For the past 15 years each August I spend all or part of my summer vacation in Sardinia, an Island that is part of Italy. Sardinia is best known for its beautiful beaches and sea. The colors of the Sardinian sea range from light blue to turquoise to dark blue. I spend literally hours on the beach relaxing and allowing my creative juices to regenerate.
This summer my good friend Sergio insisted that we do something cultural. So one morning he woke me up early, we got dressed and had breakfast at a wonderful place right on the beach.Nuraghe
Afterwards he said he had a surprise for me. Twenty minutes later I let out a shout as Sergio drove up to a Nuraghe, an ancient Sardinian dwelling. The Nuraghi were constructed between the 18th and 15th centuries BC. I had often heard about them but had never seen one let alone find myself at the foot of the immense structure.
In my girly sandals (not appropriate for the task) I climbed up to the structure and was filled with awe.
Almost immediately after we went to an outdoor market where I often go to chat with a Sardinian artisan who hand weaves baskets. Antonello is one of the most friendly and talented artists that I have ever met. We spent time discussing ideas for new designs and a few days later he has use those ideas to create a new basket design.
Nuraghe Basket
So you can just imagine what happened when I enthusiastically described the Nuraghe which he knows so much better than I do. When we met the following weekend Antonello had created a basket version of the Nuraghe.
Exchanging ideas with other artists is just another way my life is enriched by the work that I do.
Enjoy,
Debra
