We left Las Perlas Islands Monday 19th Feb nicely rested and well prepared for our 5 day trip across the equator line onto San Cristobal in the Galapagos. It was only moments into moving when we caught sight of activity on the water and knew this could be the perfect moment to catch our first fish of the season. Family have all teased me about being lucky when it comes to fishing, hence dad has named me "The Great White Hunter". There is something so fun about catching a fish and it was great fun watching our skipper bleed, clean & fillet our tuna. I learnt from Miguel " Papi" (by nickname) that in order to eat a fish in its perfect state and at it's healthiest one should freeze it for a couple of days to kill any parasites that the fish may have, especially if enjoyed raw.
We had chosen a great day to set sail, offering the ideal wind to christen out our new sail. An easy furling gennaker, we had designed ourselves and chosen specifically for down wind sailing, since we knew we would be having much of this in the Pacific Ocean.
This was the first time sailing yacht Axonite, Marc or myself had sailed the Pacific Ocean. Apparently named "Pacifico" by the Portuguese for its calm waters. I was delighted to finally discover this ocean - especially after cooking onboard for almost 10 years as a super yacht chef from my mid 20s to 30s and never able to land a pacific position, as it was so rare to find at the time. This trip was my faith!! And I now knew that the universe was working in sync with my deepest wishes... how lucky am I :)))
`Definitely the highlight of this leg was crossing the equator!!!
Although I had crossed the equator once before when I was crew on super yachts, and all I remember was slowing the boat down to swim across the equator line, nothing quite compared to our ad hoc super fun response onboard this time. Fancy dress has always been a thing I have loved from a child and so building a good fancy dress collection onboard has been something I have taken very seriously. Coincidentally last year as part of the Heineken Regatta (March 2023) in St Maartens we won the bridge dress up show and this time round we were planning to go for no less!! We obviously won the World ARC equator prize for our efforts, which we later celebrated as part of the prize giving in Santa Cruz Galapagos along with other prizes our rally mates collected too.
Crossing the equator all happened on the 23rd February, 4 days into our trip. With very little time for preparations; Marc definitely put on the perfect persona of Neptune. Robert, who had baked an apple tart with salty butter and our skipper Papi and myself all took on our roles as Neptunes helpers or crew members in our own very unique way.
After only a very short history on the line crossing ceremony, certificates printed, dusk nearing and only 20 mins to cross the equator line, the fishing reel goes off. What fun :) No time for rehearsal now! Allowing a lot more liberty and freedom of antics in so many ways. From the boys reading their part, to Marc as Neptune handing out certificates and smothering us full of salty apple tart, made for a great video. Which we later had to share with the ARC yellow shirts to form a part of the prize-giving ceremony in Santa Cruz. Our 5 day leg to San Cristobal in the Galapagos passed very fast thanks to the great wind we had and the pure excitement to finally join the rest of the rally, getting to visit such extraordinary locations and just so much to look forward to. The skies on the way were definitely very expressive and colours very vibrant, based on the clarity in the air.
It was now time to to get off board, check in with the yellow shirts and have lunch on land, followed by a wander along the board walk to the nearest beach. Unfortunately we found the town quite dull and touristy, the beach so overcrowded and the highlight was definitely watching the sea lions basking away in the sun. Reminding me so much of my family members - in the best possible way of course :))
The sweetest thing I saw on my first day in Galapagos was this gorgeous video Robert took, I would like to share with you of these sea lions playing and kissing. Such beautifully humane creatures I enjoyed to watch them as often as I could as they made me really smile :).
While the others were resting later that day I sat on deck and painted the bay from the fore deck. The light was changing so fast, i found it quite challenging but really enjoyed absorbing myself in this new landscape from the sea. The bright colours especially!!
With plans to move to the next island Isla Isabela the following day, we were up early getting the boat prepared before heading for lunch to a nice place on the water called the "Post Office", Here Marc and I shared a delicious scorpion fish presented in such a unique style sitting up as they had deep fried it, therefore allowing it to hold it's shape.
Once lunch was over we decided to take a taxi drive to Porto Chino on the east coast 40 minutes away. The drive through the island was interesting and immediately noticed the vegetation was thick and shrubby. No high trees at all and very few inhabitants. As we arrived we had a short 10 minute walk to the beach. The beach had wonderfully light blue seas and white sand. Rather heavenly and just the perfect place for a dip before leaving.
That night we left San Cristobal for Isabela at sunset by motor and kept motoring throughout the night in order to arrive in time to Isla Isabela for our excursion "Paddling with the Penguins" at 10 am. This excursion was terrific thanks to our animated guide Ricardo who was so well informed and good fun. As we kayaked around we were able to see a lot of the wild life, water iguanas, pelicans feeding and the most loveliest tiny penguins.
We learnt from our guide Ricardo, penguins are not endemic to the region and every year the penguin world here in the Galapagos is dwindling to such an extent that there may not be any penguins left here in the next 20 years. This was very sad to hear!
Being Robert's last night with us we all wanted to have a lovely evening. We had had an invite to join the rest of our rally mates at the Pink Iguana, which became the meeting place for so many nights to follow. One can't beat happy hour right on the beach! Uhh such a carefree feeling and so unforgettable.
After seeing Robert off very early the next morning we headed out to hire bicycles as we wanted to cycle along the beach into the National Park towards the "Muro de la Lagrimas". A sad story as it is said to have been the cause of thousands of deaths of prisoners sent on exile to the island to repent.
At the top of the climb we met our rally friends, Sam & Clemie, who made it all the more fun meeting all the way up there. The view from above was one of the most expansive views I have ever seen. Such a feeling of beauty and freedom all in one!!
We enjoyed our day so much that we decided to rent bikes again the following day and cycle to the end of the beach just to have a lazy day before heading off to Santa Cruz that same evening at midnight to get us into Santa Cruz the following day at 9 am.
We were all looking forward to getting on land and meeting our rally mates for Happy Hour at the Rock Cafe but before that we wanted to take our laundry, look into diving options and to meet our family friend & artist Sarah Darling at her gallery on the main street, Gallery Angelique
Sarah is originally from the Cotswold's in England and studied art in Florence and the Chelsea Art School. She attended a residency in the Galapagos in 1989 where she met Franklin, a local gentleman, and sailed his 90 foot Brigantine Schooner Angelique to Galapagos in 1991. Here they did live aboard charters round the islands for a few years.
In 2001 Sarah felt it was time to move to land and set up her own gallery calling it after the schooner Angelique. She created the whole gallery herself by laying tiny mosaics and began painting views and animals of the Galapagos in her very beautiful Chagalesque/dreamy style. Sarah's unique style adding text to her paintings in order to give it that bit more meaning. Sarah has been very successful at marketing and selling her work offering a variety of merchandise for visitors to buy such as postcards, mirrors and painted silk cushions. She also likes to do commissions. Sarah enjoys to paint everyday while minding her gallery where she is able to welcome passers by into her world and what is more special than meeting the artist who has created the work! Sarah reminded me of when I had my gallery in the Hilton in Malta, Space Contemporary Art, almost 20 years ago already.
Our weekend in Santa Cruz was spent roaming around the town where we found a wonderful ceramic garden, had a delicious lunch at Al Mar, a great restaurant right on the waterfront and visiting the northern area. Particularly the island of Baltra where the airport was built in order to meet Ron our new crew member, arriving off his KLM flight from Amsterdam fully laded with spare parts for us.
The following week much of our time was spent getting the boat ready for one of our biggest crossings we were to have and therefore I needed to provision and prepare meals for those 3 weeks at sea. There was not much choice when it came to provisioning; the super market across the dock called Proinsular for dry foods and the Mercado Municipal for fresh produce. I was glad I had done the majority of provisioning before leaving Trindad and while in Panama City as I found it all quite challenging. Very little good meat and chicken to buy so I focused on fresh produce which was not as good as I had imagined. The majority of Mercado Municipal had stalls outside and was concerned that fruit and veg would not last me 3 weeks so I looked to find a stall inside with fridges and the least ripe fruit and vegetables available.
That morning Sarah had kindly offered me to go with her to her waterfront property in Franklin's Bay, where she rents out various properties on this one larger property to people wishing to absorb themselves in the uniqueness of the location, which I must say is brimming full of wild life.
It was great fun seeing more of Sarah's mosaic works and visiting the museum they had constructed full of whale bones and interesting family memorabilia.
Our time together was so special; swimming right off her jetty, talking about our work and discussing making murals. I realised this was definitely the perfect moment for me to talk about the mural project I am planning to do once I return home to Lisbon.
Sarah advised me not to paint on the wall but to create a mosaic as this would make it much more long lasting. This definitely made sense after seeing what she had done and how well it had kept. Thinking about it and the Portuguese history of wall tiles "azulejos", it gave me a whole new perspective on things. It was now time for me to research this method a whole lot more which I knew would open a new creative opportunity for me.
A long passage of 3,000 nautical miles plus, which actually could have taken a lot longer, are always about recuperating and regrouping between one adventure and the next. Apart from my daily duty of preparing delicious and nutritious lunches and dinners, much of my day is taken up by reading and painting.
Very in fitting with our destination to come and my interest in Gaugain's choice to live in the Pacific Ocean; I chose to read his manuscripts "Noa Noa" which means fragrant in French Polynesian. I am now looking forward to getting ahold of Gauguin's latest book on which has just been released this month all about his time spent in Polynesia.
Through this sky series I made I really enjoyed trying different techniques of wet on wet and sometimes even Japanese brush to end for a little direction. The variation of mood was starting to become apparent in my work now and therefore even tried a couple of night paintings.
Otherwise a lot happened over the 2 week stretch, beginning a day and a half late to flying past our rally mates and damaging both headsails in the process to then having to motor the rest. Our crew energy was excellent and I really enjoyed being part of this very special moment particularly when crossing half way mark!!!
0 Comments
Following the huge success of my first ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) crossing completed in 2022; full of good vibes having met so many wonderful people it was now time for a next adventure. My biggest wish to sail the Pacific Ocean was next and joining the World ARC 2024 - 25 rally would fit just perfectly. Preparations & excitement both on high alert. I just could not wait to get back onboard and really live this once in a lifetime adventure!!!
End of November 2023 we flew out to Trinidad with great expectations to find that unfortunately the person who we had entrusted to look after our boat and follow works had done close to nothing. Plans to spend Christmas & New Year in Antigua were immediately scrapped. My exhibition on Caribbean paintings to be held at Nelsons Dockyard called off and it was now time to do all we could to make it in time for the rally start in St Lucia 13 January 2024. Luckily we had commissioned a friend & skipper we had met during the ARC crossing, Miguel Botelho nicknamed Papi from San Miguel Azores, to join us on this adventure. The issue of getting rid of the so called project manager was immediate & it was now time to find the right locals to help us. A little more than we had bargained for!! It took a lot of strength & insight on all of our parts as Trinidad was foreign stomping ground to us. The weather extremely hot with many outbursts of rainfall. Living onboard was not an option so we were forced to skip apartments almost every week or so not knowing how long it would actually take us to launch. Being optimistic & flexible was the only way forward! Finding ourselves in such a predicament gave us all the more opportunity to work on our instincts. Things we made easier on meeting our Maltese Canadian friend Richard, who had recently bought a catamaran while we were in st Maartens during the Heineken Regatta in March 23, and offered us a few local tips as he had been in Powerboats Shipyard for a bit and managed quite successfully.
The following two months we were to spend in Trindad were made a lot easier having Richard revisit plus of course our lovely friends Iain & Jacqueline on SY Fatjax, who had also chosen Trindad as a place to leave their boat out of the hurricane belt. Life is always so much better when you know you can meet up with friends for a beer or two or even better cook them dinner and have a playful night together.
This time was made a lot easier for us having Jacqueline & Iain from SY Fatjax in Trinidad, them too going through similar battles towards getting their boat ready and felt like either side was not alone working towards the same goal, the World ARC. Wonderful Jaqueline was actually the person who introduced us to the World ARC and I truly knew that developing a friendship with her & her husband Iain would be life long. This is really what these ARC events are about; finding beautiful like minded souls.
Christmas & New Year were nearing and we just had to accept we would be spending it pushing to get our way through works but we did allow ourselves a day off on Christmas Day to discover the other side of the island's mystical beauty. Maracas Bay followed by Las Cuevas the region of Shark & bake, a dish we were apprehensive on trying. This region was particularly beautiful but Las Cuevas Bay was definitely a winner.
All our local team at Powerboats Shipyard kept getting better everyday and everyone was putting in their maximum effort to hurry works on. The shipyard had now built a proper tent for us and we were finally able to complete our spray paint job done so skillfully by Osaia Griffith (aka Cow) and his devoted team.
Between Christmas & New Year is never a good time for workers but his guys were going hammer & tongs, so we made sure to look after everyone by offering them a couple of lovely BBQ's prepared by myself. Our best way to thank everyone for their good work. After visiting the Trindad & Tabago Yacht Club a few times, the three of us decided it would be a great place to spend New Year's Eve. We had rented a nice place to stay close by so it made things more pleasant and definitely very festive. New Year's Eve was plenty of fun meeting local boat lovers at the Yacht Club and a great way to start the New Year!
Once Christmas & New Years celebrations were over we knew time was getting very close now and we were all working round the clock but we did have an honest hunch that making the start 13 January would be close to impossible. We agreed that we were better to finish all our jobs here before moving and then running into issues afterwards.
There were still jobs to be done and Trinidad would be much easier than anywhere else so we had to accept the fact that we were not be able to make the rally start. Although I felt very sad about this; firstly because we were so looking forward to meeting and starting the rally with our new rally mates. Secondly we had organised for my sister and her partner Martin to join us in Santa Marta Colombia and we just had to accept that we would have to change plans. Having launched our boat with still last minute issues to deal with, I knew the best thing for me now was to keep calm and therefore now time to paint. So I took the chance to paint most evenings off the aft deck looking out to the 5 islands. Something I have always enjoyed is painting the same scene and watching the development, changes & differences in each work always varying on the weather, light and of course my mood :))
Due to the way things worked out and the pressure to be present & to keep up the good vibes as much as could I had put my painting aside although I did manage to escape away one day and create this time lapse video.
I was now desperate for our time in Trinidad to come to an end plus Marc's birthday was nearing so we decided the best way was for my sister and her and her partner Martin to meet us in Trinidad. Leaving on such a good note was definitely the best finale but I stupidly did not take into account how much sailing time would be involved to get to Panama. This did put quite a bit of stress on us but always with the future in mind.
Finally leaving Trinidad 27 January and 1200 nautical miles to get to Shelter Bay, the mouth of Panama Canal, was quite a brutal was to start our season. As we got close to Panama and knowing the San Blas Islands were on the way, i could not hold myself back from persuading our captain Papi and Marc to allow us one day in the San Blas Islands.
This place was definitely the closest to paradise I had ever seen. Totally idyllic in every way. Having only 24 hours there made it all the better and so glad for all my convincing as we all really enjoyed visiting the islands. This heavenly place and the short but sweet time, made it so special that I don't think i will ever forget the San Blas islands :))
And when i feel this way the best thing to do is grab my painting gear and really live it!!!
It's amazing how much a boost can do for everyone in such a special place and I honestly don't really know if spending anymore time there would have been necessary. We had dinner at a great local shack "Ibin" where we left our mark, a signed Maltese flag. We definitely had our little touch of paradise and being with my sister was just the best treat after so many months; very grateful and very sunburnt to say the least!!
Arriving to Shelter Bay only a day later was perfect timing. We were welcomed to the rally by Jenevora part of the rally committee, our good friend Iain from SY Fatjax and most of all Robert, Marc's great friend who had done the Atlantic ARC with us and was full of new energy and excitement for our Panama/ Galapagos adventure.
We had finally joined our rally members and this was time to get prepared, provisioned and set to cross the Panama Canal. Once the ARC had done all our safety checks on the boat and we had been fumigated in preparation for Galapagos, it was time to provision like crazy. I provisioned for as much as i could fit in the fridge, freezer and every other space possible as this would be our last good provisioning stop for a long time. This was also the moment where i could understand better what would be expected of us on arriving to the Galapagos since there were so many constraints. The Panama Canal was strangely not what i had expected. There was very little traffic and not a lot going on apart from our time in the locks. We stayed overnight in Gaton lake and the passage was made very easy thanks to the two wonderful local pilots we had onboard.
Arriving to La Playita Marina in Panama City a day and a half later was great fun to be with all our rally mates again and I could not wait to explore the city. A great combination of old and new. Buying the best Panama hats for my dad, brother and Marc was something i was looking forward to and I even managed to get a lovely hat for myself.
It was so much fun finding some great local haunts and making new local friends, Annabel & Michael. A couple of great nights out in the old town at "Casa Casco," a party night at "La Tana" nightclub and finally a lovely dinner just Marc and I at "Casablanca" Restaurant made Panama City quite special and definitely beyond my expectations. I had heard Panama City was the new Miami and I could see that :))
After a week in Panama City it was now time to make our way to Galapagos, but before that we needed a short stop in the Las Perlas Islands only 30 nautical miles off Panama City. This calm place would be ideal for us to remove the barnacles from the hull of our boat (yet another restriction) while at the same time resume our energy before sailing another 800 nautical miles to San Cristobal Island in Galapagos.
The Las Perlas islands were surprisingly beautiful very untouched and full of vegetation. We chose to anchor in the channel between Isla Chapera & Mogo Mogo for our first night and in a bay with no name, in the region of Don Bernardo part of Isla Pedro Gonzalez for the next two nights. We found this bay particularly stunning, so remote and of its rawest nature. It honestly surprised me not to find a soul about until Sunday afternoon when a party of locals rocked up for a beach BBQ. Our choice to anchor in these uninhabited locations was the best plan imaginable, just so superbly tranquil & definitely unforgettable!
The day the boys chose to inspect the hull by scuba diving, I took the paddle board out for a wander until I came across a strong current a little further into the open bay. Knowing my capabilities and taking into account what our captain had told me, I soon turned back and followed my way back into the bay to avoid any issues. Our time spent in the Las Perlas was what i had been looking forward to for so long; the feeling of not having to rush anywhere or do anything. Time to rest, paint & recharge!!! Wow! These past few months have been absolutely fantastic. I've always dreamed of crossing the Atlantic, and being a participant in the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) at www.worldcruising.com made it an incredible experience. On November 20th, the six of us embarked from Las Palmas Gran Canarias, Canary Islands, fully prepared for our 18-day journey across the ocean. We were blessed with fantastic winds and cherished some of the most serene and remarkable moments of my life! With my previous experience as a yacht chef, I came well-prepared for the journey with a freezer stocked full of pre-cooked meals. This allowed me to fully enjoy the passage, regardless of the weather conditions. I take great pride in saying that meal times were the highlight for the other five men onboard, as it brought us together and strengthened our bond. As the days seamlessly rolled by, crossing the Atlantic became a profoundly special life experience that will be etched in my memory forever. During this time, I found myself in a unique place where I could disconnect from the world: no social media or external influences. It was a precious opportunity to fully immerse myself in the present moment. I decided to dedicate my time to reading and painting, embracing this chance to explore a new creative side of myself. It was an ideal occasion to have zero distractions and simply relish in the joy of self-discovery. Just one week after reaching Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia, the ARC team and Marina Manager graciously assisted me in organizing an exhibition showcasing my collection of nine paintings on paper, created using Japanese pen and watercolor techniques. We extended invitations to everyone who had crossed the Atlantic with us, and the turnout was beyond expectations, making it a resounding success. The timing was perfect, as it coincided with the holiday season, providing an excellent opportunity for attendees to find unique Christmas gifts. You can find more details about this feature on the ARC Atlantic Rally for Cruisers website. Link to ARC Atlantic Rally for Cruisers Feature. Sailing South from St Lucia to Tobago CaysFrom the majority of December leading up to Christmas, Marc and I enjoyed the solitude, allowing us ample time to explore the wonders of St. Lucia. Simultaneously, we dedicated ourselves to preparing the boat for our inaugural journey southward, accompanied by our friends David and Max. Our destination: the breathtaking islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, and the picturesque Tobago Cays, with their mesmerising islands and reefs. To ensure our loved ones could keep track of our adventures, we set up a global tracker, providing friends and family with the opportunity to follow our journey. You can find our tracker here While I had previously explored numerous Caribbean islands, such as the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, and Sint Maarten, I had never ventured to the windward (southern) islands of the Caribbean. To my delight, these islands turned out to be a delightful surprise, each one offering its own distinct, authentic charm. Our time was primarily devoted to island exploration and dining out, as our friends aboard were eager to immerse themselves in the vibrant Caribbean atmosphere and connect with as many people as possible. This left me with limited opportunities to indulge in my painting passion. However, I knew I would have a chance to make up for it during the next leg of our journey. Sailing up north towards Sint MaartenIn mid-January, with only the two of us aboard, we bid farewell to St. Lucia and set sail for Martinique. Our first stop was motivated by the enticing rumours that it was the ultimate destination for stocking up on delectable French provisions, such as rose wine and cheese. Until then, acquiring quality supplies had proven to be a bit of a challenge. With Marc's birthday just a few days away, we were determined to ensure we had ample provisions to celebrate in style and indulge our taste buds to the fullest. Returning to my passion for painting, I made a deliberate choice to capture the essence of "Mount Pelee" in the northern region of St. Pierre. It was a place marked by a tragic saga, where the entire population of the town had been lost and more, as we discovered during our visit to the museum. Interestingly, in the same town of Saint Pierre, the renowned artist Paul Gauguin had once resided before embarking on his journey to the Pacific, where he created some of his most captivating works. During my stay, I had the opportunity to explore his former residence, now transformed into the Interactive Centre, a popular tourist attraction. The centre showcased replicas of the artworks Gauguin had produced during his time in the Caribbean, accompanied by insightful explanations. This experience held great significance for me, as Gauguin remains one of my greatest sources of inspiration—especially considering our upcoming voyage through the Pacific next year! Dominica, Iles de Saints, Guadeloupe, Sint Eustatius until arriving in Sint MaartenWhen we were planning our Caribbean voyage, both Marc and I had a strong desire to spend time in Dominica, and it absolutely surpassed all our expectations! This island was incredibly verdant, with hospitable locals who made our stay truly memorable. We had the opportunity to explore numerous breathtaking lakes and waterfalls, which added an extra layer of delight to our journey. The individuals responsible for the well-being of the yachting community were remarkably helpful and genuine, providing us with a refreshing experience. Before our dear friend Rita from Lisbon joined us on board, we made it a point to visit various filming locations used in the making of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. These excursions served as a fascinating addition to our trip. Afterward, we set sail together to the stunning Iles de Saints, a mere couple of hours away from Guadeloupe and Sint Eustatius. What a wonderful continuation of our Caribbean adventure! Arriving in Sint Maarten & off to St Barths:)With all the buzz surrounding the stylish island of St. Barthelemy, I had always yearned for the perfect chance to discover its allure. Fortunately, my long time Australian friend Fiona arrived at just the right time, allowing us to explore the island together while Marc returned to Europe. Fiona and I had a delightful time zipping around in our trusty Nissan Micra, exploring every nook and cranny of the island. However, we soon found it challenging to resist the allure of the exquisite boutiques that graced each town we visited. Our shopping indulgences left us both with empty wallets but hearts filled with joy. Regatta Time!!! Heineken 2023 was a blast!Having both participated in the Heineken Regatta once before, we knew exactly what awaited us: exciting sailing and an abundance of fun for everyone involved! This time, we were fortunate to have my sister Justine and her boyfriend Martin join us as part of our crew. Additionally, our deckhand Eleanor recommended a fantastic group of racers who played a crucial role in making it all happen! We sailed with determination and enthusiasm, ultimately securing an impressive 3rd place in our class racing division. But that's not all! We also had the honor of winning the coveted titles of "Sexiest Boat" and "Best Bridge Show." On the last day, we dressed up in style as we passed through the Sint Maarten Bridge, creating a memorable spectacle. It was undoubtedly the highlight of our season, and we proudly took home a well-deserved trophy to commemorate our achievement. After the exhilarating regatta came to a close, I made it a point to set aside some time for painting a canvas capturing the essence of Cole Bay. This location held special significance as it had served as our base for the month leading up to and following the regatta. Painting in Sint Maarten evoked a flood of memories from my past, when I would venture out to paint amidst my yacht chef jobs. However, this time, I had discovered a perfect vantage point—an elevated position providing a bird's eye view of the bay. From there, I could encapsulate the beauty and essence of the scene on my canvas, creating a lasting memento of our time in Sint Maarten. Next stop further north to explore the British Virgin Islands...Our journey through the British Virgin Islands (BVI) began and ended at the captivating site of The Boulders, also known as the Baths, in Virgin Gorda. This unique landscape presented us with a rather unconventional yet stunningly beautiful anchorage. It quickly became one of my personal favorites during our trip, perhaps because we arrived under the cover of night, making the delightful surprise of waking up to its splendor the next morning all the more enchanting. The Boulders truly left a lasting impression on us, offering a memorable start and end to our exploration of the British Virgin Islands. It was much easier to find time to paint when Marc and I were alone, and calm anchorages were the prime locations to get into the zone. The British Virgin Islands has so many special spots like 'The Bight' Norman Island, 'Great Harbour' Jost Van Dyke and Salt Island. All very different colour palettes and styles which made it all the more exciting. We spent a week on Tortola based at Soper's Hole, driving around discovering the island full of heavenly bays like Josiah's, Brewer's Bay and Smugglers Cove. The British Virgin Islands actually feel like the Caribbean all in one, with so many islands so close to each other that one can island hop everyday. Definitely my favourite part of the Caribbean, I really look forward to coming back here again soon! Last stop Antigua before ending our season:(We were here in Antigua for Classic Week and part of Antigua Sailing Week, offering many opportunities to meet old friends, like captain Paul of SY Adix .
While based out of Nelson's Dockyard the UNESCO site, I created the perfect opportunity to hold an exhibition of my work when we hopefully return back to Antigua next December, before heading back down to St Lucia mid January in time for the start of the ARC World rally Summer PartiesAs summer comes to a close, I felt it was time to give you all a little update as it feels like it's been a while... I have had my hands full with party organisation, as my partner Marc and I decided to celebrate our love with family and friends and boy did we go big, as we hosted four fabulous parties. We inaugurated the celebrations at Classico Beach Club in Costa de Caparica, then hosted a 'Thierry Mugler' themed party at our home, before we travelled to Malta for a boat party bonanza, followed by a pool party finale. Burning Man ProjectInvited to the world famous Burning Man Project, I of course jumped at the chance!!! I have always been curious to see what it's all about. I love the music and was especially intrigued to see whether the art pieces are as extraordinary as implied by the media. Travelling with two of my best friends (David and Max), we embarked on our journey into the desert and made ourselves at home in our tent, as we faced one of the hottest, and dustiest years, complete with two long sandstorms. Our camp Daydream had a sound/music focus but also a strong interest in art. On day one, we went out mural painting on the Playa, but unfortunately didn't last long because of the extreme midday heat. This year my friend Victor Spinelli who has visited Burning Man for the last 17 years was asked to create a massive art piece, of his iconic DiverUP. This gigantic installation (the helmet alone spanning 3 metres), was such a beautiful piece which really stood out on the Playa, shining bright in red copper. The daytime on the Playa was so scorching hot that we decided to exist as night owls, enjoying many of the fabulous DJs playing from Robot Heart and Mayan Warrior, two of my favourite venues. Here we met some old friends of my brothers and made new ones, (who now already feel like old friends). I also got to meet the legendary DJ Yokoo, pictured together in the last picture below! On one of my many cycles through the Playa, I came across the Temple, an incredible structure and in comparison to all the rest of the installations, this had a very particular energy. In complete silence, people were moving around very slowly, reading all the saddest dedications. This was definitely a place to reflect, but I was left puzzled as this temple had no roots and would all be burnt down in the next few days - the day after the Burning of the Man. I learnt about the link between the Las Fallas festival in Valencia and Burning Man whilst here. A very similar week long event, ending in a single night of fiery destruction, with no physical trace to be found next day. If you want to read more, I found this interesting article. Next Stop - San FranciscoMy next stop was San Francisco, which still remains one of my favourite cities in the world. A place I could definitely see myself settling, thanks to its fabulous bay full of boating action and exceptional vineyards close-by. Actually Lisbon and San Francisco do have a lot of similarities, not just their bridges; so it doesn't surprise me that so many Americans from California are choosing to reside in Lisbon nowadays. A special exhibition was taking place at the MOMA, featuring one of my favourite Mexican muralists 'Diego Rivera', showcasing his works from the early 1920s through to the mid 1940s. Most of the works exhibited were easel paintings and drawings which were widely exhibited and collected especially in the US. My main interest in this show was to understand how Rivera created his murals; using the fresco technique. Full scale cartoons were transferred to the plaster, providing an outline before he quickly added paint on a coat of wet plaster, before it dried. The process required many hands and much skill from masons who prepared the walls and carpenters who built the scaffolding. As seen while we were in Mexico city earlier this year, Rivera was hired to paint murals in public buildings as part of a campaign of national reconstruction after the Mexican Revolution. While in the US during the Great Depression, Rivera created some of his best works using his modern figurative style to reimagine the Mexican national identity. Here this piece de resistance "Pan America Unity" known as, 'The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South' on this Continent, was created for the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Fran in 1940. This mural was created to demonstrate that despite their great differences, Mexico and the US shared a creative force and revolutionary impulse that distinguished them from Europe. A fundamental role for a more equal society. The next day before leaving San Francisco, I visited the De Young Fine Arts Museum. This landmark art museum was located in the lush surroundings of the Golden Gate Park. The building itself is very impressive, designed by the Swiss Architect Herzog & de Meuron and Fong & Chan Architects in San Francisco. I chose to focus on the American Art from the 17th through to the 20th centuries. Before heading off to my favourite neighbourhood, Sausalito across the bay, I joined a bunch of burners for a lunch gathering and immersive art experience at Gregangelo's Velocity Art & Entertainment. Rather weird at first but the day ended up being quite good fun. It reminded me of my days teaching English as a foreign language, a great outing to get people communicating while having fun discovering a little more about oneself. Gouda 750 Years CelebrationDuring my time in the US, these paintings of Gouda were exhibited at the Agnieschapel as part of the 750 years celebrations in Gouda Holland. A place, that is held close to my heart, I was honoured to have been asked to play a part in the celebrations.
Bonaire is an island municipality of the Netherlands which lies off Venezuela’s coast in the southern Caribbean. Referred to as part of the ABC islands; Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao. Bonaire is the smallest and least developed allowing it all it's charm. What nicer a welcome message to this sun filled island than "Bon Bini (Welcome to) Bonaire" its tourism slogan; "Once a visitor always a friend!!" https://www.tourismbonaire.com/about-bonaire On first arriving, one can feel this island is bursting full of good vibes. It has managed to escape the saga of mass tourism, offering a haven to those conscientious few who look for clean blue seas, varied and colourful landscape and that ultimate happy holiday feeling! Bonaire is best known as a diving haven which probably explains why there is very little tourism on the island. The visitors who come to Bonaire are keen to explore Bonaire underwater and therefore create very little damage to the environment as consequence. The rest of my troop on this trip are keen scuba divers, but snorkelling is more my thing and I enjoyed learning how to take a few shots underwater on this trip. These shots are an inspiration towards some work I am doing right now on acetate as part of my Atelier Experimental practical course at the Sociedade de Belas Artes in Lisbon. The first stop, where I immediately felt the urge to paint was at Spice Beach, the place where the dive boat leaves to cross opposite to the uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire. This tiny island is part of Bonaire's National Marine Parks and full of coral reefs and home to so many different sea turtles and brightly coloured fish constantly feeding. While my team were busy getting themselves ready sorting out all their underwater equipment I managed to do a couple of quick acrylic paintings on paper from the dock. The temperature in Bonaire is perfect for drawing & painting outdoors in the shade. I could not get enough of mixing all the various turquoise hues while contrasting it with a little gold paint and touches of orange. This was definitely my Bonaire palette! Driving down south from the centre Kralendijk, one comes to Bonaire's salt pans. I was immediately taken by this huge dark metal structure rising up from the sea. Salt Pier is Bonaire's salt refinery and a well known location for divers. I was impressed by the incredible variety of landscape in the area but particularly the pink salt lakes created by the algae. I learnt that apparently this is why Flamingo's are so beautifully pink in colour! Exploring further towards the windward part of the island was where the kite boarding and windsurfing happens, as there is a constant blow. Here the landscape is sparse with only a few white beaches just enough to be able to get your surfing gear set up. The area of Sorobon is full of windsurfers zipping through it's clear bright blue sea, quite a spectacle for us at the surf shack sipping a cold beer! We did think about hiring a windsurfer but were scared we might be crashing into quite a few others as it was chockablock full. One afternoon while scouting for more dive sites on the East Coast; out of Kralendijk towards Karpata we came across this wonderful mural in such vibrant colours. Similarly to Mexico, many Bonaire homes are brightly coloured and mural paintings can be found indoors and out. This gives the island a unique feel just like a good dose of "joie de vivre!" The north of the island is raw, dry and rugged, well known for more diving sites around Karpata where there is a special trail that leads to Lake Goto. This picturesque salt water lagoon is known as the meeting and nesting area of the flamingo, such fascinating birds!
On our penultimate day, we spent our time exploring the various trails of the Washington Slagbaai National Park, an area that spans over 5 hectares, known as a home to many wild birds and reptile lizards & iguanas. It is a part of Bonaire's National Marine Parks and is dedicated to the conservation of Bonaire's natural and historical heritage through the sustainable use of its resources. Visiting Bonaire left me feeling very refreshed and motivated for our end of year Caribbean experience. We plan to cross the Atlantic as part of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, and we will spend a few months exploring the Caribbean which I look forward to documenting! So watch this space...
On hearing from so many people while in Mexico City that the Oaxaca is so well known for it's culture, we could not wait to explore as many aspects of it's art, food and mezcal heritage! Oaxaca "centro" comprises of colourful quaint streets full of people buzzing around soaking up its culture, and embellished with beautiful churches. Up and around 'Plaza de la Danza' in Oaxaca, we came across a series of 30 watermelon shaped paintings on stands that had been created by 30 contemporary Mexican artists. A 30th anniversary homage to the legendary Rufino Tamajo, an artist of great reverence in Mexico! In my opinion, the most impressive selection of contemporary Oaxacan art was to be found at the Museo of Painters from Oaxaca just off the 'the Zocalo'. Apparently this museum was given many of the works by the local artists as a form of payment scheme to cover their tax obligations. Bartering is still something that happens in modern daily life in Oaxaca amongst communities. These mixed paintings above by local artists Miguel Carrillo Lara and Augustin Castro immediately struck me as being very rigorous and demonstrating a high level of technique. In the room opposite there was also a show by some well recognised "Maestros Oaxaquenos" including the master Tamayo, all exhibiting in honour of the 30th anniversary. The museum downstairs featured artist Jonathan Barbieri, who was born in Washington, America and later moved to Oaxaca where he chose to learn how to distill alcohol. He started out distilling Mezcal, before moving onto gin and whisky. Knowing this, one might say his work must have been created under the influence of what he liked to distill, reminding me a lot of work by Francis Bacon. His depiction of despair made his work very moving, leaving me intrigued to know more. Heading upstairs into the smaller exhibition rooms, I came across an exhibition named KUYU; which comprised of ink on paper and sculptural lettering under ultra violet light. The multi sensory effect it created was very unique and brought about a strong sense of silence but only really to be understood by being there in person. The room next door showed an installation by another American artist Franz Klainsek, a display which featured a room full of gold painted nails balanced, one next to the other and lit up to create an intriguing effect. After spending a few days roaming around the town, a local Oaxacan artist called Saul Castro fascinated me. Saul's work inspired by nature, is a response to the world around him and he is conveys this through a vibrant palette, choosing a balance of abstract and figurative art. I felt there was a lot I could learn from this particular artist with my own artistic development. On the last day of our trip in Oaxaca, we joined a guide to visit the 'Mezcal Artisan Communities', half an hour outside the centre, in the region of San Baltazar de Chichicapam and Santa Catarina Minas. It was fascinating to learn how the farmers in these communities have worked so hard together to build this mezcal artisan tradition. In one "palanque" (mezcal distillery) we visited, our guide introduced us to the Mezcal Mural Festival through the work of Fernando Cordovas Albores seen in the mural above. The combination of mezcal distilleries or "palanques" featuring mural paintings by contemporary local artists is the ultimate cultural experience. Definitely a reason to return to Oaxaca again!
Mexico City Art TourOur first adventure in Mexico began with a sunrise hot-air balloon trip over the Mayan remains of Teotihuacan. An ancient Mesoamerican city located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico, which is located 40 kilometers northeast of modern-day Mexico City. Teotihuacan is known today as the site of many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas. Day 1 - Museo Soumaya & Museo Jumex
Within the vastly stark shiny white interior, a selection of exquisite art pieces from all around the world reside. I found myself drawn to a copy of Rodin's sculpture " The Thinker", which seems to outshine the impressive pieces but of course very confusing because it is definitely not the original. This surprised me rather as the room upstairs was full of originals. Not as famous as the sculpture of The Thinker but why would one exhibit a replica of such magnitude in such a prominent place in the museum? After all isn't owning an original art piece just the best thing ever! One of my highlights were the two murals back to back on the left hand side, which form a part of a 4-piece mural design in venetian mosaic. These represent the first portable mural program conceived and executed entirely by Diego Rivera, the famous Mexican muralist himself. On the right hand side, I was immediately enchanted by the immense mural painting by my new found favourite Mexican painter and muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Siqueiros was a Mexican Social Realist painter, best known for his large public murals using the latest in equipment, materials and techniques. Along with Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco , he established "Mexican Muralism". The "piece de resistance" that impressed me the most was the painting featured below by Siqueiros. It immediately stood out as the most powerful piece; its size, subject matter and choice of colour palette with similarities to a chiaroscuro painting by Caravaggio . Here, Siqueiros depicts Emiliano Zapata the revolutionary leader of native ancestry and champion agrarian reform who fought in the Mexican revolution from 1911-17. I was intrigued that the foundation has chosen to exhibit this piece, as it is not a part of its collection but a part of the National Art Patrimony. It is under restoration by strict guidelines, set by the National Centre of Conservation and local Patrimony which falls under the Fine Arts & Literature Institute Cultural Department. We chose to begin on the top floor, fifth floor, of the museum which is dedicated to the Slim family and houses the largest private collection of original Rodin sculptures outside of France. In my opinion this floor feels far too crammed with so many sculptures and even mixes in some impressionist paintings by Renoir & Degas (see image below). It feels like visitors get very little chance to admire the value of each piece, being placed so close to the other in such a haphazard display style. The 4th floor is where the Mexican painters are housed. Here I enjoyed viewing the different approaches and styles of local artists and below I have gathered a few of my favourites. The Mexican realism, the choice of bold colour, religious, political, social or historical subject themes sparked my interest. These are examples of using art to communicate messages, as opposed to Bajo's Flower by Wilhelmy (the first image in this blog) which instead simply depicts local beauty. One of my favourite areas in the museum was the part where the mural by Siqueiros' "Coal Miners" was placed along with a few other smaller paintings as seen below. Siqueiros was a member of the Mexican Communist Party, a Stalinist and supporter of the Soviet Union who led an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Leon Trotsky in 1940. The third floor hosted some of my all time favourites such as Chagall, Vlamick, Dufy, Nolde, Dali and Sorolla. It was very interesting to see which paintings the Foundation chose to invest in. The museum had a painting by my favourite German Expressionist artist, Emil Nolde, part of his Sea Series paintings I absolutely love. I recently saw another from the same series at the Amsterdam Stedlijk Museum as part of the Kirchner & Nolde: Colonialism Expressionism exhibition only a couple of months ago! The wonderful Rosa Portugalo marble sculpture featured below is by Manzoni and really was my all time favourite! We rushed through the last two floors as by now we really had quite a dose of this fabulous and varied art collection and wanted to leave a little energy for visiting the Museo Jumex opposite. To the side of Plaza Carso, where Museo Soumaya is, one can find the Museo Jumex showing contemporary installations, photography and paintings. To be truly honest with you, I couldn't really resonate with the works in this museum and therefore just scooted around to get a feel about what was on exhibition throughout the 5 floors. So here's a little snippet of some of the pieces that really stood out for me. On the 3rd floor there was some installation work by a Mexican artist Sofia Taboas. Her practice includes a range of approaches and materials to create sculptures, installations, architectural interventions and paintings that speak to the relationship of the body and culture to the natural world and the lives of others. Museo Jumex has Latin America's largest private contemporary art collections including artists such as Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly & Damien Hirst but unfortunately the Museum was in the process of doing works on that floor, so I was unable to view these collections. Day 2 - Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Museo Frida Kahlo known as Casa Azul was next on our bucket list. Here is where the legendary Frida who is known for her portrait art works was born, raised, lived and died. As a child Frida, contracted polio and she later was involved in a bus accident that left her disabled. Unfortunately she struggled with her health for the rest of her life but this did not stop her with her art. She was also married to the famous painter and muralist Diego Rivera, and during their time travelling around Mexico and the USA she developed her own artistic style drawing from Mexican folk culture. On Friday 28th January, we visited Casa Azul and followed the entrance from the courtyard towards the two main rooms. Here 10 or so self portraits of Frida resided, along with some photos taken by her father who also had an artistic streak with his photography. Museo Frida showed many aspects of Frida's life and some very macabre ones like the bed she was bound to where her mother fixed a mirror directly above to allow her to paint portraits. There was also another whole area of the house dedicated to the dresses she wore and the straps she needed to wear to assist with her disability.
Day 3 - Museo Mural Diego Rivera and more On Saturday 29th January, we ventured into the city centre, the Zocalo as it is called, was definitely the highlight of our Mexico City trip. The Mexican muralists! We started at the Museo Mural Diego Rivera on the west side of Almeda Central Park and then walked across to the Palacio de Bellas Artes on the opposite side.
A walk across Almeda park towards the imposing Palacio de Bellas Artes was wonderful and really offered a good feel of Mexico City. The Palacio is definitely the most beautiful building in the centre! It's art deco interior was very grand with a unique blend of marbles. A good place to expose this incredible selection of murals over 3 floors. Starting from the third floor, the first mural that caught our eye by Diego Rivera, was the "Man at Crossroads", controller of the Universe. This piece depicts a variety of technological and societal themes, and unarguably rather controversial at the time for its inclusion of Lenin and Soviet May Day, originally commissioned for the New York Rockerfeller Center in 1933. The Rockfellers were not happy with it and it was eventually destroyed before Rivera recreated it a year later. On the north side of the third floor an incredible 3 part mural "The New Democracy" by Siqueiros which was created in 1934, it depicts democracy breaking her chains! The mural "Catharsis" by Jose Clement Orozco is another symbolic painting depicting the state of the society at that time, being full of conflict, decay and destruction. Highlighting a world consumed by industrialisation and war. In contrast a 4 part mural where Diego Rivera conveys "Carnaval de la Vida Mexicana", offering a more playful vision into Mexican life at the time. On the 2nd Floor are two early 1950's works by the famous muralist Rufino Tamayo, "Mexico Today" & "Birth of Nationality" which symbolically depicts the creation of the 'mestizo' identity (a person of mixed indigenous & Spanish ancestry). Getting to know the Mexican Muralists was really the highlight of our trip to Mexico City. Understanding the magnitude of the murals, their compositions & subject matter has really helped me towards planning my Lisbon mural that is about to take place in the neighbourhood of Principe Real this May. I have decided i will be doing the project in stages, dividing the 25 metre outdoor wall into 2/3 parts, creating a duology/trilogy depicting the different aspects of Lisbon life. It's lazy beach life complemented by its colourful city vibe in a lyrical story like style.
I look forward to keeping you updated as this develops but before that I'll be updating you shortly on our trip to the historic cultural city of Oaxaca part of the state of Oaxaca. |
|