#poem, «The In-Between World…

(Picasso’s mural in Barcelona/photo by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

THE IN-BETWEEN WORLD

There’s an empty glass by a bottle and butts in the ashtray,
there’s a book that’s been dog-eared abandoned there too,
there are socks, one red mitten and an old silver tray,
and a bloodhound asleep that’s refusing to move…

There’s a garden, gardenias, and a half-empty pool
that’s been largely abandoned due to winter’s arrival,
and a barbecue tray and a chest full of tools
that have served as reminders of one man’s survival…

There’s a cat hiding, hunting, watching attentively
as a little brown bird finds her courage to land
on the driveway to feed but the cat quite intensively stealthily
readies herself, bird be dammed…

And then there is me, amused and quite thoughtful,
rehearsing the lines of a song I must sing,
rethinking old thoughts, some unkind, some unlawful,
but others of friends and of music that swings…

In-between buttons and ice on the river
that’s frozen in places and in others it’s not,
a narwhal appears with a unicorn’s shiver,
and my song seems to take off, untidy yet hot…

There’s the here, there’s the now, there’s the place
where you’re standing, or sitting or lounging about,
but there’s also a unique, hidden treasure my mates,
the in-between world among worlds inside out…

C.2023, Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 25 DEC 2023 – Valencia, Spain

A BRIEF NOTE… We are so accustomed to seeing things the way we have been taught as children to see them that we have lost the power of creating a world, not of the imagination, but of a separate, and different reality, that surely does exist. The process of socialisation that we have all been subjected to has…hopefully…made us good, obedient citizens, but it has robbed us of the magic that God has spread all over the world. There is a world here and one there, but there is also one in-between. Hopefully we can one day scan the horizon before us and find it…

Bon dia – Egun on – Buenos días

El diálogo, la discusión, la conversación nos une si se hacen de buena fe y decentemente.

Que hablen pues eso quiere decir que te has dado cuenta que estoy aquí…

Happy Boxing Day!

(Art Digital by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

It’s definitely the «Season to be jolly!» Have a wonderful day, all my friends from the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and all those subjects of the 19th century Queen Victoria! Remember Australia, New Zealand and Canada, if the Queen/King is on your currency, you are British… All the best and a very Happy Boxing Day to you!

#Chirstmas, Happy/Merry Christmas!

(Francisco Bravo Cabrera/actor portrayal/at his favourite charcuterie in Valencia)

We here in Valencia eat lots of good, tasty, delicious foods for Christmas. We celebrate the night of the 24th of December as «Nochebuena» (literally translates as the «good night») and we eat fish, turkey or pork. Personally I only do the fish or the pork as I am not a fan of turkeys (except for Thanksgiving, a US tradition that I keep). But we add to our meals some good items from our phenomenal charcuteries! I personally love the Iberian ham from acorn-fed pigs that graze freely in the dehesas (pastures) of Castilla and Andalucía. And of course we are a nation of fabulous sausages like chorizo and salchichón, among others, and phenomenal cheese which we serve, together with our olives and wine (every region of Spain has great wines) and we enjoy the holidays…

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. May you enjoy these holidays with family, loved ones, or alone. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you recognize that these are festive days filled with excitement for many, and perhaps for you too. I know that this time of year is not liked by everyone, and there are probably some out there who hate it, but we must show patience, tolerance, and understanding to everyone. Each of us is a world, a universe, a whole, and then part of a greater whole.

Although December is characterised bu the Advent and the Nativity of our Saviour Jesus Nazarene, born in a manger in Judea on Year Zero, the legend did not take into consideration the facts that point to Jesus being born perhaps more accurately in April. But it’s alright, what matters is that we recognise that this time of the year invites us to get closer together, to understand each other a little better and to even, dare I say, love each other a whole lot more.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS – MERRY CHRISTMAS – HAPPY CHRISTMAS – MERRY CHRISTMAS – HAPPY CHRISTMAS – MERRY CHRISTMAS

#art, #poem, Bon Nadal – Feliz Navidad

Felicidades a todos – Felicitats a tothom – Zorionak guztioi

(En un bello hotel de Barcelona/In a beautiful hotel in Barcelona/Derechos Reservados/All Rights Reserved)

Os deseamos a todos una Navidad feliz y un prospero año nuevo. Que estas fiestas las disfrutéis con familia, seres queridos o solo, no importa, lo importante es que reconozcas que estos son días festivos y llenos de ilusión para muchos y quizá para ti también. Yo se que esta temporada del año no le gusta a todo el mundo y probablemente hayan algunos por ahí que la odian, pero bueno, hay que demostrar paciencia, tolerancia y entendimiento con todos. Cada uno de nosotros somos un mundo, un universo, un todo y una parte de un todo mayor.

Aunque diciembre se caracteriza por el advenimiento y la natividad de Jesus en un pesebre en Judea en el año cero, creo que la leyenda no tomó en cuenta la verdad histórica que apunta que Jesus Nazareno probablemente nació en abril y no en diciembre. Pero eso no importa. Lo que importa es que esta época nos convida a que nos reunamos, nos entendamos y nos queramos un poquito mas los unos a los otros.

Felicidades a todos – Felicitats a tothom – Zorionak guztioi

Síguenos en nuestras redes sociales:

YouTube: http://www.YouTube.com/@FranciscoBravoCabrera

IG: @Francisco_Bravo_Cabrera

Web/Gallery: http://www.fbcart.wixsite.com/jazzart

Artist Representative: «By Guloshka»

E-Mail: guloshka404@gmail.com

IG: @Guloshka

GRÀCIES – GRACIAS – ESKERRIK ASKO –

#opinion, #art, #poem, Dear Diary, Page No. 4

(El Corte Inglés in Barcelona, Photo by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

Well, as John Lennon said, «And so this is Christmas and what have you done…», I too ask of myself and those around me, like you. So, what have I done? Well, I’ve done a lot of things, but could I have done more? I travelled a lot, I ate well, I worked hard, I painted, wrote, danced, made new friends, and so on and so forth… But I ask myself, is that all there is? Are those the important things that I should be doing? Probably yes and probably no…

The important things are to grow spiritually and intellectually. To recognise that God has spread wisdom all over the Earth. To find such wisdom through meditation, contemplation, prayer, devotion and to continue to spread it forth to others. To be kind, considerate. To help friends and strangers. To read more, eat less, learn more and discard more useless information. We are bombarded with stupidity these days in those reports they call «news» but that are nothing more than manipulation and lies…

So, dear diary, what have I done? I think I fell short of expectations. But not to worry, 2024 is on the wings and waiting to make its grand entry into the cicle we call life so that we can make new years resolutions! Yes! Resolve to eat less, exercise more et cetera et cetera…

Cheers to all that have followed, liked, and replied to my posts throughout 2023!

#art, Women Artists Series: Beryl Cook…

(Photo The Telegraph)

A few days ago a friend and fellow blogger on WP suggested I look into a woman artist from the United Kingdom who I did not know, and I certainly did and here she is: Beryl Cook. She was born on September 10 of 1926 in Egham, Surrey, England, and although she claimed not to have had any «formal» art training, she painted very well. Her paintings are of everyday people, sometimes a bit bizarre but almost always with a comical twist.

Although her bulky figures might remind one of Botero, (another one who claimed to be self-taught), in my opinion Cook’s work is much more interesting. She painted volume in her outlandish and extroverted characters. Beryl Cook was influenced, according to her own words, by the work of Sir Stanley Spencer and Edward Burra, both highly trained and successful British painters.

Cook moved to Plymouth in 1968 and at the Plymouth Arts Centre had her first exhibition. The success of that exhibition led to her being contracted to the Portal Gallery in London (1976) where she exhibited until her death in 2008. In 1995 she was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Channel 4 News produced, in 2005, a short film of her work and the Royal Mail used one of her paintings for a first class postage stamp.

Although I did not know much about this painter, she is certainly well known in the UK and her work has achieved a wide level of success. Can it be that because she is a woman artist she has not been taken as seriously as men in Art History? I don’t know. But her country did take her seriously. So I ask myself, why did I not hear of her in Art School? In any event, I like her work and I wanted to share it with you and find out what you think.

(«Tea in the Garden» berylcookprints.co.uk)
(«Hen Night» berylcookprints.co.uk)
(«By the Clyde» Artuck.org)

I would highly suggest that if you are interested in art, either as an artist, student, lover of art or collector, that you look further into the work of Beryl Cook.

CHEERS – CHEERS – CHEERS

(Thank you M.)