Abbie Luck, London, UK
At the time Abbie came to my workshop, in 2005 I think, she had just gotten a job as art teacher at a fancy girls’ school in London and was eager to expand her repertoire of techniques. She took naturally to solarplate printmaking and did some interesting work while she was here. She liked solarplate particularly as it was something she could teach her students without getting involved with acid and resins. She quickly made friends with Karoline Piedra, the American artist from Massachusetts who was on holiday from her day job in Switzerland. That’s the two of them below, captured on a day that Mike and his mate, Curro, were doing some electronic flash tests that somehow got mixed with a wine tasting. That’s probably why the two girls seem to glisten in the photograph.
From a comment by Abbie on my Printmaking Courses in Spain blog: “Thank you for everything. I am leaving with a wealth of knowledge, but also wonderfully relaxed. You have been so welcoming. I have come to feel really at home in your studio and in Granada. I couldn’t have asked for a better working holiday. I will most definitely be back to visit.”
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Karoline Piedra, USA/Switzerland
Karoline, who is from Massachusetts in the US, arrived here from her accounting job in Switzerland, with an urgent need to do artwork. She coincided with an international group of artists (Spanish, English, Serbian) and they hit it off nicely. (She came back a couple of times in subsequent years before going back to Boston to live and work.) Karoline was meticulous and a real worker, often staying in the studio after everyone else had left. If you look carefully at the image of the elephant you can see that it was done with dots. Here are some pictures of Karoline, her group and her work.
From the visitors’ book: “This was the best holiday ever! Thank you for all your hospitality. I feel very much at home in the studio with you–and at your kitchen table. You’ve really inspired me to take art more seriously and to get back to working. I will certainly keep in touch and hope to return for another workshop!”
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Vesna Pantelic, Belgrade, Serbia/Granada, Spain
I met Vesna through Mike’s friend, the French photographer, Dominique Dallet. He recommended she look at my website, she phoned me and soon we were soul sisters. It was thanks to Vesna that I was invited to give a lecture on printmaking at the National Museum in Belgrade and that I was invited to a smashing summer symposium at Koschuta with 12 international artists in Austria. Vesna’s husband was a Yugoslav diplomat at the U.N. so she had the opportunity to study art in New York. Since then she has worked and exhibited all over the world. She recently won China’s maximum art prize. It was a felicitous coincidence that she coincided with this first workshop for my artist friends.
Janet Stahl-Fraser, Ontario, Canada
Janet and her husband Dave arrived from her Tapawingo Studio in the Ontario outback like a breath of piney air. While Janet and I made prints, Mike and Dave spent days chisling into the solid-stone wall of our house to mount an ornate iron plant-pot holder Mike found in a junkyard. Besides being great company Janet was quick to dominate solar-plate techniques and made some lovely prints. When they returned home she sent us a whole series of DVD’s with amazing selections of movies and music which I still play in my studio. Janet did some lovely big prints but she took them all home with her before Mike could photograph them. I’ll write her now and see if she can send some photos. If she does we’ll publish them here.
Kate and Michael Gordon, Iona, Scotland
Kate and Michael, accompanied by their lovely blond-like-a-sunbeam year-old daughter, decided to leave their home and gift shop on the bleak and windy island of Iona in Scotland to spend the three worst months of winter in sunny Spain. It was raining on the day they arrived here and didn’t stop till the day after they left. But they were good sports and took it with a sense of humor. They worked in my studio on alternate days, with one always staying with the baby. Michael was the one who had studied art. He wanted to make some prints on Iona themes that they could sell in their shop. Kate was new to art but had a natural flair. Unfortunately we didn’t manage to get any photographs of her prints before they left. We’d love to see them again and hear about the work on their new/old house, the new baby, the old boat and all the rest of their news.
From the visitors book: “I cannot recommend Maureen’s studio and the Gallinero highly enough if you need somewhere to get creative and productive. The accommodation is delightful and comfortable having been designed and kitted out with the artistic flare of Maureen and Mike. Time just disappears as you sit drawing with nightingales singing outside and wonderful light pouring in over the work bench. You can’t fail to be inspired!”
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Isabel Mitchell, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
For Isabel coming to Granada was almost like coming home, as she was raised in Argentina and speaks perfect Spanish. One of those people who had taken an art degree and then gone to build a lifelong career in something else, it didn’t take Isa long to start making art again. It was a pleasure to see her get into her stride. She’s just recently retired and I hope to see her setting up a studio of her own and making prints full time. The question is, where will she make it? Canada? Uruguay? It’s a luxurious choice to contemplate. In any case, have a great time, Isa!
From the visitors’ book: “This has been a most extraordinary and wonderful two weeks–not enough. I cannot begin to thank you. I will have to come back to do so.”
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Lorna Ryan-Burden, Mt. Macedon, Australia
Lorna and her husband, Roger, showed up here some years ago on their way to visit relatives in the UK. While Mike and Roger did serious research on the Granada tapas scene, Lorna and I got straight to work. It was clear from the start that she didn’t have much confidence in her work. Confidence is so important. After three or four days of working together in my studio she seemed to be much more optimistic. She had elaborated her own manner of combining solar plate and liquid metal techniques and come up with some interesting prints. Lorna’s high hopes were not misplaced. As soon as she got home to Australia she began to win prizes with her prints. Since then Granada has been a regular stop for Lorna and Roger on their trips from Melbourne to England. I’m so proud of you, Lorna.
From the visitors’ book: “Maureen, how lucky I was when I surfed the Internet for a printmaking workshop. I am thrilled with my work that we have produced. You are an inspiration and a beautiful generous lady. Thank you. I hope to be back.” Note: Lorna has since been back to my studio twice.
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