VARO & KAHLO

TWO GREAT WOMEN

DETAILS

Remedio Varo was a Spanish-Mexican surrealist artist who challenged the male stereotypes of women in art, used only as models and objects, and created her own narrative that was very much "woman" in "subjective" visual arts poetry and she was only one of a very few women of the moment who did this!

Born in Girona, Spain in 1908, she studied at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid with Salvador Dali, Luis Buñuel  and Garcia Lorca. 

During the Spanish Civil War she fled to Paris where she was greatly influenced by the surrealist movement.

She met her second husband, the French surrealist poet Benjamin Péret, in Barcelona. She was forced into exile from Paris during the German occupation of France and moved to Mexico City at the end of 1941.

She died in 1963, at the height of her career, from a heart attack, in Mexico City.


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Frida Kahlo made herself famous by challenging the objective world of realist art and looked into her own face to find a subject and truly unique form of representational art.

Daunted by the cruelty of illness and personal tragedy, she chose to overcome defeat and she pursuits positivism and revolution that led to a body of artwork, which span over her 30-year career.

All of her artworks demonstrated a fierce sense of pride in her heritage that flew in the face of traditional European art school movements.

She also had a very real, if not obsessive, passion for her marriage and husband who didn't follow the bourgeois and Catholic traditions monogamous relationships yet he loved her and cared for her to the end of her life.

Frida was an artist who truly understood the spirit of the human condition and its ability to rise above pain, suffering and disappointment in order to participate in the precious essence of life. 

This lecture and slideshow presentation will not only explore the dynamics of early 20th century European and Mexican art, it will enhance the life of Frida Kahlo and her artworks as gifts of expressive, visionary self-interpretations. 

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TOLEDO

GREAT CITY 2 Part Presentation Guide to Toledo that will set you up for all the city monuments, art, architecture and history of this great imperial city.

10:30 H * DAROCAS STUDIO * Benitachell

SALVADOR DALI EXPERIENCE!

PART ONE * Monday

Dali was the first visual artist  of his era to seriously question and pictorially document Freudian theories.

This Dali presentation will explore Freud’s influence on Dali’s Surreal style with special insights into the concepts of "Free Association", “Dream” Painting and of course all of the funny stories and fabulous art that goes with Dali's experiments into Freud's theories of the subconscious!

click photo to enlarge

PART TWO * Tuesday

Dali's artwork after 1945 is a historical tour of the scientific events of the 21st century, or at least of those that struck him most.

This Dali presentation will explore Dali's influences include the atomic bomb, physics, quantum mechanics, the origins of life, natural law,  hermeticism, monasticism, evolution, mathematics, geometry, time travel, catastrophe theory and more!

Instructor: Fine Arts Historian, Sr. Karla Darocas, Hons. B.A. 

KarlaDarocas.com

VELAZQUEZ, SPANISH BAROQUE & THE HABSBURGS

Diego Velázquez was the most admired and greatest European painter who ever lived. He possessed a miraculous gift for conveying a sense of truth and humanity in his realistic works. 
* 10:30am
* Darocas Studio Benitachell
* 10euros entry fee.

IMPASSIONED AND PENETRATING ART COMES TO ORBA

Art Loves are invited to a unique art show at the Exhibition Hall Casa Senyoria in the charming village of Orba from January 13th to February 25th.

The show is called “Remnants”, and it features are artworks of Katherine M Waters and Don Henderson.

Feature by Karla Darocas

click poster to enlarge

PHOTO WALK MORAIRA

If you want to learn photography skills, camera tips and tricks while getting some exercise and drinking in the beauty of Moraira, then PHOTO WALKS MORAIRA is for you!

A unique and educational Sunday morning experience.

TOLEDO * PART 1 * PRE-RENAISSANCE

Very special lecture on the history of Toledo via its architecture, sculptures 

and of course paintings.  

REVIEWS

"From the Visigothic and Roman roots of Toledo with its unique cultural legacy of Christian, Arab and Jewish communities living alongside each other to the horseshoe arched mosques and haunting canvases of El Greco, Karla crammed all of this and much more into her enthralling and spellbinding lecture.

Toledo now holds a far greater appeal than ever before, I simply must return to truly explore and appreciate this magnificent medieval city. Wow!

Karla's teaching style is full of  Passion and Knowledge and I "always" recommend her to other.

* Sue Martin, Pedreguer

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"Where to start? As always Karla shares so much knowledge.

I learnt the range of people's coming into Spain and eventually Toledo including the Romans, Visigoths, Jews and Muslims. This seat of learning also showed how many different cultures could live together in harmony and learn from each other.

I learnt how to understand the different styles of architecture, the more simple style of Rome to Mudejar from the Muslims. This was using materials readily available, clay to make bricks, stones from the fields. The skill to carve and embellish plaster.

I could go on for so much longer, but I can't wait for her next lecture, Toledo part 2.

If you want to learn about Spain and it's history Karla's teaching through art is wonderful. The feature I love about her teaching is her knowledge and passion. I  Highly recommended her lectures."

* Lizzie Clayton. Benitachell

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FRIDA * ART FILM

For those of you who attended my Frida Kahlo presentation, I talked about this film.

JALON ARTISTS GO INDIE WITH SELF PROPELLED ART SHOW

I was invited to an art exhibition opening in Jalon on Saturday by a group of independent artists trying to DIY their way into the gallery world.

The inspiration for a group show came from a resident artist Anna Jansen who wanted to showcase an International cross section of artists from Jalon.

Karla Darocas with Katherine Waters

Myself and some of my gang arrived at the show and was surprised to find it being held in a non-commercial venue. Anna had convinced the agent at Karma Properties to give her the venue for the exhibition. Of course, she and friends had to clean it, which was not an easy task, but the walls were white and ready for art.

The show was a mix of both 2 and 3 dimensional art, paintings, collage and sculptures. The artists involved were...Anna Jansen Jans, Josbel Mengual, Jaume Nogera Mengual, Don Henderson,  Virginia Blanckaert, Ines Garces,  Lois Jansen,  Mari Ivars,  Yolanda Melieray Fullana, and  Katherine M Waters.

I was impressed by the variety of expressions being presented.

It was Katherine Waters who invited me and it was her artwork that impressed me the most. Yes, it is true, art is subjective, but I am picky! I have been around art my whole life and teaching for many, many, years and I am a hard client to please with a work of art!

She had a series of work, both sculptural and painted based on the biblical icon of Eve and her trials and tribulations with the bad apple that got her and Adam expelled from the Garden of Eden.

In the painting that held my attention, the narrative is clear... Eve is burdened with a giant apple in a cart. Her apron has a tree of life on it that look are symbolic of women's reproductive parts. The style reminds of the work of Spanish artist Remedios Varo, who was a para-surrealist, symbolist and one of the first feminist artists.



DETAILS:
The exhibition is open 10:00 - 14:00 every day throughout October.
A percentage of the sales will go to help this year's Fiesteras in Jalon.
LOCATION
Carrer Sant Joaquim, 42, 03727 Xaló, Alicante, Spain
Google map -  https://goo.gl/maps/DhK1YGzEwiG2

FRIDAY KAHLO * REVIEWS

REVIEWS

"I found the lecture excellent, very informative, and a very moving experience

Karla's teaching style is enthusiasm, passion, knowledgeable.

I would Absolutely recommend Karla"

* Beverley spence Lliber Spain

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"Incredible experience...Karla always gives such knowledgeable and perfect insight on the lives and works of these wonderful Artists. The time always flies by!!!!

Great location and always take away a great admiration for each Artist and a true feel of their personal lives/struggles etc.

Karla's knowledge and enthusiasm is how I would describe her teaching style. I absolutely recommend her to others."

* Diana Santiago, Javea

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"The lecture on Frida Kahlo was very interesting, informative and well presented. Karla makes the information accessible to all.

Whilst I had read about Frida Kahlo and seen an exhibition of her work at the Tate Gallery in London, I now have a much greater understanding of her work and the symbolism within it.

In addition, I now have a fuller appreciation of how her life had such an impact on her work.

We will certainly attend and look forward to other lectures in the future when we are in Spain and are only sorry to have missed so many in the past.

Karla's teaching style is very easy and she has an accessible manner of delivery. I would recommend her to other in Full!"

* Gladys Pilar Cummings Javea Spain and St Albans UK

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Once again Karla had me totally captivated with her moving and inspirational account of the traumatic life and works of Frida Kahlo.

An artist who, whilst I had a some knowledge of prior to this lecture, had no real insight into how tragic and painful her life really was. Tissues were handed out as tears flowed during this session, an indication of how touching this lecture proved to be.

Her teaching style is Inspirational and Passionate. I always recommend Karla to other.

Sue Martin, Pedreguer

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