Given the choice, where would you go?

For us, it’s somewhere meaningful.

And significant.

“You must always plant your feet firmly on the ground if you want to be able to jump up in the air.” ~Joan Miro

…and the air sustains our breath allowing us to see new things, live in the moment, and create our ongoing realities….and the ground provides a foundation, supporting our inspiration and offering stability.

And the voice of Barcelona is singing her magical song, beckoning us to explore the birthplace of the many creative spirits she has delivered…

 Barcelona

 The Catalonian capital oozes with creativity of times past, swirling surreal imagery, combining dark gothic history with whimsical dreamscapes. But the character of creativity runs deeper than what’s on the surface. Barcelona seems to stand in contradiction with time, hosting creative movement upon movement onto a singular point, as if stacking delicate pieces of gold leaf to create a gilded tower of culture. Layer the creative energies of painters Picasso, Dali and contemporary Tapies with architect Gaudi, on top of writer Francesc Pujols and anarchist Francisco Ferrer (creator of the modern school movement) and we’re just scratching the surface . There are more stories to uncover, more history to experience and more secrets of the past to be revealed.

It’s there. And it inspires.

And as a child, I was inspired by one of Barcelona’s inhabitants: The spirit of Spanish artist, Joan Miró, whom, as you’ve likely guessed, my son was named after.

from this article:

* CC license below

Joan Miro: THE FINEST PAINTER to be associated with Surrealism, Joan Miró created a pictorial world of radiant, imaginative, and formal power. His unique language of visual signs and his radical treatment of space made possible an art of transformations. He envisioned the world as the site of ceaseless mutations between the terrestrial and the celestial. Yet, Miró’s art remains very close to the observed, to the sense–if not always to the retinal experience–of things seen. He was adamant that his art was never abstract, maintaining that it always was based on reality. His works are vivid records of what was most real to him–the transactions between the sensuous and the spiritual.

But it’s not because Joan Miró is considered a national treasure. It’s not becasue his images are an integral part of modern Spanish consciousness. It’s not because Miró’s symbolism is found throughout Barcelona, as murals, sculptures, mosaics and gardens. It’s not because Miró is one of the leaders of the surrealist movement.

…but those are all good reasons….

It’s because Joan Miró’s vision has provided a deep inspiration which changed the course of my life.

Without his influence in my life, I am certain we would not be on the path we are currently on.

When we read about the Go With Oh Blogger competition, we were excited to participate. You see, there is no doubt Miro and I would some day explore the beautiful city of Barcelona together.

But we’d like to go now.

This is a significant time in Miro’s life. You have witnessed him grow up over the last three years since we’ve began  our journey. But this April, Miro makes his transition into his teenage years. I think it would be an incredible rights of passage, for him to discover Barcelona and explore his namesake.

5 Things on Our Wish List:

Here’s our list of five things we’d like to experience together in Barcelona:

1. Spend time with my son Miro at the La Fundació Joan Miró 
2. Discover Barcelona’s whimsical architecture designed by Antoni Gaudi, like Park Güell,
Sagrada Familia  and Casa Batlló.
3. Roam through the gothic quarter with Miro, walk on down the same streets Picasso did, taste tapas, drink sangria (just me of course).
4. Stroll down the Rambles together.
5. Explore Montjuic, the gardens and the castle, visit the Palau Nacional and witness the magical fountain.

(Yep, that’s me, about 20 years ago) My Miro tattoo

Choose us!

If we were chosen as the next guest bloggers, we’d like to share with you our journey through the magical city of Barcelona, from not only a mom & son’s perspective, but as two people who are emotionally connected to a city who’s spirit has profoundly touched both of our lives.

It would also give me the opportunity to share with you the story of how Joan Miró’s art work  forever changed my life. Through his work, a very bitter 12-year-old-girl changed her perspective of the world. Yes, it was that significant to me.

If you didn’t know,  have tattooed over 1/3rd of my body with his art work and of course named my only son in his honor. Barcelona is a very special place to us, just as our experience promises to be.

So, if you like our story, please retweet it.

Once again, given the choice, where would you go?

You know OUR answer.

All images used in this post fall under the CC (creative commons) license, unless otherwise noted.