13 june 2008

On the Road to Santiago we stopped at a very special place, a valley that is said to be visited by flying saucers. There also lives an alchemist who works with rocks and their energies. He grinds up the rocks from the region and travels around the world doing this work. People say that beings from outer space taught him this technique.

I was very impressed with the beauty of the colors and he gave me some of it.  Once I was back home, many people asked me for a little bit of that colored rock dust. There were golden, silvery, pink, red and green dusts. It was a treasure. I was excited that I could use this material to make something beautiful once I’d be in Santiago.

On the way, I had been thinking about putting the beautiful mineral powder in boxes so I bought a whole lot of them and left everything neatly stored for the next day when I’d be burying the first frames in Santiago de Compostela.

Despite having worked for several days and driven over 1000 kilometers, I couldn’t sleep that night. When I looked at the clock and realized it was already 5 a.m. Suddenly I intuitively realized that the rocks had an energy that was not compatible with me and my work, but only worked for the Alchemist. I opened the door, put the boxes outside and fell asleep immediately after that.

Cloister of the Faculty of Geography and History

I had arrived in Santiago. I couldn’t say that this would be the end of the pilgrimage, because I’d have to let Nature do its work on my paintings and come back to retrieve them. It was at this Cloister that I left one of my canvases and a copper plate. I decided to leave them blank and let past history penetrate them. So many stories have passed through here! It was with great excitement and the blessing of Santiago and the Virgin Mary that I left my work there that morning.

Soon after we went to Monte do Gozo. A very important stop on the Camino de Santiago. It is the place where pilgrims from all over the world will have the first glimpse of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. And all will feel a sense of joy. I left a copper plate and 2 canvases there, with the help of Angelo and Edinho.