Malta

 I thought I would share a few snaps from Malta, only a few as I took SO many from Malta and Gozo but here are some

there are various statues across the island both ancient and new, like this cat which is towards Sliema

There are more than 365 churches (think that's what it said in the inflight magazine!) on the islands so SO many to look at

 this one on Gozo had the MOST amazing mosaics outside

stunning craftmenship and I love Malta

Kyla

Malta sketching

Another update on some of the crafting I did in Malta.

In Valletta there are some gardens called Upper Barrakka Gardens with a lift that takes you down to the harbour/waterfront.  The gardens are lovely, trees, flowers and a fountain.  Even better is a fantastic cafe, which is licensed so you can have a beer if you want (and cake!)

Whilst I was sat there I decided to do a small watercolour.

Only a really quick sketch and colour whilst I was sat having a coffee with my friend, Jon, who lives in Malta but a great way to help capture some memories.

Happy crafting

Kyla

Malta Art abandonment

This was a Free Art Friday and Art Abandonment tag I sketched whilst having a drink in a new local bar (LVB, great new place) in Valletta, Malta recently.

Only had one of my black ink pens with me during the evening and a blank tag but it seemed a perfect opportunity to have a doodle whilst having a drink.

I left it on the table (there is a brief explanation about it on the back of the tag, explaining they can take it, leave it or pass it on or even register a find on the facebook group) for someone to find.

Just in case your interested the drink was a fabulous non alcoholic mocktail that LVB make, a plum and rosemary "lemonade"-delicious.

This was another tag I sketched, in another bar (Gugar, a fabulous vegan/alternative late night bar where they play a great selection of music off the internet, including when we were there a mate from the UK's band!!).

When we went back a couple days later we spotted it had been pegged to the wall along with other art people have sketched whilst there (its that sort of place-LOVE it there).

Kyla

Malta urban sketching

 Finally getting round to downloading my photos from the holidays.

In order to have an excuse to sit down and rest as often as possible I decided to do some sketching as often as I could!

This was a quick sketch of the street in front of the new food market in Merchant Street.

Just a quick 10 min sketch with a biro (all I had on me at the time). 

I love that in my sketch book I have various sketches of Malta over the past 5 years that I have been visiting. I find it a great way of recording what I do on the holiday (as I rarely get round to scrapbooking these days-it is another thing on my ever expanding to do list).

More Malta photos to come!

kyla

Urban sketching in Malta

I have to admit defeat as I have tried linking my Instagram account to my blog but for some reason the coding refuses to recognise my account so I thought I would blog a few of my latest sketches I have done whilst I was in Malta recently.

The top sketch was at the airport (lets face it you have a couple of hours to get bored so why not paint!) and the second sketch was some of the sayings on the wall at a local vegan cafe in Valletta (The Grassy Hopper).  They had sayings such as "Collect moments not things" and 
"All children are artists the problem is how to remain an artist once you grow up" 

The bottom sketch was a fountain in St Anton Gardens, a beautiful green oasis amid all the dry brown fields at the moment.

The next page shows another sketch of The Grassy Hopper again, but this time the staff behind the counter and the bottom sketch is across the water from Valletta (this is from the swimming hole that the hotel built straight into the sea-I swam off this point several times).

 

The final sketch was a postcard I painted and on the last day decided to post it to my husband (as I was away with my Mum), painted once again from the swimming hole.

My full account can be viewed at:

 https://www.instagram.com/kylacotterell/

Not sure why I haven't shared my urban sketches before on this blog, but a friend (waves at Carmen over at http://whoopidooings.blogspot.co.uk/ and also her instagram under the same name) suggested I blog them-so I have.

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

Malta roundup

One of the reasons I haven't blogged for a while is because we went to Malta for a well earned break.  My parents and grandparents both used to live and work there so it does feel comforting when I walk around.

The weather was lovely and warm (in the 80's) but there were a few days of heavy thunderstorms and downpours (but hey, if you are swimming you are wet anyway).

We were staying in Floriana (just outside the city gates of the capital Valetta) and knew that they had a street art festival (similar to the one we have in Bristol) back in the summer so we headed off walking the streets to see what we could find-and boy did we find some amazing pieces.  This is just a small selection:

These were down by the lido (where we swim if we are there in season but as we were just out of season it was closed, so we swam in the sea off the rocks with the locals instead.

This gent was HUGE and was painted on the roof of fishermen's huts

 

!!This was painted on the walls of a local cafe

 

These were next to the lido on the roof of their bar/changing rooms.  The jelly bears are larger than a person and when you walk amongst them it is difficult to tell what they are....but climb up through the streets and peer over a certain wall and voila, 3D jelly bears!  Several people were there and taking photos of the lovely harbour view but not looking down!  That soon changed when they heard us "oohing and ahhing"!

This large 3D melting icecube complete with trapped blue bottle was next door.  It almost felt you could reach out and touch it.

A short water taxi to Sliema and we came across even more

This one was 3 storeys high

The eyes on the skull cleverly used the drainage holes in the wall

 

So many colourful pieces all hidden under a walkway next to the sea, the only way to view them was to climb down when the tide was out and look back towards the town

I think this was a really old painting looking at the weathering 

 

From the road you wouldn't know any of this was here

Some stunning work and not what I expected to find

Back in Valletta we came across new bars and galleries since our last visit as it gears up to be the 2018 European City of Culture

Tables have been upcycled with handpainted tops

Locals have embraced the anarchic nature with "this is a piece of art!" we found in the street

Whilst we were there it was the 10th Anniversary of the performance and arts festival Notte Bianca where 60,000 people descend on Valletta for one evening.  These were Mdina Glass light shades suspended along one of the streets.  There was so much to see and do, 

such as crafts,

like this weaver

 

ancient and public buildings (including the Prime Ministers private office!!  The queues for that were massive) threw their doors open (free entry)

There were lots and lots of art installations such as this bedsit covered entirely in paper

These were small diarama's made by prisoners depicting what time in cells meant to them

 

We explored the WWII bomb shelters where my nan probably spent some of her time whilst she was on the island.  As you can see it was VERY far down into the depths of the island.

 

We then walked to the far end of the city to Fort St Elmo.  This was only recently re-opened after refurbishment and not somewhere we had been before so we took advantage of it all being open for free, with bands playing and lovely light displays

 

With rows of giant floor lanterns once again made with Mdina Glass

Then there were the fireworks....which carried on,

 

and on for almost 6 hrs!!  There could not have been any gunpowder left on the island!

 

We did some tourist things such as visiting the markets and Mdina (the silent city)

 

The biggest change we noticed were the new city gates in Valletta which are a stunning execution of stone masonry.

 

If you like your street art and are looking for somewhere sunny I thoroughly recommend the capital of Malta.

Kyla

 

Who'd have thought there would be so many skulls in Malta!

 I am back from my trip to Malta, the post is a little photo heavy so grab a coffee and pull up a chair! 

My parents met and lived in Malta about 45 years ago so after the death of my father I accompanied my mum on a return visit.

Now, I have never been before.  All I knew was that it was going to be hot and with very little greenery....2 things that as a nature lover don't rub particularly well with me.

How wrong could I be!  Yes it was hot, and yes there was very little foliage...however, the architecture was simply stunning and I would return for this alone. 

The capital city is Valletta.  They are doing a serious amount of building work (including the city gates...which one local said to us that for the gates looked like garage doors so it was good they were making them more intricate!).

The new buildings appear to be merging well into the old.  The guide books say that the buildings are old and tatty, however I like to think of them as timeworn and interesting.

 Many of the streets are narrow and steep with lots of steps and cobbles.

 There were plenty of opportunities for photos of texture.

 Though I did get a few odd looks when taking them!

This fellow decided to join us for lunch one day.

 

 Malta is a very Catholic country and there are many beautiful churches, however, St John's co Cathedral in Valletta is worth a visit.  The floor is made up of 400 marble tomb stones from the Knights of St. John and for a holy place there are a LOT of skulls and cross bones!

 The entrance stone is amazing and has the grim reaper on it with the saying "Trample on me today and I will trample on you tomorrow"....needless to say I walked around!

Whilst others took photos of the beautiful oil artworks etc......I turned my attention to the floor and small details on the larger pieces.

 Throughout the few days I was there I noticed more and more skulls 

I also have a love of insects.....and yet again I got strange looks as I hunted this beauty down and waited, and waited even longer, for the shot!!

 Whilst my Mum was showing me her old stomping grounds I was able to coincide this with a visit to the St Paul's Catacombs.  Now, considering we were there in less than perfect circumstances some may feel a trip to the catacombs may not have been the most psychologically sounds.....but it was the most amazing place and covers more than 200 square meters!

 Back above ground and in search of interesting structure we came across these MASSIVE wooden doors! I know I am short but I felt like a gnome!

For those that don't know, Kyla is short for Michaela.  I have spent my entire life spelling it and repeating it when asked my name.....but in Malta I came across others with the same name...and even a boat!

 

 These are the fishing boats that used to also act as a water taxi when mum was last here. They are so beautifully painted.

 Whilst there were so many old shops and signs I thought I would take some more photos with the idea of making some Tim Holtz inspired backing papers but with MY images! Here a just a few I took:

 

 

 

As you can see, against all the odds I fell in love with Malta.  If you love architecture and the unusual then I recommend a trip.

Right I have the downside of returning from a holiday...a mountain of washing and ironing...and lets be honest I have plenty to distract me...but it really won't do itself so I suppose I'd best show willing and at least make a start at it!

Happy crafting

Kyla