Enchanting scenery and friendship in Spain 隆情美景西班牙

My travel in Spain was marvelous particular in the summer time.  The long daylight allowed us to see a lot.  What's more is friendship.....

好一個隆情美景葡西之行. 

 西班牙南部 Andalucia 蜿蜒山路, 山城村莊小鎮及熱鬧的馬拉加大道, 踏著單車沿地中海海岸, 迎風的烤魚, 沙灘上笑聲浪濤聲..... 不一樣的南歐風情 !  記載著一個陽光充沛友情滿溢之旅 ......

Heather (from US)  and Sandy (British from Spain) attended last year's wool felt workshop in Portugal.  Three of us took up again this June.  Sandy lives in the brilliant Andalucia region of Spain.  She's so kind to offer us to stay in her cozy home before and after the Portugal workshop. 

Ann,  Sandy's friend lives in Spain also joined us the workshop.  We four together had a wonderful good time (My last post of workshop).

Before heading to Portugal we stayed in Sandy's hamlet in Malaga for a couple of days.  Such a beautiful village facing the Lake Vineula.

Pretty flowers in the entrance

Four of us directed to Salamanca, south-west of Spain for a night before heading to Portugal.  Almost 7 hours driving we arrived in the city centre.

A town with enchanting beauty, intriguing culture and historical buildings ....

We strolled along the Main Square, the Art museum.....

.....the Cathedral

After the long week residential wool felt workshop (post of workshop) we drove back to Spain and stayed another couple of days.  On the road we saw the herd of goats going home.....  realised it's evening, another relaxing day.... 

The next day we went to Alhama de Gronada for lunch.  Scenery along was gorgeous with undulating mountains, olive groves, grasses.....

Trails up and down the mountains with pretty wild flowers everywhere

A walk in the Alham de Gronada Los Tajos was great

Buildings and village are well maintained heritage

On the way to visit Ann who lives on the hilltop, we passed by the town.  These houses are newly built after earthquake decades ago.

Road leading to Ann's house on the hill top

Entrance of Ann's house

The white house looks like a palace.  There were dainty of every kind.

On my last day with Sandy, a moring visit to the market of crafts where Sandy and Ann have stalls.

Their delicate creation all handmade by heart. 

Other stalls of pottery and beautiful tile paintings

I bought a clock with painting of cats.  It's painted on a CD by the lady herself.

The market is spacious and inspiring, not only for selling but also a place for artists to mingle.

The rest 2 days in Malaga I was on my own to explore the city.

Leisure strolling and window shopping

Typical flamenco costume

Horse cart for tourist

Malaga downtown is full of history and shops

I went up the Alcazaba - buildings origin goes back to the 11th century

Up there an overlook to the port

Panoramic view of other side of the city

I spent a day cycling from the new port......

along the the coastline of Mediterrean.

Fascinating views .........

Almost a day of cycling, not tired instead relaxing.  It's my last day in Malaga.  Time to pack home. 

I left my footprints with lots of good memories and all the pretty stuff and the intangible skills.

Heather was so nice to teach me the skills of using gauze for wool painting, nuno felt, textural necklaces and accessories......

The nuno felt purse I made with the skills Heather showed me.  Such a nice technique to learn.

Our gathering was also a skills interaction.  I showed them the making of textural surface of nuno felt.  This is the scarf made.

My stay in Spain and workshop in Portugal was amazing with the company of my friends Sandy, Heather and Ann.  You made me a wonderful trip and the impressive of Spain.

I was home with a full pinkie, wool stuff and some windfalls of eucalyptus.  My experiments with eco print will be on again.

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Portugal wool felt workshop 葡萄牙羊毛工藝交流

My wool felt workshop in Portugal was fabulous. Truly brimming with new skills and inspirations.  The Serra da Estrela sheep, so called "Bordeleira" in the farm are wonderful and their fleece are fantastic to work with.  My week in the farm was wonderful.    

我在葡萄牙不一樣的羊毛工藝交流 .

優美山莊田野, 美酒餐飲與來自不同地區的朋友共同學習, 好享受的文化與技巧交流.

The workshop was held in the ecological farm amid the olive groves in central highland of Portugal.

Participants from the US, Spain, England, Portugal, Sweden and me from Hong Kong.  On the first night welcome dinner...

Wow, I love cat, she greeted us as well.

Next day felt artist Nicola Brown started instruction and demo.

We started on different projects as we decided.

I was making a beret with nuno felt skills.  The silk fabric was my own dyed euc leaves.

All our days in the farm were super with blue sky though hot.

Lunch in the sun was great feel and comfortable

Each day served with breakfast, 2-course lunch and 3-course dinner with wine

The first day I completed the beret

Next day a fish bag with handle.  Indeed I intended to make a jug with handle but come out not so proportional I turned it to this look.  So call it the "fish bag".  Making wool felt is flexible that wet pieces can be changeable to something unexpected.   (I don't mind but I can't do custom order !!) 

Following days were handbags with 3D textural surface mixed with decoration of local raw fleece.  I like to work with the long and short fleece.  A very special combination.

The brown silk scraps were eco printed by myselt.  This is truly OOAK.

Without needle this technique of making a textural surface is wonderful.  A little purse with long rope is cute. 

Again a simple bag with long raw fleece.  The fleece is super white after felted.

A sculpture with curl tail, embellished with flower

3D vessel with mulberry silk.  My first trial to make the firm rim and shape.  Turnout good.

A session to watch local sheep shearing in the same farm.

My rug done with the  fleece just shorn.  Though took some time to pick the bits.  I like to do a small piece.  Love the texture, the brown fleece is particularly soft.  I call this a "black & white sheep". 

We've done lots creations in the week.  Time to show the local village people how wonderful the wool are.

Nuno felt scarf, iPad case, sculptures, vessels.... 

Corner of my works - handbags and beret.

Rug of raw fleece by Ann, rope necklace by Cynthia and hat by Conchita. 

These are amazingly done by Heather, Ann and Estela. 

Variety creations, some are done by the girls.

 Eco print and dye are part of the works showcased. 

Tie marks on wool felt and euc leaves are impressive. 

Nuno felt scarves are beautiful 

Sandy's nuno felt scarf looks like a pretty flower patch. 

The hanging demo by Nicola is awesome 

Eco print & dye on silk or wool felt are great 

I was glad to share the tying on chiffon 

String marks and eucalyptus prints 

My other way of using the "dark fabric" (with iron mordant) to transfer prints on another silk fabric. 

Nikki's silk fabric with local oak leaves and strong euc prints. 

We'd a visit to a wool processing factory and museum. 

In the factory we're introduced quality of wool. They're very well to felt and good price.  I bought 4 Kg home.    

 These are part of the projects I made during workshop.

My travel to Portugal was quite a fabulous interaction with international participants to broaden my wool felt skills and creations.  Next journey going on in Spain with good friends.  Will have another post about the exceptional scenery of Andalucia......