Artists in Moclín

Manolo Caba, sculptor and passionate amateur historian. Manolo was born in Moclín in 1944 and has lived here all his life. His love for his home and all things connected to it is immediately obvious. He is the person to ask if you have any questions about the history of Moclín, what to see and where to go, (although sometimes the answers you may get may be as creative as his artwork). A compulsive collector, Manolo never seems to throw anything away. Most things find a place in his museum, or workshop, although he does give things away to friends. (We have a writing desk made from a marble table top which Manolo rescued from a café Lorca and his friends used to frequent. We keep hoping for literary inspiration!) .

Manolo’s career as a sculptor began on 6 January 1954 when he was given a toolset as a present at Epiphany. He has enjoyed a long and varied career, including a post at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios in Granada where he taught sketching.

Manolo works in metal, usually iron. He has exhibited widely, including Sotogrande in the province of Cadiz and Granada Town Hall. He is currently working on designs for a commission for the village green in Broadbottom, Greater Manchester. He produces both figurative and abstract pieces, many of which reflect his love of nature and village life (Hedge of Reeds, Shepherd). He also has a love of literature, dance and the cinema. In 2005 he exhibited a series of sculptures inspired by Don Quijote, to mark the 400th anniversary of the novel’s publication. His most recent temporary exhibition was in Granada in 2007, entitled “Smiles in Metal”, where his sculptures of famous Spanish cartoonists formed part of the 1st International Exhibition of Humorous Graphic Art.

Visit the Posito del Pan in Moclín to see a permanent exhibition of his work, then visit the Shrine of Saint Anthony to see the Stations of the Cross which are also by Manolo. After that have a drink in Meson Colo and see the Dove (Paloma) behind the bar. Visit our virtual gallery and Manolo Caba Gallery now to see “Grandfather”, “Dancer”, “Kiss” “Ballet”, “Shepherd”, “Yerma- Hommage to Lorca” and more.

Chris Connell was born in Edinburgh in 1939. He started life as architectural draughtsman, studying at Edinburgh College of Art, and was awarded Inter ARIBA in 1961. From 1961 to 1967 he worked as an architectural draughtsman in his home town and abroad, in Cyprus and Aden. During this period he studied and practised his art in his free time and held his first Exhibition in Edinburgh in 1962 in association with his mother, also an artist. During the period 1968 to 1971 Chris lived and worked in Cyrus, he returned to Scotland in 1971 to study art and obtained a place at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen where he received his diploma in 1976. He was awarded two scholarships by the Greek Government (1976 and 1978)and an award of £1,000 from the British Academy in London.

Chris Connell travelled to the Cyclades and made a study of village life in the southern islands, particularly Amorgos. He had two large exhibitions in Athens of the scholarship work and published his book on this in Nafplion in 1981. He took up a peripatetic art teacher's job in Dunoon, Argyll and worked there from 1979 until 1992. When not teaching he travelled extensively and exhibited in Europe and Scotland. In 1992 he obtained early retirement from teaching in Dunoon and moved to a family cottage in Berwickshire where he devoted his time to art and music. He exhibited frequently in Cyprus, Europe and his home town of Dunbar. In 2006 he moved down to live with his sister Brigit Forsythin the village of Broadbottom in Cheshire. In 2005 he discovered the mountain village of Moclin in Andalucia. In October 2007, after Chris had been painting in Moclin, his English village became twinned with that Andalucian village and the Mayor has invited him to exhibit his works in an exhibition in October 2008.

Visit Chris Connell's Virtual Gallery to see his works.

Kim Angela Mayo

Visit Kim Mayo's Virtual Gallery to see her work.