Tag Archives: Spain

1 .book cover

Los Angeles – part 3 – Exhibition in Canary Islands…Maron’s homeland

MARON

“En 1995 fui a Las Palmas y expuse en la galeria Saro Leon, una de las mas prestigiosas galerias de las islas Canarias. Para eso tuve que viajar y llevar los cuadros de Los Angeles a Canarias pasando por Madrid, via Nueva York. El tema de la exposicion fue la serie de alfombras que empeze a pintar en Paris y continue haciendo durante toda la decada de los ochenta y parte de los noventa, esa exposicion era el resultado. Aunque tambien pinte muchos otros cuadros aparte de las alfombras, esta eran parte de una serie sobre el mismo tema. Se podria preguntar porque pintar una alfombra en el suelo y practicamente nada mas, la razon es precisamente para ponerlas en primer plano y no en el fondo como decoracion, y porque son asi algo relegadas cuando en realidad tienen mucho que contar en la historia de la pintura en general, no solo en el arte occidental. Ahora me gustaria narrar un poco la historia, les aseguro que fue una verdadera aventura. Cuando fui de Los Angeles a esas islas en medio del Atlantico cerca de la costa Sahariana, mi querida tierra Canaria, no conocia ni siquiera habia hablado nunca con Saro Leon, solo contaba con la recomendacion de Quico Rivas, importante comisario de exposiciones, que me aseguraba que Saro esta de acuerdo en hacer la exposicion de las Alfombras. Esto lo digo porque aparte de mi nadie sabia nada y si se los dijera tampoco me iban a creer, asi que trate de mantener el proyecto lo mas discretamente posible, solo despues de hablar son Saro, fijado la fecha y empezado los preparativos que fui poniendo los mis mas allegados al corriente. Pero hantes de hablar con Saro pasaron casi dos meses de suspense durante los cuales estuve a punto de perder la la cabeza, pero toda esa historia ya esta escrita y se puede leer en un libro que hice con todas las cartas que le escribia a Willy en Los Angeles y eran diarias. El libro se llama: Viaje a Canarias. Solo decir que gracias a Quico Rivas pude realizar esa exposicion en mi tierra, 30 años despues de Nueva York y para mi mas importante personalmente. Sobre todo por mi madre que ya enferma fue a la galeria donde le hice los honores a puerta cerrada. A Quico Rivas lo conoci en Madrid cuando fui a ver la exposicion homenaje a Alberto Greco, al que conoci en Canarias en el 64 cuando vino invitado por Juan de Prat-Gay. Juan colaboro con Quico en esa importante exposicion que presento en Argentina y Valencia antes de Madrid. Probablemente Juan le hablo favorablemente de mi, y en cierta ocasion Willy invito a Quico a venir a ver mis cuadros, entonces me encargo un retrato de su novia. Por cuestiones de salud Quico se fue a vivir en la isla de La Palma, fue asi que la idea de promover mi exposicion en Canarias surgio. Ahora le paso la batuta a mi hija Alegria. Un saludo a todos;”

English translation

Now in Los Angeles and it was 1995; I was to go do an exhibition in my native land in one of the most prestigious galleries of Canary Islands, in Galeria Saro Leon. For this I had to take the paintings (no easy feat) from Los Angeles to Canary Islands passing by Madrid, via New York. The subject for the exhibition was the series of rugs which I started painting in Paris and continued to do through the 80’s and part of the 90’s, that exhibition was the result. Although I painted many other paintings besides the rugs, these were part of the series of this subject. You could ask, why paint a rug on the floor and practically nothing else; and precisely it is to put them on the forefront and not in the background like decoration, relegated when in reality they have a lot to tell in the history of painting in general, not only in the Occidental art. Now I would like to narrate the story, I can assure you it truly was an adventure. When I went from Los Angeles to the middle of the Atlantic close the Saharan Coast, my beloved Canary land, I did not know nor did I ever speak with Saro Leon; I only had the recommendation of Quico Rivas, important exhibition organizer, who assured me that Saro was on board of the exhibition of the rugs. I tell this because other than myself no one knew anything, and no one would believe me if I told them; so I kept this project very discreet. Only after speaking with Saro, finalizing the date and starting preparations is when I brought those closest to me up to date. But before speaking with Saro 2 moths went by if intense suspense during which time I almost lost my mind, that story has been written in a book of all the diary style letters I wrote to Willy from Canary Islands; The book is called “Viaje a Canarias”

Thanks to Quico Rivas I could come to have an exhibition in my land, 30 years after New York and for me more important personally. Most of all for my already ill mother who I gave special honors before the doors opened to the public. I met Quico Rivas when in Madrid while going to the homage exhibit to Alberto Greco, who I met in Canary in ’64 when he was invited by Juan de Prat-Gay. Juan collaborated with Quico on that important exhibition presented in Argentina & Valencia before Madrid. Juan probably spoke favorably of me to him and at some point Willy invited Quico to come see my work, so he asked me to do a portrait of his girlfriend. Due to his health he went to stay in the island La Palma in Canary. That is how doing the exhibit in Canary Islands came about.

Now I want to briefly tell you about this specific piece which was to be the star of the exhibition and my father spent a year working on…”The Rapture”

this masterpiece never made it to its destination…yes you read correctly, it was stolen! somewhere between Los Angeles and Canary Islands it was taken…heartbreaking.

Invitation to Saro Leon -back

Invitation to Saro Leon – front

Newspaper

The Royal Couple – I recall thsi one very well…beautiful piece, majestic.

Used Carpet

He & Saro.

Very cool newspaper article; reads: A Rug for three (Salvador Maron, Saro Leon & Kiko Rivas)

Commissioned portrait of Saro’s family members

Saro Leon portrait commissioned by her husband who shed a tear when he saw it…

Padre Claret. This is the most prominent religious figure in the Canary Islands. They actually asked for 2 of this portrait as they wanted to hang one in a school so he painted this amazing piece twice exactly the same.

My cousin Angela

my cousin Amado

You can also see what is happening during this time for his other half WIlly if you click HERE

For now my dear friends I keep you in suspense until the next episode…LOVE!

in the mirror

Madrid

Here we are! my dad & I :)

Below you can see the start of the painting of the studio in the enormous apartment in Madrid on Calle Atocha. This is the place where I started to really grow into my own being. So many things I remember and I will take you on a personal trip of my accounts there but right now I get back to the artist ;)

It is the mid 80’s now… take a look, there is the studio he was in then through a doorway with no door but curtains there was my mother’s work studio, then another room which was an office and finally at the end their bedroom. Behind my father it was my room and this all along a long hallway which had 2 small rooms and a bathroom on the other side of it. On the far end by their bedroom’s end of the place was the kitchen…this was one half of it!

Below the finished painting. You can see my mother’s studio had a huge work table! it had to be about 10 square feet at least and mid torso high standing up…great work table. They truly brought this place back to life, I clearly remember arriving there and the tiles you see there black and white were so covered with dirt and age that you could not make out the colors at all. My parents always had a way to bring the unlikeliest place to life and beyond.

Now you can see below the painting in the 2nd large studio on the OTHER side of the apartment, Huge room with about 4 balcony windows overlooking C/ Atocha. It is so funny because I Google mapped the address and you can totally see the door of the building, it really takes me back…you want to see? Atocha 14 . Did you see the 2nd floor? All those were our balconies, so it was the studio below. then my brother’s room which consisted of 2 adjacent rooms, it was like his own small apartment…wow.

Ok so we keep going. Below a portrait he did of mom for her shoe store which you can read about HERE, but come back!

Portrait of Willy van Rooy

The apparition

El Kilim – very big painting

The Sacred Heart

Name

Fashion photo shoot in our apartment by Hugh Schofield (*notice the 1st picture on his site) .Behind her you can see a self portrait of Maron. Below up close;

Portraits & Models

Maron painting Alicia Villa Padierna

 

Painting…working…

 

 

 

 

 

And of course…

it is the mid 80’s and I was a pre-teen, my goodness…they are busy with art, fashion, parties, business ventures, shoes, travel, us (brother & I). It was a great time and there is so much to tell but for now I leave you with this. Next there is more of Madrid so stay tuned!

alegria in Aquas

Aguas de Busot – Painting, shoes and travel

Now we are living in this amazing place called Aguas de Busot and there is a lot going on between mom’s shoe line and the shoe factory, several homes to care for and everything in between. Maron continues to paint although he also contributed a lot of time to the shoes and fashion world which Willy (mom) was part of. I want to share some photos of this time span which goes from Aguas de Busot to Elda which is the shoe making capital of Spain especially at this time but continues to carry that label today…here is Maron in Elda;

Joint in mouth and paintings in hand…typical dad in that time!

Now I share a painting out of the carpet series…”Beauty”

Here he is painting in Elda…

Love his T-shirt! and note the last supper behind him…this will come up later again ;)

I remember this house, 3 stories, tiled floors and almost every area had a different tile design. One thing I recall from this place is coming home one night and discovering that we had been robbed, house was all ransacked and it was such a violated feeling! I can only imagine what my parents felt like in that moment. Although we can be thankful the robbers had no taste or artistic clue since they only went for electronics and jewelry but left the most precious jewels there; the art!

Here is the “Lion Skin”

My goodness I remember this too…I wonder, was it real??

Here is the studio in Elda

This was in the 3 floor, all the way up along the roof patio where I had one of  my birthday parties…I always had amazing birthday parties!

Here is “the hanging Kilim

Here is “Paritura

Here is the “Used carpet”

So beautiful! Also do you see yet another tile flooring? :)

Now back to Aguas de Busot, so many fun memories here for me and my brother…playing in the vast country where there were no other people to really bother you and you could let your imagination soar like the wind!

You can see my brother and I, mom and dad, the beloved Land Rover…awwww

Here I will include the same link from my previous post which is a YouTube video about this place…if you look closely you can see the very house from the above picture…can you find it? So funny to me to see it this way…looks so different in a way but also just the same…wow!

Below a painting of the Sanitorium which is the big landmark of Aguas de Busot mentioned in the video as well

Here is a portrait of me by Maron in Aguas de Busot.

I have to admit I was not the easiest model to work with…but I love it, it is so gorgeous and I have it today hanging in the den.

Now back to Elda again and here he is painting

 

 

 

 

 

And back to Aguas to paint some more below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the living room in Aguas de Busot below

More of him painting in Aguas…the 80’s

this painting below is done in Elda

Below a painting of the huge fireplace in Aguas de Busot…they would cook in there even! it was great

You could literally stand up and the top of it would be over your head!

And finally a look at Maron relaxing…doing what he really enjoys besides painting and writing which is playing the keyboard…he could and still can go on for hours playing and being as we say in Spain “en su salsa”!

Until next time my dear friends I leave you with this…to see what is happening on the other side with my mom and the shoes click HERE

LOVE AND PEACE xoxoxo

ale and El Nido

El Nido del Aguila – El Cuarton – Africa’s view and the Carpets

This was a marvelous time, beautiful house or castle seen through my eyes…so much to venture and find in the gardens and so much to imagine for a young girl. I see such a big difference between the time I grew up and the times in which our children are growing up in now. I would stay outside all day and pretend 1000 & 1 scenarios and have the time of my life…at home today I almost have to force my kids to go outside and ride theirs bikes or just play! Well that is just the was it is I guess but I shall not give up…Times were much different too and Europe is also not the same as the US in many basic ways. Well the opening shot brought those thoughts to surface and a wishful dream that if only I could transport them to that time…that place…experience that childhood! wow ok ok, let’s get to the meat and potatoes here :) So we are in the South of Spain as you know and my father is painting non stop. He started a series of carpets during this time which is amazingly crafted along with his beautiful drawings that are always so lovely, I want to take you through a tour.

A painting of me by daddy

This is a drawing of the view of Africa from where we lived…so magical! By the way there is an amazing painting of this view that I shall share later ;) -Left-

 

 

 

The interior of El Nido Del Aguila

(The Eagle’s Nest) -Right-

 

 

 

 

 

Our dog Kabuli -Left-

 

 

 

 

 

I want to share with you a personal quote from my father that gives good insight into what an artist feels and is moved by in respect to his work and art in general.

“When it comes to speaking about painting, which happens to be the path I ventured to take, I feel unable to have an objective opinion that is not influenced by my personal experience. We could agree that painting today is very different than it was in the 14 century, and no doubt there is an evolution, with up and downs and good and bad artists, although compared to today they all seem better, and it looks like painting is on the road to extinction. The fact is that today, to be considered art, the emphasis is put on coming all the time with new and different ideas, and what in the past usually took centuries today happens in a year, like in fashion the hunger for novelty is insatiable. So it is no longer about painting but about ideas to satisfy the appetite of speculators. But that is the reality of the world and the artist depends of that too. First it was the Church and aristocracy, but bottom line is that the rich always promoted the artists,  and there is great competition as in any other business, with the risk of becoming commercial, etc. Modern art in the beginning seemed to be a remedy, but as it turned out the remedy is worse than the sickness. What is obvious to me is that the only way to go on painting is to be yourself. Of course that is not so simple as it sounds, whatever the style or form of expression, nothing is really new under the sun. Still we all have a different personality and so the chance to make a mark in the world is always there, I suggest to follow your instinct. I for example enjoy the company of the painting I happen to be doing, hoping to be a masterpiece, which brings an interesting question: what is a masterpiece? The answer is that only time can tell. As for what I like to paint I prefer to do it from what I see, especially something that has been painted before but I can re-vindicate. That is what motivated me to do  the series of the carpets, because although they are so classic they have always been neglected, put to the background, and I love to bring them to the front-stage. Another example is the Last Supper, which I did from a very popular and commercial item that everybody in Spain had at home, a metal bas-relief made from a former oil by an old master, Juan de Juanes. The arm of Jesus is from the actual relief I transplanted to the painting. In this case the circle is closed, from a painting to a bas-relief then back to a painting and bas-relief too. Let me now finish by saying that no matter what you do or try to say, the painting always has the last word, and the thing you cannot hide is the real intention of your work, so just be honest.”

This was important for you to read as we continue.

Here is The Last Supper masterpiece…this one is to my brother Alejandro what the Ham is to me

Below he is working on the Last Supper…You have to see it to truly understand…

             

Maron in his studio in El Nido

 

 

 

 

 

Maron starting the Lions- ’85

 

 

 

 

The Royal Couple – Finished beauty

I close with a picture that says so much and shows so well who he is.

There is so much more that is to come my dear friends. it is the mid 80’s and tons of life and adventures await. I invite you to join me again soon for the next chapter, until then I send peace and loving thoughts. 

To follow what is happening with my mother during this time please click HERE

hello morning

El Cuarton – South of Spain – Early 80’s

Maron welcoming the morning breeze in El Cuarton, also the picture used for the cover of the book written by him…It is a available where you can get more in depth into this time, written by Salvador Maron. Click here to download

I remember this time pretty well considering how young I was…El Cuarton, a beautiful estate in the South of Spain where we lived for a while by invitation of Miguel Garcia Rey, the manager. My father met Miguel through a trip he took from Paris to Spain and he became a big fan of Maron, he really admired the talent that is indisputable. They met a very special person that I recall very well…Robert, he lived in the most amazing home in the very South point of Spain on acres of land that consisted of all there was to see until the very tip, you could see the ferries going to Gibraltar well into the night. His house was very contemporary, not straight or boxy but quite round and wavy, you could actually climb on a huge rock that was built into the house and walk on the roof from one end to the other, with small jumps and bridges and other rocks to take you back down…well I used to LOVE going there and climb away, imagine all sorts of scenarios…wow! I always could let my imagination soar in those settings…who couldn’t! Well Robert was an adventurist and treasure hunter, yes yes, diving in the ocean and finding treasures, and he found many! he really admired my father’s work and after becoming good friends he organized and exhibition along with Miguel. 

EXHIBITION 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The invitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the invitation Miguel gives a good rendition of his timeline up until this point, much of what you have read so far, also wonderful words spoken about my father on a more personal note about the artist and the skill to his craft seen from the eyes of a fan who can truly appreciate art without being an actual critic. (To see in large to read it click on it 2 times)

The Exhibition consisted of mostly pastels and drawings with a few paintings, the drawings were big in size…you can see a pastel of a certain someone who once again is without clothes on :)

Here I will show you the finished painting of the carpets that he was working on the previous post, do you remember?

the carpet series are truly magestic, so classic and disciplined…the endless levels and layers, dimensions so tastefully weaved as the carpet itself…

Here you can see him painting another carpet, you can see the change in his looks as the time goes on, it is important to appreciate the time spent on his work…you can see the seasons changing…do you see?

So funny how much I see my son in these pictures!

Here is the finished piece

Now he starts doing the deer carpet painting which I remember as well…I was pretty young, about 4 or maybe 5 but it was a magical time, such a gorgeous setting and for a young adventurous girl like me it was the epitome of play land where my imagination could just run free which was my favorite pastime.

Look at him working away with  the faux Mohawk! The piece is not large in size but it packs the punch in detail ;)

Magnifico! It actually ended up years later in a very nice home in LA.

This was also a very interesting time for them and there was much happening, you can get more details on what transpires during this time on her blog HERE.

Much more to come my dear friends, the story keeps growing and new real time developments are taking place, a very exciting chapter is in motion now and we are very excited to have you all with us during this transition so stay tuned!