Wanderlust Collective

INSPIRATION: MADRID

NOV 23/THE WANDERLUST COLLECTIVE/ART, ART TRIP, INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, TRAVEL

Photo by Victor Garcia on Unsplash

After coming back from Spain, and exploring the art history in Madrid, I felt a bit overwhelmed. We took a lot of videos and photographs and learned so much. I loved the culture, food, music, dancing, art, and history. But where do I start? Have you ever had so many ideas to paint but you don’t know where to start?

Photo by Brandi Redd on Unsplash

“I wanted to create something that embodies the music, dancing and spirit of Madrid all in one. ”

Photo by Kazuo Ota on Unsplash

I wanted to create something that embodies the music, dancing, and spirit of Madrid all in one. This time I opted for the flamenco dancer. The movement, music, passion, costumes, and guitar were a huge inspiration.

I thought well, the colors are so vibrant, how can I bring movement into my piece? I opted for inks on my first piece of this subject. This medium is wonderful for getting that fluid, loose, vibrant movement and color you want in a piece. Later, I chose acrylics to go even more in depth and get the detail I wanted.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

Flamenco, which is both the song and dance, didn’t gain popularity until the 18th century. The history we know today comes down from stories being told through families. It originated in Andalusia from VIII to the XV centuries, when Spain was under Arab domination. The musical instruments were changed and adapted by Christians and Jews, then gypsies. It became a mix of music, different from the musical forms which it came out of. Many dancers receive professional training, but it’s common for dancers to be self taught. It makes sense since it’s been passed down from generation to generation and considered a tradition. Flamenco dancing usually tells a story through the movements, music and costumes.

Being in Madrid and watching these dancers perform was one of the highlights of my trip. Painting a flamenco dancer using the beautiful vibrant reds, and being able to translate the dance in my painting was a fun challenge.

If you would like to learn more and get the whole experience, click here or the button below to join me...

Dancing In Madrid

Happy Painting! 😘 💕