Menorca: Pedreres de s'Hostal

Thanks to Carrie Barns, who directed me to this link via Facebook, I have discovered a visual gem not far from where I live. The Pedreres de s'Hostal is a disused quarry in Menorca Spain currently being converted into a 'post-industrial heritage park'.

Check out the link below to read more and see loads of wonderful photography of the site.

http://pruned.blogspot.com/2009/02/pedreres-de-s.html

New piece finished today!

Yet another acrylic painting of a local facade...the multi-level staircases attracted me most to this composition. One curious benefit I have is that I can study the renovation process of my neighbors on both sides of the house - actually, one is building a mostly new structure and the other is renovating. The wall you see above reflects this odd kind of patchwork approach to adding-on that is rampant here.

"Let's add some stairs this weekend"!
"Ok, the stairs aren't finished, but now that I am up here, wouldn't it be nice to have a solarium"?
"Great, pass me a cinder block..."
"That nosy neighbor keeps looking over here, let's add a few bricks to this wall here..."

High Contrast in Palma de Mallorca

As I continue to work on some mixed media paintings on the vast collection of façade images I have accumulated, I am eager to let loose on some black and white ink drawings- a favorite technique of mine. I started the investigations by tweaking photos in Photoshop.

Here's a result that inspires me: The effect that the humidity has on the cement of the upper levels of this torn-down building looks like bleeding, soaked black ink. Stay tuned.