Remembering Cuba

Hello again! Thank you for staying tuned.

Last November I went to Cuba and spent a spectacular 4wks travelling through the country, including sailing through the islands. I am an avid traveller and prefer to experience cultures that are different to my Australian lifestyle. Cuba was amazing. The people were wonderfully happy with music throughout the streets and it was probably the safest country that I have experienced. (My wandering spirit had me lost at 1.30am waaaay past the end of my map but the locals, who could not speak English, managed to get me back to my lodging safe and sound.) I really feel that I experienced the country well.

I sketched all through the trip. You can see a couple of my sketches in my Art on Paper gallery but here is another. Honestly, it really would be rude not to sketch a classic car in Cuba, wouldn’t it?

I have been back for quite a while now but haven’t forgotten my experiences. One reason is that I have been working on a major mixed media piece since I returned. I have rust dyed a length of cotton and am transferring some of my sketches and photos to it. My aim is to roll it onto a Cuban cigar that I was given after a lovely restaurant meal. I don’t smoke but how can you turn down a genuine Cuban cigar? Here are a couple of the images so far –

I am loving the journey. Every time I sketch or stitch an image it reminds me of part of my trip.

I have experienced worse electrical work around the world but this one was pretty good! And the light kept blinking!

There was music everywhere and double bass players carrying their instruments were a common sight in the streets.

I have now finished all of the images on the front of the roll and am stitching it to the backing and stiffening. I want to copy some of my travel journal to the backing fabric but there is one problem – I CAN’T FIND MY JOURNAL!!! It is driving me crazy and I am turning my house upside down trying to find it. I have enjoyed doing this piece more than any other, but I can’t finish it until I find my journal! I will succeed. It is somewhere in the place that I call home. Somewhere…

Lots of love,

Julie-Anne