A Messy but Magical Place
“The Skoblar Restaurant offers stunning views.”
I found this beautiful site by wandering around and getting lost in the petite streets of Zadar's old town. I didn't know how hungry I was until I ran into this excellent Restaurant that served me a culinary delight.
It's a dinner in delightful scenery, with beautiful hardwood tables and seating that round up the entire ambience of the Restaurant. The waiter happily recommends the daily special, and I am having Risotto, which indeed is exceptionally delicious and accompanied by Campari an ice.
I am thankful for such a cheerful evening with a magnificent view; I can't take my eyes off the scenery - trying to recognise every little detail.
Thinking that one day, I will bring the gorgeous scenery that unfolds in front of me back to canvas and life.
Three years later, I am sitting in front of a canvas, not knowing what to paint, so I go for a run. This particular night rushes to my mind, and the joyfulness of the moment pulls me in - I am searching my memory for this specific scenery.
In my mind, I am taking a run through the familiar streets of Zadars old town - it feels like a video game.
I am looking right and left, passing by coffee bars, restaurants and souvenir shops along the always bustling but narrow streets filled with tourists and busy waiters who juggle their way through the picturesque streets of the old town. I am leaving the busyness behind in the direction of the Cathedral’s square. Now, I am running past, taking a right 200 more meters down the street, and in my mind, I am turning around. That's where the scenery awakens.
The rust-red house with its awkward shape to the left hits my mind first, then the Restaurant to the right. I remember the pleasant smell of coffee, freshly baked goods, and something indefinable but heavenly. A massive stone sculpture is in the center of the scenery, and a coffee shop and bright buildings are in the distance.
I am so excited that I can't hold it back. The entire painting forms itself in my head, and I am stopping the treadmill to sketch what is rushing through my mind into my phone. A deep breath, and I am sending a thankful prayer to the divinity of creativity. I am running again, wearing this strange but pleasant look accompanied by the perspective streaming through my mind; I am slamming the pause button again and sketching on top of the latest screenshot.
It's a chaotic and colourful mix of hues and lines that show the building's construction, light and shadows, perspective and highlights.
A closer look at the screenshots shows how they form from chaotic, colourful splatters into a plan. Gasing at the open window, a shiver runs down my spine, so I fire at the start button, and I am running again.
On the way home, I already have the entire palette in mind.
I open the door and start looking for the picture from 3 years ago- on my phone, laptop, and hard drive - SHOOT, it's nowhere to find! I must have deleted it. So now what?
The only logical conclusion is to drive 1300 km to the Skoblar Restaurant, order Risotto and take a picture of the stunning scenery.
My mind is spinning between the idea of looking at the place from Google Street View and how many socks and shirts I should pack for the trip.
Within the last 30-something years, I learned that- coffee is the only rational answer to step back and rethink when my mind spins like this.
So I am preparing coffee while music blasts out of the speaker. There!! I notice messages popping up on my phone -a notification from YouTube! ... uploaded a new video …video? video!!! A VIDEO!!!!- I know I took a video 3 years ago. Everything in my hands is flying again, and I am speeding to the laptop, looking for an "antique video."
With a boost of happiness, I am scrolling through my entire Gallerie, knowing the video must be somewhere! The Skoblar shows up, and I take screenshots of the stunning site from a messy but magical place called my cloud.
The original acrylic on canvas painting, Dinner at the Cathedral, measures 40x50 cm and is available here in my shop. For a print version that comes in two sizes, please click here.
