After a week in Israel, it's off to Spain!

En route to Spain, I arrived in Tel Aviv on the same day as President Obama! (By my estimation, he was received by the Israeli people very well.)

I had a great visit with some members of my family here. It was sunny every day... quite a shock to the system after 22 snow storms back home this winter! We spent a wonderful week of rest, touring flea markets and lots of older sections of Jaffo and Tel Aviv with cousins of four generations. The new Port area is really something else.

Now I'm waiting for my flight to Madrid via Paris. A long day but a lovely transition. Now, it's time to think about my work ahead.

I'll spend time in Barcelona with friends and then off to Can Serrat on April 1 (the beginning of Holy Week).

More updates soon. Please stay tuned!

Packing for Spain!

I'm almost finished packing for my trip to Spain. Here's a look at what I've been up to:


Lots of days. Two small bags.... "Minimalist Packing!" I sent a box of materials ahead.


I can't take my art books with me, but that's OK. I'll be only an hour away from The Tapies Fondacion in Barcelona and an amazing library.


Ready to roll! I'm excited and ready for this art adventure to begin.

Heading to Spain

I'm excited to be participating in a residency at Can Serrat Centro de Actividades Artisticas, located in a rustic farmhouse in Montserrat Natural Park, near the city of Barcelona, Spain.

Here's more information about my trip in a press release that will be distributed in coming days. I wanted you to be the first to see it!

WESTPORT ARTIST SELECTED FOR RESIDENCY IN SPAIN

Westport-based artist Maddy Bragar will travel to the mountains of Spain this April for a month-long residency and will share her experience through photos and commentary on her personal blog.

Bragar applied for the residency last year, while recovering from a very serious bicycle accident.

"I made a promise to myself that if I regained my mobility I would work not smaller, but larger, and be as adventurous as possible," said Bragar. "This art adventure is about healing, appreciation and determination. It's about the dedication of a community of friends and family who encouraged me to keep moving."

The residency is at the Can Serrat Centro de Actividades Artisticas, located in a rustic farmhouse in Montserrat Natural Park, near the city of Barcelona. She will live in a communal atmosphere with a community of film makers, writers and visual artists from around the world.

"Like my healing, the work will be a discovery of process and materials and time," Bragar said. "I have my tools, brushes and sketch books packed, some paint and canvas, and most of all an open mind."

Bragar's art focuses on assemblage and painting inspired by materials she finds in the natural world. She is particularly interested in the effect of time and erosion on objects related to the sea and farmlands near her home.

"Having my studio in Westport has brought my work into the pine trees, the ever-changing seascape, and the places where people worked with their hands over generations of seasons respecting the elements that simultaneously challenged and sustained their existence."

Bragar has studied with artists including Joan Snyder, John Murray, Jon Ember, Sue Miller and Ron Rizzi, and her on-site work has spanned from the seashores of the East Coast of the United States to the deserts of the American West.

Her work has been featured throughout the South Coast and Boston area. She participates in the DeCordova Museum's Corporate Program, an initiative that provides area businesses with opportunities to support the museum and New England-based contemporary artists, and The Art Drive, an annual event featuring the work of artists based in Westport and Dartmouth.

Readers interested in following Bragar's international experience may visit her personal blog at www.maddybragar.com.

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