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Oil & Acrylic on Canvas - 32" x 58" - 1983
Actually we just had enough to get back home on after taking what we sadly thought was going to be a quick tour of the Balearic islands. I admired Robert Graves and wanted to try and visit him on Mallorca as he was still alive at that time, but we never got there. We took the boat from Valencia (I know, it doesn't go from there anymore, but it did then) and the first island we hit was Ibiza.
We really liked Ibiza, rising tall and white from the sea mists of morning, and already getting lively as we debarked at the Puerto del Sol and had a cafe. We did a lot that day, found a hostel in a lemon grove for the night and by the time we had our cafe next morning, bathed in the fantastic yellow light from the groves, we had formulated a mad plan to make enough money so we could stay awhile.
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED with a 30 DAY "NO QUESTIONS ASKED" REFUND.
Available in a variety of formats, sizes and mounts, framed or unframed.
We put the 2 paintings in the back of a rental jeep and drove around the island until we found an art gallery that looked good. It was called "El Mensajero" (The Messenger) and happened to be in Santa Eulalia, the town where the English lived. I went in and asked the owner if she would take a look, then brought the paintings in and after a few moments she hung 'em right up on the walls - this and another called "Moron Hat", a large laughing face with a goofy hat, which I don't have a photo of (I wish I did, though, it was one of my better pictures).
We wandered in next morning and our new friend Jan announced that this painting had sold. "I sold your Great Woman!" she said with a beaming smile (English-style "great", meaning "large") "and in celebration, I'm inviting you both to lunch." It was one of those long, wonderful Mediterranean lunches that starts as a brunch and proceeds in a stately manner til late afternoon, and by the time we got back to the gallery the other painting had sold as well.
Even better, there was a message from the artist who was scheduled for the opening summer show about six weeks away, saying he couldn't possibly get the show done in time. Jan asked if I thought I could get a show together and I of course said no problem.
And inside I was thinking: "This place is unreal!"
Jan paid us the next day. I had gotten bigger paychecks but I say without doubt, the neatly folded sheaf of pesetas I got for those pictures was the richest, finest money I ever held in my hand.
PS: I painted this before I had actually been to la isla blanca - if she were a REAL "Ibiza woman" she would of course be topless.
A splendid time! I'll try to find some pix from those days and post them.
Click here to preview the catalog of Geoff's new show - available in Soft or Hardcover
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