Tuesday, July 28, 2009

A riverside spot / Recanto à beira-rio


No other image more refreshing and soothing occurs to me in these Summer days than the one of a quiet place near to a river, surrounded by a beautiful landscape and fresh water, its music accompanied by a chorus of birds... However it's precisely in Summer that these places are less quiet, since everybody demands them, many times showing their value in strange ways: Filling it with garbage, loud music, etc.
The place we see here seems to escape to that noisy destiny by the simple reason that to be reached, it would be necessary to enter in my head.
Nenhuma imagem mais refrescante e repousante me ocorre nestes dias de Verão senão a de um calmo lugar à beira-rio, rodeado de uma bela paisagem e água fresca, a sua música fazendo-se acompanhar por um coro de pássaros... É precisamente no Verão, contudo, que estes lugares são menos calmos, uma vez que toda a gente os procura, muitas vezes fazendo questão de exercer o seu apreço de forma estranha: Enchendo tudo de lixo, música aos berros, etc.
O lugar que vemos na imagem parece escapar a essa ruidosa fatalidade pela simples razão de que, para ser alcançado seria necessário entrar na minha cabeça.
Fabriano rough 7"x5" - 140lb (18x12,5cm - 300g/m2) paper
Sold / Vendido

17 comments:

Mineke Reinders said...

Your head seems to be a repository of the kind of peaceful places we all want to take refuge in sometimes. After struggling - to no avail - with my new cell phone for hours, my own head is ready to explode with frustration. Better to contemplate this lovely painting and take a mental siesta there...

Elizabeth McCrindle said...

Love it, reminds me of a spot my Uncle used to take us when we were small. His hobby was fishing and we used to catch minnows in the ponds for him to use as bait...we got a penny a minnow lol. The Watermill is still there but has been converted and doesn't work anymore...but looking at your painting transports me back in time...smile

Arménia Baptista said...

Estes "lugares" com água são sempre agradáveis - quer seja verão ou inverno - os meus sítios de eleição. E, já que não posso ficar aí sentadinha com os pés metidos na água...fico-me pela contemplação de um lugar tão igual aos da minha meninice...(até oiço o barulho da levada!!!!)
:))

Paulo J. Mendes said...

Mineke, feel free to take a long siesta in this peaceful place: I can assure you that there isn't any available network in the area :)

Elizabeth, you're extremely fortunate, as are all persons that had the chance to be taken to such places when children: The memories of those small excursions will always last as some of the dearest.

Paulo J. Mendes said...

Arménia, engraçado que estava precisamente a escrever sobre isso na resposta ao comentário anterior: As recordações que estes lugares proporcionam são das que mais perduram pela vida fora, e felizes daqueles que puderam desfrutar deles na sua meninice...
E é absolutamente verdade: Em qualquer altura do ano se está bem num recanto à beira-rio. Falando por mim, era onde estaria agora :)

Terry Banderas said...

Beautiful, Paulo.

Paulo J. Mendes said...

Thank you, Terry, glad you liked :)

Stephen Dell'Aria said...

Being an angler, I could envision myself stream side at a location such as this. That oxygenated water right below the falls would hold the fish. Nice painting!!!

Paulo J. Mendes said...

It is very likely that many local fishers went back home with a big smile after a well-spent afternoon in this spot, Stephen :))

Luís Bonito said...

Lindo quadro!
Cores maravilhosas, como sempre. Ouve-se a água, cheira-se a brisa, sente-se a quietude do momento.
:-)

Beautiful painting!
Wonderful colours, as always.
We listen the water, smell the breeze and feel the quietness of the moment.
:-)

Paulo J. Mendes said...

Obrigado, Luís: Esses são elementos que de facto tentei capturar...
Um abraço!
Thank you, Luís: Those are indeed elements I tried to capture...
Hugs!

Tracey Clarke said...

I think I need to visit, Paulo...where you live is so beautiful....great, great painting.

Paulo J. Mendes said...

Thanks so much, Tracey: Yes, I would recommend you a visit to this little corner of Europe, especially because some of these beauties are vanishing quickly.

RobCarey said...

Wonderful scene, Paulo, communicating coolness and refreshment to the soul. This has summer written all over it, with the open door and hanging laundry. Very nice.

Paulo J. Mendes said...

Thank you, Rob. Summer was in my mind when I created this scene, inspired by memory of some delightful Saturday afternoons spent in similar spots :))

Anonymous said...

You are so right in describing the popular places in summer, everyone wants to be there, and why do people always want to go en mass on holiday in Audust, te hottest month schools off i know but...hope you can still find quite spots. Noticed your photo on my Blogcatoluge wideget

Paulo J. Mendes said...

I agree, Chris, almost all places, even the most hidden, become crowded and avoidable in August... I don't mind to stay apart one month every year in order to enjoy them in their full quietness on the remaining eleven.