Chapter 187
It’s that month again, the annual moment of struggle as I endeavour to remember how many circumnavigations it’s been. 61 this year. So much fun, so many journeys, so many adventures. So many more happening on a daily basis and hopefully for many more to come.
Between bouts of torrential rain and bizarrely gale-force winds, it’s been a different winter this year. We’ve been persisting with daily – or almost daily – walks to keep all things moving. There’s classes of various flavours to keep the mind and creativity flowing along, and of course, I’ve been so blessed with an abundance of gorgeous Andalusian horses with whom to work.
There’s a distinct, entertaining, language barrier. The trainer who runs the yard is a pretty rustic type, I’m not sure he has much enthusiasm for the written word. His local dialect can be even more challenging than the obvious hurdle of my less than impressive grasp of the Spanish language. Trying to get even the basic information about the horse and its history before I work with them is entertaining. I’m so glad that the language I use with the horses is universal, subtle and reciprocal.
I visited the fisioterapeuta today, in addition to keeping my body functioning while I’m out of reach of Darren (our fabulous Bragg Creek Chiro’) he’s the horse enthusiast who connected me with the barn. Thus the first several minutes of our appointment are devoted to excitedly discussing various horses and their issues…in my convoluted Spanish. I later have to send a message clarifying my ideas, in case he talks to his friends – at least one of whom owns one of the horses. I’m sure people think I understand way more than I do, apparently my accent is quite good, more acceptable than a lot of the foreigners I hear speaking Spanish in such crunchy English accents it’s a bit hard on the ears. I guess travelling the world with a Puerto Rican musician for over a decade has rubbed off on me just a bit.
Speaking of whom… Fantuzzi is in Chile on his long-anticipated South American tour. I’m only slightly jealous that I’m not there on this one. We compare notes frequently. He is fortunate that his eldest son Kahlil is with him. Kahlil has the same facility as his father making connections and creating extraordinary opportunities. They have already got a couple of gigs under their belts, playing with local musicians, and others with whom we have crossed paths in prior years and countries. It’s amazing how we are all so interconnected. The only boundaries really are artificial ones.
Monday afternoon, another fun art class with Félix Clemente Gerez who is deeply challenged by Mum and myself. He leaves us alone until a painting is well advanced, then he visits to ask a question. More often than not, I have to get translation help from Mum, often she has to recruit Dami, friend and aspiring artist, to help further with the intricacies of local dialect. We try to understand what Félix means. Even so, he wants to pick up palette knife or brush and make changes – No toca! We cry. Explicarme. I want him to explain, if he makes changes himself, I am faced either with accepting a Félix version of my painting, which is frequently not what I originally intended, despite his brilliance.
Or I have to scrape it all off and redo part or all of the work, losing elements that I really liked. It’s a big challenge as he struggles to explain what he thinks is wrong, we in turn struggle to understand what he means. I like to paint things not always familiar to him, he wants to make my horses look like burros as that’s what he knows. His art reflects strongly upon his childhood years and memories of standing on shore lighting the way home for his fisherman father. If you want an ocean scene or a boat, he’s your man. His Spanish landscapes of mountains and pueblos are extraordinary. One day I’ll feel inspired to try my hand at one of them. I’ll add one of my watery scenes to this missive for your entertainment.
I hope your way home may be lit for you always, the wind at your back and the sun in your soul.
Kat Dancer
bodymudra@gmail.com,
+1 415 525 2630 (ph/whatsapp)
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