Praia, Santiago island - Cape Verde - The brief visit to the ICAA Centre in Terra Branca and Ariano's atelier in Plateau - The 26th of November 2014 (afternoon)

Because Noëlle had brought along somesecond hand clothes with her that we had intended to hand out to the new Infant and Juvenile Shelter Centre in Terra Branca, an organisation I have been in touch with for a while, Graça arranged for us to meet its coordinator, Marlene Baesa, whom we briefly met, as Graça dropped us by.

 

We were asked if we wouldn't mind "our" contribution was sent to Fogo, which made us thoroughly happy once we would indirectly contribute towards helping those affected by the disaster.

 

 

Black and white photo depicting the volcano of Fogo hanging on the Hotel Santa Maria entrance hall (left). Noëlle sitting in the waiting room of the ICAA Centre (right).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making our way back to Plateau was quite an adventure as the heat was too strong and there was no way we could find a shelter, but it was equally an interesting experience in regards to the street paintings, advertisments and vibrant colours with which some houses were painted. I felt we should paint our houses similarly and maybe we wouldbeable to display some joyfulness we don't possess (... I wonder if it is not colour related!...) 

 

 

Prior to "climbing" up to the Plateau I once more photographed some rather interesting painted murals whose colours were beginning to fade - peace and fraternity seemed to be the main idea behind the artistic display ... I felt it was (is) appropriate in whichever context we live in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had promised to visit the studio of a French speaking guide,  Ariano who is simultaneously a painter in his free time and so we did. Wemet himoutside his atelier named after his deceased mother, who according to the artist lived in that house, which is also where Ariano was born and brought up.

 

 

I quite liked his "naïve" paintings and the vibrant coulours he seems to use in most of his canvases, but  I feel that what impressed me most was the fact that despite having two jobs in order to survive he still finds time to do what, according to him, brings the "balance" into  his life, whether he sells or doesn't sell his paintings.

He showed us into his back "garden" with a magnificent view over the town, where he intends to carry out small artistic gatherings and share what he and others like him might have to share with the Cape Verdian population.

 

I  admire his inner strength and willingness to do things in the realm of Art ...