A friend recently sent me this National Geographic travel article featuring an image of Ascensor Artilleria, the cable car I painted in Valparaiso Chile in 2011.
Seeing the train brought back a rush of memories. The ascensor is in use all day taking locals and tourists up the iconic lookout and so I had to paint in the off hours; 10pm-7am. They gave me the keys to the place. It was amazing. Friends would often come keep me company down at the station and my friend Nathan Austin organized for different local bands to play inside the famous trains as we painted. He dubbed them the “Ascensor Sessions.” I spent only two nights of about 30 there painting alone.
The Ascensor Sessions
Having just finished painting a sirena (mermaid) on the side of a tour boat in the harbor I had a good sense of the vibe of the port of Valparaiso which smelled of old stories, shiprwrecks and myth. Before starting to paint the ascensor I walked all over the city so that I could absorb the energy of the streets. I passed many churches and religious sculptures and it was clear that both religion and myth were revered in Valparaiso. There is a faded splendor and the colorful city is flooded with character and culture. Vibrant paintings cover nearly every wall. It’s like a labyrinth of art. It’s no wonder why National Geographic listed Valparaiso, Chile as one of the top places to visit in 2013.
La Sirena, in the harbor of Valparaiso.
Inspired by the city and the cable cars themselves I decided to paint one car as the Sun Car and the other as the Moon Car because they rise and set like the sun and moon. On the sides I painted the goddesses of the four elements, on the backs I painted the jumbled, stacked houses of the city and the boats of the harbor and on the fronts of the cars I painted two eyes, representing the eyes of God watching over the city. When the two cars line up in the middle of the hill there is a brief moment where the eyes meet.
I will never forget the morning around 7am when they started up the cable car while I was still on top of it painting. The car jolted and lurched forward and my heart stopped as I nearly fell off, shouting to the woman with the controls.
Here are some more photos of the cable car and the painting process,
On top of the Moon Car, Painting the Virgin Mary with the sacred heart on her chest.
Goddess of Air on the Moon Car
Painting the Fire Goddess on the Sun Car
The Sun Car
Here is a VIDEO made by my friend Nathan Austin about the painting of Ascensor Artilleria
Speaking of travel destinations I am currently in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In tribute to my uncle, “travel-guru" Rick Steves my next post will list my top 10 "Road Less Traveled” things to do and see in the beautiful city of Rio. Rick has always encouraged traveling “as a local” and getting off the beaten trail. Rick is a tremendous inspiration to me, encouraging me to write and showing me through example that you can life a life of passion and live it well. Thanks to you, Uncs!