Page 331 - YGARTUA : The Work Of A Genius
P. 331

my Grandparents are without doubt the best memories of my
               So my  brother and I had the opportunity to experience not only the        childhood. The annual visit to the Basque Country has converted

               Basque Community in Liverpool, but we also spent every summer              into a family tradition for me. Before with my parents and now with
               in the Basque country to  visit our family, to be with our cousins, to     my wife and children and now my grandchildren. It was important

               learn the Spanish language and experience the unforgettable fiestas,       for my Father to impregnate the Basque pride and teach us the
               the quadrillas –it was part of our life. He never got over leaving the     importance of his pueblo Gorliz, and now I consider it my duty to

               Basque country, only 18 years of age, severed from his country and         pass on this pride and enduring resilience to the next generation.
               family; it was a time of suffering for many. Possibly due to these         My Basque roots and my love for this country are stronger than

               circumstances, his pride and perseverance to preserve his Basque           ever and this is the reason why I return every year.
               heritage was foremost. His dream was to retire to the Basque
               Country, but unfortunately he passed away when he was 64.                  I GUESS IT  WAS QUITE IMPORTANT FOR  YOU, SINCE  YOU KEEP

                                                                                          COMING  BACK  EVERY  SUMMER WITH YOUR WIFE AND YOUR
               YOUR MOTHER WAS A PAINTER AS WELL, WAS SHE A BIG INFLUENCE?                CHILDREN. WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO LEARN FROM

               My Mother gave me the opportunity to paint and draw when I was            THIS EXPERIENCE?
               very young; I painted alongside her from the age of six during our        The Basques fought so hard to preserve their race and culture that
               summer holidays in the Basque Country. She was the only reason             one cannot go to the Basque Country without feeling this pride

               why I got to art school, she insisted that I go; she knew that was         and admiration of their resilience and determination. My children,
               my direction. She created the possibility for me to start painting.  I     I want them to learn that there is a place in everybody’s heart that

               did go to art school, but my Father insisted that I take an industrial     they have to return to and I want them to have that same sensation
               design course rather than fine arts as he felt that one must have          of belonging, a connection to our ancestors.
               a profession that would guarantee employment.  You don’t realize

               when you are young that your parents do have an influence on your          CAN’T HELP TO MENTION THE BEATLES, SINCE I LEARNED YOU WENT
               future, but often this is the case.                                       TO THE LIVERPOOL ART COLLEGE WITH JOHN LENNON. HOW DID

                                                                                          IT FEEL TO BE PART OF THAT CREATIVITY, OF A GENERATION THAT
               WHEN AND WHERE DID YOU BEGIN TO FEEL THAT, YES, YOU MIGHT                  WAS MAKING SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW? DID IT INFLUENCE
               ALSO HAVE THAT TALENT AND THAT PASSION?                                   YOUR ART?

               My big inspiration has been my wife, Joanne and my Father-in-law.          In the 60’s Liverpool was the melting pot for talent, everybody was
               They recognized the talent that I had, they challenged me, they            close to somebody that ended up famous, but by the mid-60’s

               believed in me. You don’t just become an artist; it took me thirty         people were leaving and Liverpool started to lose its popularity.
               years to break through the barriers, painting every day.
                                                                                         THE BEATLES

               WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THAT FIRST SUMMER IN GORLIZ?                 They proved that one can become famous, even if they came from
               HOW OLD WERE YOU?                                                          Liverpool, made you believe everything is  possible.  Liverpool was

               I had my own donkey at four and half years of age in the Basque            like Nashville in the sixties, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cabaret Club,
               Country, he was the same age as me and he was born on the                  private live-music parties and wild weekends. The road manager for

               family farm – they said it was mine and his name was Mayo. The             the Road Runners was a good friend and through him I met a lot of
               traditions, the family farmhouse, Amezaga, my Aunts and Uncles,            the up and coming pop groups. I knew the Beatles before Epstein,






                                                                                       327
   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336