Crochet actually was going pretty well until Lyla decided that the yarn was just too interesting to be left in useable condition. At the moment I am making a narrow band to use as a strap for a small purse…well, I WAS making it, but now I am just untangling a wad of yarn that’s tied in knots. I hadn’t used that much of the ball to begin with, so the untangling is taking quite a while.
I also have been missing many of my knitting tools – like my swift. The good news is that I’ve heard rumors that the ship carrying my cargo might actually dock in Spain this week. I’m not sure what that means for finally getting the shipment here in Caldas da Rainha, but it’s now seeming like a real possibility. Everything will go right into storage, since it doesn’t make sense to pay for moving into our rental apartment only to move it out again in October. We bought an apartment nearby to where we are living, and as soon as we can do a couple of small renovations to a stairway and the kitchen, we’ll have a new home with space for my studio, and a nice office for Bruce.
n.b. The shipment is still in Spain and we close on our apartment tomorrow, so no need for storage after all!.
Since we are surrounded by medieval walls, and castles abound, we decided to take part in a couple of medieval festivals in the area during the past couple of weeks. The first was in Leiria, a short bus ride north. It was quite large, and spread out over a significant part of the town, so we got a lot of walking in.
The second was in a smaller village called Obidos. The castle and old part of town feels like time has stopped, and the entire town seems to become involved in the celebration. There are stalls of clothing, and of course a ton of food (mainly heavy on the meat side) and drink. There are people flying falcons, and dancers and musicians everywhere, and if you choose, you can even take part in activities that end with a Royal banquet. As you can see, we chose to take part!
The difficult things about my costume were trying to keep my headdress on straight (as you see above, that wasn’t very successful), and tromping around on the cobblestone streets in espadrille-type shoes. I was surprised to find out that this actually was an authentic type of footwear in Spain, France, and Italy in the 14th century. Called alpargata, they would only be worn in dry, hot weather, and the rest of the time, thin-soled leather was used, often tied on with laces. Since both the leather boots and alpargata did little to protect the wearer from the discomfort of walking on stone, I guess this part was likely the most authentic part of our costume. Our feet have yet to recover!
I really was hoping for one of the cone-head hats, but, oh well. With my trusty knight by my side (albeit without any shiny armor), we ended up in many a tourist photo. Two ladies from Poland were really taken with our “look.”
Meanwhile…
My goodness, another month has passed! We have been scurrying around to get ready to close on our apartment this week. The apartment owners have been endlessly gracious, allowing us to bring in designers and contractors so that we can get bids on the kitchen renovation and a few other minor fixes we would like to have done before we move. It’s really slow this time of year as August is vacation month all over Europe. I’ve heard the phrase, “I will get back to you,” many times now.
Special People, Special Places…
It has been a while since I have featured any of the special people I have met along the way, but a person I met a few months ago at an art gallery opening has become a very special friend with a very special story.
Zélia Évora is an artist whose view of life is expansive, and at the same time, intimate. Her preference is for linoleum block printing, and her ideas arrive in her hands as she sits down in the evening with an empty block in front of her. While she would not describe herself as such, like Michelangelo, she frees her images from the “stone” by removing everything that doesn’t belong. The night before our visit to her studio, it was this hand (above).
Even her “conventional” portraits are unconventional, as she portrays both her daughter and herself. But when she illustrates the state of women, we can find ourselves uncomfortable, and challenged.
Here are just a few of my favorites of her work. “Balance” makes me smile every time I look at it. But it is “Meditation” (the red print on the right) that spoke directly to me. I asked her to tell me about it and how knitting plays a part in her life. Notice the stitched line in her finished works. It represents a heartbeat.
Over coffee in an outdoor cafe, she talked about becoming an artist.
She started life in Canada, but her family returned to Portugal when she was 10. That also was the about the same time that an eye test she was given in school revealed that she had no vision in one eye. Nobody had realized it earlier because her left eye always had compensated for that lack of vision.
When Zélia began to express herself as a graphic artist, it seemed natural to her to depict her subjects with only one eye. It became a hallmark of her style.
While endlessly creative and always making something (primarily knitting and sewing in her younger years), she didn’t find her current craft until much later. She didn’t choose to make a new life. It was forced upon her when she was unexpectedly fired from her job. That job had defined her. Now Zélia didn’t know who she was or what to do. It was an initial paralysis, but with two small children, she couldn’t afford to sit and wait for something to come to her. She immediately had to make her own way.
She fell back on her sewing and knitting skills to help with the family income, knowing there would be something else to come. An art class was that catalyst…the something she needed to show her the way. The heartbeat she sews into her current work maintains the link to her other skills and earlier life. It also says, “I am here.”
Knitting grounds Zélia. The utter peace and serenity it gives her actually allowed her to go through the birth of her second child without pain. At one point she had to argue with the nurse when she was ready to give birth because the nurse didn’t believe that anyone looking as calm and serene as she, could possibly be moments from delivery. She simply set down her knitting and said, “It’s time.”
“Meditation” is on my studio wall. I look to it every day for inspiration. For me it isn’t just about knitting, but about the presence of the artistic soul and to the idea of “presence.” It’s about triumph, and the will to express the self — the “I am here.” Also, “it’s time.” It’s my time. It’s your time. It’s Zélia’s time to shine as an inspiration to all of us. It is time that is overdue.
I wish all of you could have been sitting beside me to hear her tale. She is a gifted story-teller in addition to her many other talents, and had us riveted to our seats as we learned about her family, friends, and the many characters she has encountered on her journey. Funny, enthusiastic, she is committed not only to her art but also to her family and the many artists here in Caldas Da Rainha. She continually pushes boundaries both with her art and with the locals, always reminding them in an understated and respectful manner of the importance of art in the community. Caldas has been a center of artistic expression for centuries, but has become quiet and complacent. Now is the right time to bring its presence forward again. No matter which direction it goes, you can be sure that Zélia will be there, and she won’t be standing on the sidelines.
And finally…
This week also is the week to go to the town of Coimbra for our immigration appointment. We are heading there with high hopes, but rather low expectations. While many, many appointments go off without a hitch, many others get rescheduled at the last minute. We could walk in on Friday morning to find we have appointments in another city in 6 more weeks. That’s fine. We are looking forward to enough time to tour the University, established in 1290 in Lisbon, and then moved to Coimbra in 1537. It is said to be the oldest continuously operating university in Europe. Named for King João, the Joanina Library is a highlight of the university tour.
We will, no doubt, roll into the weekend thoroughly exhausted, but completely happy. Just like today at lunch, the sun was out, and the sky vibrant blue with just a hint here and there of a cloud. A soft breeze from the ocean reminds me now and again that the chilly Atlantic is nearby. Sitting under an umbrella eating hummus, bread, pickles and salad is just exactly what I want to be doing on any random Tuesday. Well, that and knitting!
So, until next time, keep calm and craft on!
Love the picture of you and Bruce! Priceless