Newspaper articles for March 2020 from IES MAESTRE DE CALATRAVA, Ciudad Real
Exchange.docx
interviewTomelloso.docx
Interview with CLARA LÓPEZ CANTOS
Clara López Cantos (born in Tomelloso, Ciudad Real, 1987). Visual Artist and researcher. She holds a Ph.D. in Arts from UCLM – University of Castilla La Mancha and a post-graduate Master in Contemporary Culture, Literature, Artistic Institutions and Cultural Communication from the UCM (Ortega y Gasset Institute at Madrid Complutense University)
All along her professional career, she has worked on plastic arts, audiovisual edition and educational environment. She has also received training grants in UCLM and the Ministry of Education. As both an artist and researcher she has given speeches and exposed her knowledge both within teams and individually in national and international events.
She worked for the Arts Department in “The Kaleidoscope”, Science and Culture projects in UMHE, Miguel Hernandez University at Elche. She led the artistic and audiovisual training in some educational projects developed there. She also developed contents in the ROS FILM FESTIVAL, a movie convention specialized in sci-fi films with robots, addressing also topics and patterns half way between arts and technologies.
She was editor of the “Resistence Box” magazine, and founding member of the Accent Cultural Association.
She has played as director in the documentaries “A too human dog” and “Words have eyes too”.
On January the 18th 2020 he gave a lecture on video-poetry in the Ciudad Real Municipal Library. This was the reason why we decided to contact her.
(vídeo)
Is your career and job what you expected to have?
Well yes, this is what I wanted. I must confess that reaching this required carrying out other jobs, different from this, but this is what I wanted, I enjoy myself doing it, and I’d like to remain doing it at any cost, don’t I? Arts is a very complicated scope, but when you enjoy it as much as I do, it pays off all other tasks that come in the shed.
Which techniques do you use in painting and drawing?
I use a broad range of technique in drawing, in painting, and in Arts in general. When I worked as a painting teacher for 3,5 years I also learnt about many techniques I had not used until then. My favourite technique is oil painting, since it has so many textures and possibilities. However, when drawing I use pencil, charcoal, “conté”, watercolor… When painting I usually combine oil with acrylic, with other textures, other techniques, so it really depends on what I am doing in that precise moment, and then I choose one or another. But in general, my favourite is oil painting.
What is the most stupid thing you have done in front of (or behind) a camera?
Well, the most of them all in front of – OK, I’ll also say behind – a camera was a night me and some friends went out with a camera to film some random spots. We entered a private property to film a funny video and the alarm went off. When we realized, we were surrounded by policemen. You can see us trying to explain we simply had entered there to record a funny video and they asked and asked more details. Then we had to show them other videos where we played really pathetic, and they started to laugh at us. Well, that’s in front. Behind a camera, well, from a technical perspective, like… What happened?, How silly! We were recording an important interview that had taken us a long time to arrange with the person, and when we had already recorded 15 minutes or 20 we realize, the camerawoman I was training and me, that we had not pressed the record button.
Movies or series you would like to watch?
Well, the movie I’d like to watch and I couldn’t yet is last Woody Allen’s. I can’t think of any series I really would like to see. Maybe next week I discover an interesting series and I start to watch it. Last one I saw, which I really enjoyed, was “Maniac”.
Why are you into Arts?
Well my job is Arts, I can tell you I think I am sort of idyllically in love with Arts. It is a scope that allows us to create new connections and points of view. I think it helps us go forward in a creative way, and this is really rewarding at a personal level. This is not a selfish concept, since you do it as you enjoy it, but also allows you to add your two cents for improving the world, isn’t it? Watching it in a very utopic way, little by little, we can get a lot!
Have you travelled very much?
Very much? Well, I’ve travelled, though less that I’d have liked. Fortunately yes, I have lived in different places and I think this is something necessary, it lets you encompass many points of view which are useful for creating or for simply making a reflection, doesn’t it? Much better than staying anchored at somewhere.
Where would you like to live?
Well, I don’t know right now. I mean, right now, I have recently come back to Tomelloso, and I was living in Alicante before. I know my roots are here. But it does not mean I would stay for ever, I know I’ll be travelling around or living for some short periods in other places, but this is my sort of roots. I know I am not answering the question, I simply would like to live in many places for short periods, so I can get soaked on them, got it? I’d like to travel across Europe, Latin America, Asia… I don’t know, I don’t know how to tell you now a single place.
Favorite historic place?
Favorite historic place? Alhambra in Granada. For me Alhambra is more than anything else, containing many places to admire, but Alhambra has something more, something that surrounds you, and for me it is a place where I have felt something more special, I mean, both visually and in my insight. From a cultural point of view, my favorite is the Queen Sofia Museum, also Louvre impressed me quite a lot and well, for the moment, that’s it, but there are so many others to discover.
How was the video-poetry course you gave in Ciudad Real?
This video-poetry course we have shared today, in reality, has surprised me very much. I have really enjoyed as the user who came, the pupils, were very receptive to everything they received, both theoretical and practical. It is easy to enjoy in such a good environment, as your communication stream flows, doesn’t it? It is an ambiance where people get involved, believe your storyline, are willing to create and make a difference.
Well “Culture Troop”, thanks for your interest. I have like your interview, I hope to will keep doing many things I think have to be done, making the life alive, for so to say. Kisses.
Authors: “Culture Troop” - María José, María Isabel, Adrián, Claudia y Cristina
Original article is available in the school digital newspaper Calatravatimes
Student Exchange between IES MAESTRE DE CALATRAVA and GESAMTSCHULE LIPPSTADT
March 2020
In the week from March the 9th to the 14th, some IES MAESTRE DE CALATRAVA students have enjoyed their stay in the German city of Lippstadt, as an action within the Student Exchange arranged by our High School. It has been an experience for them to learn and get knowledgeable about German culture, an opportunity to set links between the two high schools and a way to exchange ideas for further improvement of both. 22 students of Baccalaureate year 1 and ESO Secondary years 3 and 4, with ages ranging from 14 to 16 years old have participated jointly with two teachers who traveled with them.
During their stay in Lippstadt they have visited neighboring villages like Soek, completed activities like photographic gymkhanas and ice skating, attended classes with their German colleagues and enjoy themselves in sports competitions between schools.
The last day, when coming back to Madrid airport, the arrival was some complicated due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemia mobility constraints set by the authorities. Both parents and teachers were longing to see them back in Ciudad Real, but we all finally managed to succeed in the return operation and the students were able to come back and share with their families their unforgettable experience.
Original article is available in the school digital newspaper Calatravatimes
