August 2014
29
gourmet today
In love with Gozo When walking around Gozo, most establishments make the most of Gozo’s deep history offering a taste of traditional life at every turn. Haven gift shop offers something a little different modern gifts of love that can be personalised to individual taste. As you step over the threshold into the cool shop, owner Christiana Attard greets you from over her paints. She is painting a child’s name-plaque in beautiful shades of
red and decorating with ribbons and other trinkets. Although most of the items in the shop are imported, she goes the extra mile to give everything a personal touch. Whether you’re looking for a gift for a partner, child or friend, a gift from Haven will show you care. Or why not indulge in something pretty for yourself, to give your personal space that extra touch of warmth. Summer opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 – 12:30; 16:30 – 19:00. Saturday: 9:30 – 14:00.
Haven 18, Main Gate Street, Victoria,Gozo Email: haven.malta@gmail.com Find us on Facebook - haven.malta
GOZO as an inspiration Jörg Böttcher moved to Gozo to paint many moons ago. He talks to Gourmet TODAY about what inspired him to make the move and still inspires him to create great art What inspired you to become an artist? The freedom to do what you like. When you are young, mostly, you don’t know what to do with your life. I was bored with my jobs, so I opened a small shop where I could combine my passion for art and make a living from it – my gallery was born. What brought you to Gozo? I was travelling through the Mediterranean and happened upon Gozo in 1978. I was fascinated with the colours and light what I found here and nine years later I came back and I fell for the same attraction to the island like the first time. It was like igniting an old flame. A year later I bought my 300-year-old farmhouse and moved 1992 to Gozo to paint.
What inspires you to paint? The idea of art is to create something that is personal to the artist. I find music very inspiring as it reflects different moods. One day it’s blues, the next Spanish guitar or ethnic music. Last year I did a couple of ‘music related’ paintings, which was really fun. In 2012 I was really inspired by aboriginal art. I am always in search of something that inspires creativity. What inspires your photography? Very simply, light and shadows. I first used my photographs as ideas for my paintings, but this later developed into an art form of its own. My subjects are more details of everyday life – facades, doors, balconies, fish, fruits and my cats. The last years I started body-painting on 3D canvases, the human body. In this art I put abstract
painting and photography together. Sometimes I use big abstract work as a backdrop for the bodypainting, and after the painting process I take the photos in different poses till I got the perfect shot. Jörg Böttcher will be hosting his annual exhibition from 22 August to 24 August from 11:00 to 19:00. Prints of both paintings and photographs will be on sale starting from €8. Dana Kranz will also be exhibiting her glass art collection
The Farmhouse Gallery Jörg Böttcher 21,Skapuccinastr, ZZB 1326. Zebbug, Gozo Tel. 2156 1434 • mob. 99228770 e-mail : art@joergboettcher.com website: www.joergboettcher.com