I decided to apply as well among the painters and Urban Sketchers, choosing the rapid painting category.

By my side, it was interesting taking part in this initiative to try the experience of painting in a cemetery. Otherwise, I might never thought about it.

Infact, to me is quite intense to visit this kind of place; even so, many think about cemeteries as peaceful sites, where you can meet yourself and others, too. In general, it could represent a moment dedicated to thinking of and celebrating life.

And you? If you had the chance to paint in a cemetery, would you take it?

Painting in progress details

As you can guess from these images, the place I chose to paint, differs from the representation of the cemetery view, preferring a symbolic landscape:

the olive tree, a metaphor for life that shades until reaching the sky.

Moreover, the palette I used has blue-green tones creating some points of orange contrasts. In this way, I could talk not just about the place, but transmit the emotions it was sharing, too.

The selected paintings were made by artists such as Jaime Jurado and Pedro Orozco, as well as Camilo Huéscar, Miguel Repollés, Dolores García, and Fernando Angulo. Anyway, the other artworks also remain available to organize a collective art exhibition by the Town Hall of Córdoba and Cecosam (the Cordobese public funeral agency).

As soon as I receive more information about it, I’ll share it on my socials.

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And if you’ve arrived here, thank you very much! I’ll take also the chance to share with you what resulted in my painting.

I have to say that by my side it has been a particular and worthy experience, great especially to express art and reflect on life, too.

Rapid Painting Contest

“Life”, Sofia Syamhope | Oil painting on canva, 80×60 cm

If you’re looking for more info or want an original creation, reach me out here:

Introduction

During the last weekend, for the first time, I traveled to Ubrique, a village in Cádiz, South Spain. This village is remarkable for its leathercraft above all: infact, even though its on-site production stopped, its tradition is still ongoing and very present in the leather processing and artisanal maroquineries making. 

Moreover, Ubrique is well known as part of the “Ruta de los pueblos blancos”, a root to visit a number of Andalusian villages characterized for being completely white; also, precisely for this reason, as soon as you reach the village, it stands out on the background of the green hills surrounding it. These places usually origin from the Arabic tradition and their geographic position is related to the defense role they used to have the past.

Generally, apart its beauty, Ubrique definitely surprised me with its energy: numerous events, a lot of sport along the streets, vitality and desire to be part of the people life.

Among the activities, I specifically had two opportunities for which I’m grateful to the Association La Casa Azul, the team of professional creatives that supported me, and Remedios Rubiales Domínguez for welcoming us in her land.

Galería Proyecto 5, Art gallery, Ubrique

Dedicatee to Pedro Lobato Hoyos, opening of Ayuna Kanatkalieva’s art exhibition and La Casa Azul live performance

In the first case, on the 1st of September, the art gallery Galería Proyecto 5 opened with a dedicatee to Pedro Lobato Hoyos, one of the reference painters in Ubrique. We remembered him thanks to María Belén Lobato, her daughter, and Remedios, the artist and owner of the gallery. Then, we inaugurated the art exhibition of Ayuna Kanatkalieva, from Russia, with a live performance with La Casa Azul.

On this occasion, I participated as part of the La Casa Azul team, with a face painting improvisation. The painting I realized is completely inspired by Yeska‘s music, while, at the same time, Noé Serrano was improvising a live digital sculpture. For me, in these moments of impro it’s important to work a lot on the contact with the person, and for this, I thank also Elena for letting her go in this experience led by art.

In addition, I find it important to mention our audio-visual technicians such as Backstage Academy, Sarel Visuals, and Pilar Campos, who created the magic of the scenario and documented the event. 

XII Plein Air Rapid Painting Competition of Ubrique

“Pedro Lobato Hoyos”

September 2023 – Sofia Candeo (Syamhope) receives the 17° prize

In the second case, Saturday 2 September, I’ve decided to adventure in the XII Concurso de Pintura Rápida al Aire Libre of Ubrique “Pedro Lobato Hoyos”. This contest is one of the most important pictorical events of Ubrique where a great number of painters from the whole Spain gather together to paint the city outside. 

But… What does it mean “Rapid painting”? And what does the competition consist of?

We talk about rapid painting when, with a limit of time, we have to create an artwork from a usually blank canvas – sometimes it is permitted also to present a monochrome surface. In this specific case, we also had a limit regarding the topic since we must represent Ubrique and its cultural, human, and environmental heritage.

The result was that, among all the participants, we represented a different perspective of the village, even though the common pattern was surely the landscape. Moreover, the techniques applied were different including oil painting, acrylics, and watercolors. Besides this, one of the prized artworks was completely out of the box and was made using a collage of various materials, such as plastic and wood.

There were around 90 painters to present in the competition, and among them, I had the huge honor of seeing my artwork selected for the 17° prize of the XII Plein Air Rapid Painting Competition of Ubrique. If I think about it, it’s nice to me that this prize was sponsored by the transport company Transportes y Excavaciones Rubiales, considering my strong connection with the topic of traveling. Apart from that sponsors like them are an important source to support creation and to realize this kind of event.

To conclude, I think that the best part of it was to share this experience with other artists: it’s something that makes you really understand that exists a community of people who bet on art, even by their own manners, and art is to share. Moreover, getting to know a lot of other considerable authors is also a great source of inspiration and good energy.

“The number 8”, Syamhope

Rapid painting in the General Franco Square in Ubrique, Spain