Olive Trees, Casares
Like Istan and Grazalema, painting subjects I often return to , Casares is one of the distinctive 'white villages' of Andalusia.
And like Istan and Grazalema, I have not actually visited Casares, but only seen it from a distance.
The inspiration for this painting is a day out in the mountains, being driven in a jeep, as part of a 'Safari Adventure' tour, which had taken us into the heart of the Sierra de las Nieves national park.
A fascinating day out, which included picking olives, and a lesson in sling-shooting from a goatherd, was drawing to a close as we headed back to the coast, when Alvaro, our guide, pointed out his home village, shimmering in the early evening sun, quite a way in the distance.
That was Casares and for me this painting is not just about the view but about the whole hot, dusty day.