Art, Dance and Theatre

Everything to do with artistic activity.

Antoni Tàpies

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

Just heard on the news that the Catalan artist Tapies has died aged 88.  I have been meaning for ages to go back to the Fundacio´ Tàpies  in Barcelona. I went there first without really having a strong feeling about Tapies art but came away feeling really inspired
I go to Barcelona tomorrow I may pop in there and sign the book of condolence. It is only a few minutes walk from Passeig de Gracia station.

“Art should startle the viewer into thinking about the meaning of life.”  Antoni Tapies 1923-2012

Dancing Tango with the Dogs

~ Kate Wilson ~ 6 Comments

So, you know I have three dogs and that one is older and can’t walk far?  And the other two need long walks but fight each other so can’t be allowed too much time free and off the lead?
Well, it is a challenge to give each of them what they need or can cope with and still have a life myself.

How many walks can I do in one day without going crazy?

I asked the universe for help and, as so often before, Tango came to the rescue.
Now I go out every day with my ipod and dance with dogs and each and every walk is enjoyable.
Blue and I dance to Canaro. we start with Poema which is the perfect speed for her. Also it allows for many long pauses as she stops to stare into space or smell the deeper tones of each lamp-post. We seem to be completely still but no, we are still dancing.
Bonnie and Duna need to walk fast and rhythmically. We dance to D’Arienzo.  Usually we start with El Flete which is perfect and gets us into the groove. They have no time to look at each other or growl, the music leads us forward without hesitation.  Across the little square, along the narrow streets, down to the new park and over the river and almost of the Granollers. I am the pack leader and allow few stops, they pick up on my energy and trot happily beside me. We steer round other people and dogs and children without getting distracted by them.
Sometimes we waltz and occasionally dance a milonga which keeps them awake and connected as I change my pace and sometimes mark time on the spot or take longer or shorter steps. Perhaps people watching us think I am mad but it doesn’t seem to matter as we are enclosed in our tango world which feels like a private space.
Bonnie and Duna and I now have another favourite – it’s called Tango Brujo and is played by the orchestra of D’Arienzo and sung by Hector Maure. The words are quite wonderful and his voice is deeply satisfying.  The words and music are by Canaro.
I had never connected with this one before but I do believe that tango is a witch and can do magic!
Tango!Tango!
Tango bravo, tango lindo,
Tango noble, tango guapo
Tango hermano
De mis largas noches tristes,
Compañero de mi pobre corazón.
Tango bravo, fascinante,
Tango brujo!,
Tango bravo, combativo,
Tango bravo,
Tango gaucho
Que a pesar de tanta contra
Defendiste con altura,
Tu bravura de varón.
(I wanted to put the music on here without the videos and if anyone can tell me how to do it I will next time! But the Chicho film is interesting – reminded me of having some classes with him in Buenos Aires)

Monday and new beginnings

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

My friend Tiffany said last week how she likes to start the week well and I feel I managed it today.
We went for a long run/walk first thing then got the supermarket shopping out of the way before lunch. For once we had all the reusable bags we needed to put everything in and managed to pack them up before the cashier started to serve the next person (a pet hate of mine here where no matter how much you have spent in the shop they still see you as a nuisance if you don’t get out of the way to allow the next person through)
In the afternoon I went to a new drawing class with our friend Dolores. There were eight of us, all women, sitting around a large table and listening to UB40. The teacher Jordi taught us about the proportions of the human body and face and then after practising this, we read a short story and drew from our imagination some of the images from the tale

It is also my first day of trying to eat less. I stopped smoking (yes again!) a month ago and it has led to the inevitable. My plan wasn’t very radical – just to stop when I’m full. So I had only two slices of toast, I left the last raviolis in the dish and I only had one digestive biscuit with my tea. The challenge will come on Wednesday when I meet Tiffany in town.

Is it possible to meet for coffee and not eat a cake?

Happiness is learning something new!

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

After months of trying and many frustrating hours of trying to put video on here, or on YouTube, as well as failing totally to understand iMovie…….I have finally done it!

So here is the video of Blue celebrating her 15th birthday last year by sitting like a princess in her bed and receiving and opening presents. She learnt to do this as a puppy and like many a spoilt child throws away the last gift as soon as the next one appears.

Thank you so much to Nuria who gave me a tutorial in how to use Photoshop and somehow today it magically opened up the mysteries of iMovie too. Anyone near Granollers needing help in design or illustration?  She is a font of skills and knowledge.

And now to the main show – my lovely border collie Blue who has retired to Spain at the grand age of 15 (85) for her health!

Click HERE

(thanks to Margret Steigner for the filming)

My third christmas

~ Kate Wilson ~ 1 Comment

Christmas has been and gone and I haven’t written anything.
Nothing about the beating of the Tio, nor the traditional Catalan Christmas dinner of Escudella i carn d’olla.  I haven’t shown you the Christmas market in Barcelona nor the nativity scene in Plaça St Jaume.  No photos of bubbling cava or delicious turrons……nothing!  Res!  Niente!  Nada!
Sorry. I have just been so involved in getting the dogs settled here in their new home and trying to find a rhythm that allows me time for myself between sorties to the plaça with anxious Bonnie, hyperactive Duna or slow Blue or some combination of those three. I haven’t been to Barcelona at all and I didn’t go to  beat the Tio and sing ‘El Noi de la Mare’ this year.
But I did finally make it into Granollers centre to look at the Christmas market. It’s not really very exciting compared to the Santa Lucia one in Barcelona but I did take a good look at the figures for the all important nativity scenes and bought a little set for home

I remember unpacking the nativity scene was one of the lovely parts of Christmas in Troon when I was young. We used to set them up inside a toy garage which must have deeply influenced my idea of the stable in Bethlehem.
If you have been following this blog at all you’ll know that Catalunya has a strong tradition of scatalogical customs. the beating of the Tio is to make it shit presents. and in the nativity scenes, the pessebres, there must be somewhere hidden a caganer, a little man with his trousers down shitting in the bushes

I bought one of these for a friend but couldn’t decide on one for our pessebre so for the moment it has only Josep, Maria, Jesus, a donkey, (by the way did you know the donkey or burro has been adopted as a symbol of Catalunya and many cars have a bumper sticker with one on it?) and a cow, una vaca. Oh and an angel of course!

Christmas dinner was lovely this year and I have to say much easier now that I can speak a little more Catalan. I took my  own nut roast and ate parts of the typical Catalan dinner.

Of course there was Cava – here’s a glass with icecream mixed in
And a tower of turrons to be carefully demolished like an edible pikastix

The other reason I didn’t write too much was because it’s taken me a bit of time to get settled back in here after all the turmoil of the move and three months in Cornwall where of course I feel totally at ease. I have had some days of feeling like this

but now that the stress of Nadal and Sant Esteve is past I seem to be sniffing the air and, like Blue, finding it full of interesting smells