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A holiday in Menorca is a journey into a picturesque paradise. With its shimmering beaches, lush tropical landscapes and charming villages full of whitewashed churches and red-roofed houses, it has inspired many who flock to its sandy shores. One artist, Manel Anoro, was so taken aback with this jewel of an island that he established a studio here, where he has worked to capture the vibrancy and energy of its land and its people. Background Born in Barcelona in 1945, Manel Anoro was brought up in his mother’s dressmaking shop. Surrounded by piles of fabric scraps of different shapes, sizes, hues and textures, he cultivated a love of the visual arts from an early age. After working for fifteen years as a systems engineer, he turned back on that profession and began to paint. Today, he is a hugely successful painter, with over 70 solo exhibitions to his name. He divides his time between Catalonia and Menorca, with studios in both locations. However, it is in the latter studio, in Biniarroca, where he does the most work. Manel and Menorca Anoro often paints outdoors, and his depictions of Menorca’s beautifully varied landscape have led him all over it. The artist claims to know the island ‘like the back of his hand’ as a result of his outdoor painting sessions. In his paintings of Menorca’s landscapes, villages and people, he captures the buzz and sizzle of this Balearic island. Working with bright shades of blue, green, yellow and red, the artist renders the scarlet roofs, whitewashed walls, verdant vegetation, cobalt cloudless skies, turquoise waters, golden sands and orange sunsets. His brushstrokes are bold and loose, giving the paintings a sense of movement and dynamism. The overall effect is that of a tropical kaleidoscope, continually shifting and glittering in the sun. So evocative are his depictions of island life, that to view Anoro’s paintings is almost like taking a virtual holiday to the places they depict. A Storyteller Despite the undeniably eye-pleasing nature of his paintings, Anoro insists that he is not a painter of beauty. Rather, he considers himself ‘a painter of happy situations’ – a storyteller. What he wants most, he says, is to paint about those things for which he cannot find the words: ‘the blinding brightness of Menorca… the colours of Senegal…’ Some visitors on holiday in Menorca may experience the same sensation as Anoro – that words are simply not enough to describe this spectacular island. Catching a Glimpse of Anoro’s Menorca Dozens of Anoro’s paintings, including many of Menorca, can be viewed and purchased on the artist’s website. A vivid glimpse of island life, these stunning works may just inspire you to take a holiday in Menorca too. Author Plate Brenda Jaaback, Managing Director of Bartle Holidays, is a renowned Menorca expert. From its history to its people and from its wildlife to its cuisine - no secret of the island remains hidden to her. Personally selecting the finest properties for her clients, Brenda is the go-to person for anyone planning a relaxing holiday to Menorca.
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