Camino Paintings

In 2008, I went on a great adventure.

After flying into Amsterdam and travelling by train down to the southwest corner of France, I began a pilgrimage. Starting in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees, I followed a very ancient pilgrim route across Spain to Santiago de Compostela in the northwest. I then continued on out the to coast at Finisterre and Muxía. It was a long walk - almost 1000 km (over 600 miles).

Since I had to carry everything, including my sleeping bag, on my back, I took travel watercolours rather than my oils or pastels. (They're much lighter and much less hassle.) I had hoped to do at least one painting/drawing every day, both as a record of my trip and as a way to really see. Luckily, I also took along my camera, because as they say, "the best laid plans of mice and men/often go awry" ("the best laid schemes o' mice an' men/gang aft agley").  The watercolour plan didn't work out. It rained and rained, and then my watercolour paints all ran together. I guess the watercolours weren't meant to be.

However, around Christmas, 2008, I began to paint in oils using my photographs and memories as reference. I spent three wonderful weeks at the Banff Centre, where I continued this exploration of both the outer journey and the inner journey of the Camino. When I returned home to Metchosin, the adventure carried right on.

And now...

The final paintings were exhibited at the Martin Batchelor Gallery, 712 Cormorant St., Victoria, B.C. in 2009.

The Camino paintings made be seen in galleries Camino de Santiago 1 through 5.

For links to Camino organizations, please see "Links".

THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT ME MESSAGES ABOUT THIS SHOW, BUT FOR WHOM I DON'T HAVE RETURN EMAIL ADDRESSES.  I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT.  BUEN CAMINO!