Rosa Fernández
Colorearte has grown up in the area of Capileira in Granada. This is a community of painters, poets, photographers, and sculptors that have joined forces to make their dream a reality: to make their living from their artistic merits. In the Alpujarra a large number of artists have gathered together, who search untiringly in that miraculous natural setting where a special energy flows, close to the skies, in an area that is already renowned for its beauty. 
Two years ago, Cristóbal, Paco, Magi and Jaime decided to ‘colorearse’, or change colour, both inside and out. So, the four members founded an association whose aim was to promote the art of the Alpujarra and its “jewel”, Capileira, as Cristóbal refers to it. Colorearte is more than just a project, it is a way of life for a community of painters, sculptors, poets and photographers, that join forces to fulfil their dream of make their living from their artistic merits.
On Monday morning, armed with their paintbrushes and easels, they go in search of the best image to capture in their works. On the way, the inhabitants of the area greet them, ask them questions and admire them. A man with his back turned, holding a paintbrush, is already part of the scenery of Capileira; just like Capileira, they become a perfectly integrated part of his paintings. In the art exhibitions, the locals like to look at themselves in the canvases, recognise their chimneys, “the watchmen of the Alpujarra”, as Paco says–, remember those who are no longer with them and have been immortalized in the watercolours.
“Shall we go to the countryside or the village?”, says one of them, whilst they have a coffee in the square. Today it’s the village. Without saying a word, they pick up their tools and implements and walk downhill. Everyone greets them. Jaime interrupts the barking of the “painter´s dog” of Paco. “We have to get together to make the calendar”. It’s one of their projects, which consists of planning all the activities of Colorearte, so as not to leave anything to chance: cinema-forum, talks about art and the magazine, the spirit of the association. This has collaborations from various artists of the vicinity. The Alpujarra has gathered together a multitude of creative artists, who search untiringly in that miraculous natural setting where a special energy flows, close to the skies, in an area that is already renowned.
Paco has lived for 17 years in Capileira. He has seen his children grow up there and confesses that he has not grown tired of the lifestyle he came to find there. “It is an ideal place for children, because the most that can happen to them is that they fall over when they go on their own to school”, he jokes. Jaime assures us that there is “a sort of corporate protection from all the neighbours”, which is the closest thing to a family. “Although they don’t know you, the people go outside in the cool night air, and share conversations and whatever else they have”. The idea came up for Colorearte during one of these conversations outside, in the fresh clean air of the Alpujarra.
These artists, who come from very different places (Cristóbal and Magi are English, Paco is from Madrid and Jaime is from Sevilla) complain that it is very difficult to make their living from their art, and, in the case of the Englishman, to be accustomed to live “with very little”. They don’t want to even hear about mobile phones or the Internet. They haven’t needed the Internet to promote their paintings, which are dispersed worldwide. “Paintings of mine are in the five continents, and I’ve been told that there is a good collection in Australia”. This is possible, thanks to the numerous tourists who visit their art gallery, located in the village square.
The dream of Colorearte is to obtain an arts patron who would let them cover their cultural worries, and at the same time promote every part of Capileira. They have already tried everything with the institutions. “They mean well”, admits Cristóbal, but it is not enough. “We want to get this project off the ground, whatever it takes”, underlines Jaime.
Magi was a Fine Arts teacher in England who one day decided to take drastic measures with her burnout syndrome , and move to Capileira. Her reward: a better quality of life.
Once the day’s work is over opposite the calle del Silencio or in the countryside, a bucolic landscape with cows and horses, clouds above and the group of houses in the background, they share their experiences and knowledge of art, each one different from the other, and they say goodbye until the next cinema lover´s meeting or the following Monday. During these days they have free, they shut themselves up in their studios to add the first or final brush strokes to a painting that they have left to paint each day.
Colorearte:
CONCEPT
It is the initiative of painters of Capileira with a common objective: the interpretation of values that characterize the culture.
GROUP
Paco Bravo (from Madrid), Cristóbal Hoare (English, from Colchester), Jaime Avilés (from Sevilla) y Margaret Pishneschin (English, from Totnes). Enrollment is open for new members.
HARMONY
They pursue balance and harmony in both their work and lives, in any place where man is at one with nature.
WORK
This develops from the Mondays they spend together every week.
OUTINGS
Regardless of the weather conditions, the group leaves Capileira early in the morning or after sunset. They wander the streets, orchards, farmhouses and mountain slopes until they find the perfect place to paint.
MOTIFS OR SUBJECT MATTER
These range from the most insignificant little flower to the most impressive mountain, such as the Mulhacén.
MEETING
Man does not live by painting alone, however. The artists also organize other activities such as exhibitions, cinema forum, or talks about art. They share their experiences, friendship, bread and wine.
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© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
