!