Welcome to A Creative Spark - Part III

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A creative spark is guaranteed to hit when exploring an unfamiliar place. It’s invigorating to travel and experience new things. I feel truly fortunate to live in Spain where there are so many inspiring places to visit. I have a real life here where I work, buy groceries, and visit the dentist, but there are so many moments when I’m surrounded by a foreign culture and ancient history that I feel like I’m a perpetual tourist.

Places of inspiration: Salamanca, Spain

Last month, some family visited and we went to Salamanca, a medieval university town about two and a half hours from Madrid by car. The center of the town is composed of many beautiful ochre-colored stone structures from the Gothic to Baroque periods; if it weren’t for the lively university students, you’d feel like you had gone back in time as it’s all so well preserved and uniform. It’s charming, but I have to admit that I’m partial to Salamanca because the first time I ever came to Spain was to attend a summer study abroad program there. I was 19 years old, didn’t know a soul, and had never been to Europe. The trip was awesome, but it had its rough spots. I barely spoke Spanish and had a terrible case of culture shock, but it was also one of the most formative experiences I had in college. That introduction to Spain, Europe, and art history has everything to do with where I am today.

The massive cathedral of Salamanca is the central gem of the town. As an American, I’m always astounded by how old things are in Europe. The cathedral is actually composed of two: the old cathedral is in the Romanesque style and the new cathedral is Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. Construction of the old cathedral began in the 12th century and the new cathedral was completed in the 18th century.

The new cathedral of Salamanca, Spain

Apart from the religious and social functions of cathedrals, they are works of incredible ingenuity in various forms of art. They took centuries and generations of laborers and artisans to complete. Just imagine the architect who drew up the plans for a building that he knew he’d never live to see fully realized. Cathedrals are the result of human ambition and faith on the grandest scale. That stone can be laid to lift a ceiling to the heavens is an amazing architectural feat. The vast space inside of a cathedral is a singular sensation and it’s no wonder that you feel both insignificant in proportion and in the presence of mystical greatness. It’s an ideal environment to tune in to the mysteries of our existence.

The accumulation of centuries of detail is what blows my mind while walking through a cathedral and the cathedral of Salamanca highlights this in the famous astronaut carving that was added to the facade in the 1990s as a symbol of the modern age. It’s adorable and it makes the visit more fun for tourists. There are other details that were added during that restoration, such as a dragon creature eating a double-scoop of ice cream in a cone. Can you spot him here?

Each of us experiences a work of art differently, so what I focused on in the cathedral of Salamanca might not be what you would. A trip to Spain is incomplete without visiting Salamanca, so I recommend that you visit Salamanca yourself. I can share my perspective, however – whenever I’m in a cathedral I’m on a hunt for decorative ironwork, baroque patterns, and any imagery with wings. These elements show up in my own artwork quite often. Here are a few of my photos.

Pattern upon pattern, gold upon gold.

A carved wooden seat in the choir. Looks like a Green Man.

Wonderfully ornate with so much gold.

This wrought iron fencing is wild to me. There are skulls, thorny roses, dolphins, and phytomorphic legless figures. The artist really let their weird imagination loose.

You’ve heard of ghost signs? This is a ghost mural. The classical building seems to have been painted on top of the Romanesque mounted figure.

Two magpies flanking a parakeet. If parakeets have been in Spain this long, why are they still considered an invasive species?

The imaginative carvings at the top of the columns in the old cathedral are varied; each one is completely different, showing frightening faces, fantastical animals, strange figures, and decorative motifs.

Seeking out places of inspiration that intrigue and delight you is an excellent way to find a creative spark. And it’s not necessary to go far from home to do so. A sense of adventure and curiosity is all you need to explore a state park, a small museum, or a cute town and get a new perspective that encourages you to create.

Where is your favorite place for artistic inspiration? Any questions about Salamanca? Have you been inside a cathedral? Share your experience in the comments.