Jim Black's Kitchen

Jim's the talented drummer from Seattle who became famous with projects like AlasNoAxis, Pachora, Human Feel, and Trio Azul, just to name a few. 

These three drawings were made live from his trio concert. 

I wonder if most drummers as kids messed up their Mum's Kitchens, playing with spoons and pans. 

I have no idea if Jim did, but on this concert, I imagined him (with his sort of dishcloths over his cymbals) in a remote sunny location, having loads of fun in his kitchen - his drums! The road was silk and he was digging' it! I was glad to listen his playing and his compositions too.

This one is from the Austrian piano player Elias Stemeseder. My initial idea on this drawing was to make the piano a mirror with Klar & Tief (Clear & Deep) written on it, but then I thought it would be even more simpler if I didn't put color on it. This 24 year old boy comes from poetry and treated the music and the piano as his most precious gift. Very special. No wonder Jim chose him. 

This one is the American double bass player Thomas Morgan. Thought he was all about the structures in demand. The double bass was his body. Very discreet, I loved his diagonal fringe but I don't think my drawing is as cool as the real deal. 

Over the last 20 years Jim Black played in Portugal every single year. 

I guess he keeps coming back for a reason. 

We love you Jim!

Trip to Southern Spain & Portugal

Sunny Spain 

It's November but guess what? The odds one could be in the beach those days was not so far as the temperatures rose around 30ºC (86ºF) in the South coast of this part of the Iberian Peninsula.

The destination of the trip was Huelva in the Andalusian Spain and Tavira in the Portuguese Algarve. By the way, I had time to see a bit more. I'm sharing here some moments of it.

After some hours of driving, I finally arrived at Huelva at night. All I wanted was to have a snack.

And I did, at Bonilla. As soon as I saw this bread, known in Portugal as Spanish Bread, I remembered a story an Austrian friend of mine once told me. She always had there hole grain bread or so, and having Spanish bread was her wonder when she was there as it was as white as it could be! I had some Tapas and a Soup, but my favorite thing was not the food, it was the decor. 

Silver ceiling and cinematic feel at the wc entrance - In a brewery. 

Already won the prize!

The next day I went for a walk with my friends Inés, Paulo and little Jorginho who is their lovely baby that showed me the Luso-Spanish guts. We strolled downtown towards the river. Loved all! 

The ambience of the streets was busy and hot and the architectonic colors followed that: ocher and red everywhere. 

Brick and more bricks, arabic starlet patterns for one not to forget the many centuries Arabs were here. Beautiful. And off course the sun, always chasing you meanwhile!

Was very intrigued with this sort of Psalterium this guys was playing downtown. What a whiz! It filled the street with a happiness from another time :)

Then it was time for a lunch break with the guys from the III Encuentro Transfronterizo de Profesionales de Museos (3rd Cross-Border Museum's Professionals Meeting). The company was nice and the sight was good for a midday drawing in the Tennis club restaurant:

Then I went to the Huelva Museum to watch some of the Conferences of the meeting, about Accessibility in Museums. And I loved this framing detail at the entrance:

Here's one of the Imperial masterpieces of the Huelva Museum,
White Marble, Trajan Period (98-117 a.C.)

I have learnt a bunch of things and drew some of the participants, both Portuguese and Spanish. Here they are:

Portrait of Clara Mineiro (From Direcção Geral do Património), thought of those court drawings and wanted to do one more or less the same style.

Portrait of Dália Paulo (from Loulé Museum). A visit to a museum
can turn into something nice, so can language into flowers.

Portrait of Javier Albelo García (From Croma) inspired
by his comic presentation and minding synthesis. Wanted it to look cartoonish. 

Portrait of Sol Martín (From Amma), I pictured it as black rips in a light linen.

Portrait of Águeda Beatriz Mangas Hernández (from Facultade de Humanidades da Universidade de Huelva) Light blue lenses make the world prettier. 

Portrait of Esther Fernandez Sanchez (from Andalucia de Museos y Exposiciones). Es que eran las estrellas means something like It's that were the stars and it's about her good sport and beauty. 

You can have a hint on the themes of this meeting on its program and see its pictures here, and there are also some videos. 

Drawing including picture from slate Idol from the III century b.C. found Zalamea la Real, in Huelva.

This was the drawing I made inspired by one of the Huelva Museum's Items, the city's colors and patterns.  Inspiring, groovy, exotic and sunny!

The next day, there where some conferences in the Museum and a visit to Palos de la Frontera, 13 km from Huelva.

Among the historical Christopher Columbus related spots, which you can find about here, I loved some type I found there. Like this one:

At the end of the visit, and back in Huelva, had some sautéed mixed vegetables, simple rice and Chinese Mushrooms with Bamboo at Hang Zhou Restaurant. It was so well cooked I decided to make this drawing as a great ending of my stay in Spain, even thought it wasn't Spanish food. It was delicious, healthy and cheap.

Welcoming Portugal 

The second part of this trip passed by the Algarve, the southern province of Portugal. 

The first stop was at Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA).

Hotel Guadiana in VRSA

The market at the Marquis of Pombal Square, VRSA

Ah, the sun is shining here, people are nice and local products are a must. Carobs, Carob Jam,  Orange Jam, Almonds, Figs, Fresh Bread, Beans, Cheese, Honey... all I can say is that I bought 3 full bags of groceries and goodies. A good reminder back home of how things taste great here. And I ate that wonder called Três Delícias (Three delights), a typical delicacy from Algarve made with dried figs, almonds and carob flour. Made my day.

Ozadi Hotel entrance by night

My next stop was Tavira, where I stayed at the Ozadi Hotel. The hotel is not in the city center, it's true, but all the rest totally payed off that detail. I'll let you know why.

Inspired by the flavors, warm temperature and people's sympathy, and with my main luggage being local products, I was fascinated by this Três delicias dessert. My dinner was held at Orangea Bistro - the hotel restaurant - and it was fantastic. Local products, fine seasoning and a refined presentation, was just the kick start for a nice chat with the waiters, Cristiano and Diogo. Born in Algarve, I asked Cristiano if he knew how to bake that lovely Três delicias tart. He said he didn't but within the next minute they came to my table with this printed recipe from that delight. How sweet! Will try it out for sure! Thank you, it inspired me to do this drawing including the carob shape and color, and some items from Ozadi.

I also thought of the hotel decor, which is splashed with dark brown cork. Good to see Portuguese Products have a good use. 

Detail of the Ozadi hotel decor with
traditional Portuguese wicker baskets

 Breakfast took place in the terrace floor with a great view and entrancing light. It included carob bread and a full color palette of vegetables and fruits. A fantastic start point for the day ahead, no doubt. Loved the Ukrainian waiter, Irina, who told me a bit of her story and of her country's situation too. I am supportive of their cause, and made an article about Ukraine some time ago. Really nice gal. 

The girls in the reception (Catarina and Victoria) where particularly helpful with information on where to eat & go. At this point, I was ready to explore. 

Visited a little paradise on earth, Praia de Cabanas. You'll always need a boat ride to get there, and that's actually one of the fun parts of it.  

Detail of my favorite color match at Bica Restaurant

I also had the perfect pit stop at the humble Bica, a acclaimed restaurant for a reason: it's great! It was packed with locals (I thinks that's always a good sign), the food was as traditional as possible, and so the jokes of the sympathetic waiter, with whom I talked about the lost paradise of Pego do Inferno, where I've been some years ago. My favorite part? They had Três Delícias dessert! It was my lavish moment. Best one so far in this trip.

Quatro Águas Harbor View

Docked Varanda do Sol (The sun Balcony) boat, at the Harbor.

Another both trip, this time to the trendier Tavira Island. I loved the Quatro Águas Harbor (where I captured these pics above) and where you take the boat, to the Island itself. 

And no, I wasn't taking pictures of the beautiful beach what so ever. I was more interested in the things one could hardly find on the internet about this place. Simple things, like this:

It's been a pretty long while since I last saw some of these exact stone paths on the way to a beach in Portugal. It made part of my childhood, brings me good memories. 

Gratinado de Amêndoa was sprinkled with gold glitter on this drawing

Last stop at Panito Mole Pastry in Faro to have a great snack before my way home. Their fresh fruits juice was awesome and the amazing Gratinado de Amêndoa made my wonders - Became a fan! 

Thank's to everybody who received me, showed me places and invited me. I had a blast. Back home now, I already miss it and I will come back anytime soon.

Rita Bonsai

To get the green you have to join the sunny yellow and the sky blue. It takes a forest, air and clouds to shape Rita. Rita... Rita Bonsai I called this one. It's about the things to grow and the things to let go and it was made during a concert where she was singing.

Rita Martins, aka Rita Maria swallows music and gives it back to you in a 360º tour. One has the feeling she sings the whole music, all the letters on in, all the feelings on it, all the vertiginous descents and all the crystal ascends as if you never heard it before that way.

She digs deep while she takes you in a heavenly flight. I don't know how she does that, I just know it's been 30 years since she emerged, clearly from a bonsai cloud.

Happy Birthday Rita Maria, may the Universe bless you.

João Hasselberg - A story to be told

Last Tuesday, João Hasselberg and his band gave an intimate concert at Culturgest.

I was thrilled with his last album, Whatever it is you're seeking, won't come in the form you're expecting (Sintoma Records) and it was one of my fav cd releases in Jazz.pt lists back in 2013.

This concert was in between his last album and his brand new one, coming out soon. I'm charing the drawings made from that.

In my drawing, thoughts, feelings, travelings, love letters and mysteries make João Hasselberg's story to be told. To do his portrait I searched for the original cover versions of each of the books that inspired his first album tunes. (Check them out here) Its ambience inspired me to draw and look for some old decal lettering of my Type collection inherited from my Dad. I wrote the titles of each book backwards so that only A story to be told could be properly read. Loved the new tunes too. Anxious to hear the new album!

Loved Diogo Duque who was playing trumpet. I thought his playing was poetically plastic so I decided not just to draw on his portrait but to also incorporate painting, with some elements inspired by the shirt he was wearing that night. It was a really nice surprise.

Imagined Luísa Sobral living in the story of a dress print, with flowers and stars, in a lovely afternoon to the flavor of a sweet coffee. Bucolic as she is. 

João Firmino's appearance was brief but had a purpose. He added freshness to the group. Looked at him and just thought of tropical breezy colors for him. Ahhh, suddenly life is good and he was simply great. 

Joana Espadinha opened and closed the concert. It was a grace of the birds. 

Beautiful and sweet, her lips sang pink dreams. Ooooh... can you do that magic again? 

Bruno Pedroso I haven't seen you for quite a while and do you know what? I truly missed it. 

I thought it was so beautiful how he played with the group. The world could be ending, but he'd make you laugh and feel safe. 

While doing this drawing I had in mind American Graffiti, Matt Wilson's School Boy Thug and Bruno's never ending style dancing: still! Always inspiring.

Bruno has a specific drum style, his own. I think I had almost forgotten what's that special thing I love in music. Thank you for reminding me that.  

Some people are irreplaceably unique, and I think he's one of them.

Thank you Pedro Costa for curating such nice concerts and Culturgest for trusting my work.

Inner Tour Blog featured in Ilustração Contemporânea Portuguesa

Inner Tour Blog is featured today in Ilustração Contemporânea Portuguesa Facebook page, dedicated to promote Contemporary Portuguese Illustration. Great work these guys are doing.

Check it out here!

Lamparina Art Residency Catalog is now available

This summer I had the privilege to participate in the Lamparina Art Residency that culminated in an exhibition in Alandroal - Nas Margens de Lucefecit | Experimentar o Lugar.

If you don´t have a clue what I'm talking about, take a look at the article I wrote about it in June.

Congratulations Ana João Almeida and Sérgio Carronha for the organization, idea, hard work and motivation and the 16 artists that participated: João Rolaça, Francisco Costa, Catherine Henke, Rita Garcia, Manuela Domingues, Nuno Almeida, João Mouro, Maja Escher, Tiago Raimundo, Joana Reais, Mariana Veloso, Sérgio Fernandes, Fernando Roussado, Jorge André Catarino, Pedro Coelho and me. It was a success!

The e-catalogue is ready and you can check all the beautiful works done, here.

The days and the nights of João Botelho

The nights of João Botelho

João Botelho is one of Portugal's acclaimed auteur cinema directors. His new project is the film Os Maias, based on the novel, with the same title by Eça de Queiroz - a masterpiece of Lusophone literature. To give life to the story he chose some of our elite actors. The result is a film that premiered on the 11th of September, and is already one of the Portuguese third most watched films of the year, with already over 40 000 spectators.

Sábado Magazine interviewed Botelho to know a little bit more about him and his last full-length film so I will not extend too much on this topic because you can get all you need to know in the fun and ironic article written by Raquel Lito and see all the important moments of the interview with the beautiful photos taken by Marisa Cardoso. You'll have the chance to read the online report version later or you can buy the magazine, that is out today, here. 

Making The nights of João Botelho

Making The days of João Botelho

It was real fun to do this work, specially the one with the hand where I needed his active participation. After all, I was drawing live my favorite Portuguese film director. 

I pictured João Botelho in diptych mode, with day and night versions.

On the night drawing above, the vague blue was the inflated air representing the perennial hours, the never that might be tomorrow.

The days of João Botelho

Right handed, João Botelho, lent me for this drawing one of his framing tools. Verbiage elevated to the level of a terrace never has been an obstacle to have an open window to see the poetry of the sky.

Although he told me he rarely remembers his dreams, I think his films have the ability to make others do so, including me. Long live films like João Botelho's - His composition sense is remarkable and his films are living light paintings. If you're not familiar with his work, it is worth to check.

Thank you Raquel for inviting me :) It was so cool to collaborate with such nice team players, Raquel Lito and Marisa Cardoso, both talented people with a "ready to work" attitude.

All photographs on this post are from Marisa Cardoso and were used with her permission