by Britt Zaist

There are flamenco shows at El Tupinamba every Friday and Saturday night. The dancers change weekly. Henry Vermillion (my husband and fellow artist) went with friends last Friday and saw two of the best, Sally Avigdor and Alejandro Soleó López, accompanied by the Ayala brothers, Ulises on voice and guitar, and Omar on flamenco cajón (percussion).

Over the years, Henry and I have always enjoyed seeing Sally and Alejandro perform here in San Miguel. Once they had an incredible flamenco show at the Angela Peralta Theater with over 12 musicians and dancers.

Eleven years ago, I had a solo show at Cafe Iberico (across the street from our gallery, Galeria Izamal when it was next to the Angela Peralta Theater). I asked Alejandro to model for me for this. I drew him using a permanent marker brush on paper rather than my trademark ink drawing with an ink stopper (the top of an ink bottle). He assumed and held many flamenco dancer poses wonderfully.

I sold them all except one that I wanted to keep for myself, that I still have and won't part with. I kept three other pieces from that show and sold the rest.

Of all the gesture drawings I've done over many years, I have only kept four original large ink drawings and this one gesture marker drawing of Alejandro with his arms spread out at his sides. I have made my work into reproductions but all the other originals (so far) have been sold. I wonder where they all are and if they even still exist.

Go to this flamenco show. You'll feel as if you are in Spain having a wonderful evening, an evening you won't soon forget. And while you are there, see Henry's work in the bar. Ulises took a photo of Henry at a table near his paintings. They are wonderful, too.

I stayed up way too late last night putting together this post. I know many of you are back "home" but for those of you here or near) do stop in on Friday or Saturday at 9:30pm to have a wonderful evening as we did - and always do - at El Tupinamba, Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant, Zacateros 45. Marcial Herce, matador and owner of "El Tupi," is an incredible host, who welcomes you as a friend. There is a minimum consumption of $250, which is a steal as the tapas and drinks are fantastic.

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Britt Zaist, a native New Yorker, received her art training at the famous Art Students League of New York City where she is a Life Member. She is also widely known for her sumptuous abstractions in colored permanent inks. These paintings are in the collections of IBM, Konica Mfg., Burroughs Wellcome, The Knoxville-Tennessee Airport and other national and international corporations.

www.brittzaist.com

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