Interviewing artists and musicians is fascinating and most enjoyable. It is a privilege and I always appreciate the time they afford me. Trying to dig as deep as I dare without being too familiar or intrusive can be a delicate balance though and I have caught myself erring on the side of caution at times, being perhaps a little too formal and as a result falling a little short of finding out as much as I need for the article. Discovering by chance that a new friend happens to be an internationally acclaimed and highly talented artist, someone who is happy to spend the evening with you, chatting in a relaxed and informal manner about life, the universe and some of the more ordinary bits in between is a completely different matter.

Sitting in the shade of a palm tree one evening late in June beside the swimming pool at a hotel near Fuengirola, we were enjoying a quiet dinner and glass of wine before going in to town to see a tribute to the Doors, called naturally Riders of the Storm, performed by Barry George and his band at Sal’s Paradise. Rosemary and Kenny arrived back after a day of exploration in Malaga and we introduced ourselves. Quite at home in the water, Kenny was providing encouragement for Rosemary who was in a swimming pool for only the second time in her life, determined to learn to swim. The subject of art surfaced quite naturally as we all admired the beauty of Andalucia in general and the fabulous beauty of the hotel’s well established garden in particular. “I actually usually prefer sub zero temperatures,” said Rosemary out of the blue as we drank in the heavenly balmy breeze together with our delicious Spanish wine, shaking our heads in disbelief.
Rosemary Hayes began drawing and painting at an early age and studied art at the University College of the Frazer Valley. She lives on Vancouver Island in Canada and is known worldwide for her very unusual and sensational ‘Ice Paintings’, which all began as an experiment during a very cold Canadian winter in 1992. “When it’s –6 to –10 degrees below zero and the wind is swirling ice crystals about, I work my magic with watercolours and mother nature.”
Rosemary explained that after doing a sketched outline she wraps up warm, including a scarf around her mouth and nose, and goes outside, painting with watercolours. Icicles settle on the painting and when they dry later, the water having evaporated, they have an intriguing effect on the artwork, unlike anything we have ever seen before. When the conditions are not ideal Rosemary sometimes works in a nearby meat locker and ice hockey arena, quite comfortable working in temperatures that would probably finish us off completely. “The only problem she does have,” explained her partner Kenny, an ex-merchant marine from Scotland, “is with the colour yellow. It seems to be too warm for the icicles.” Kenny and Rosemary, who are property developers in Canada, were in Spain on a journey of reconnaissance, perhaps in the market for a renovation project somewhere on the Costa del Sol, perhaps coming here to stay.
“Why have you come to Spain?” I asked Rosemary, who had just been explaining how much she loves life in Canada, particularly the wildlife, including bears, cougars and whales.
“There is so much here to paint,” she said immediately, “the people are so expressive and colourful, the countryside is wonderful, I keep seeing things I want to get down on canvas.”
Our new friends accepted our invitation to join us and we were whisked by taxi down the busy motorway to the beachfront at Fuengirola, arriving in time for a walk along the beach which was teeming with hundreds of people celebrating the San Juan Festival, the changeover from Spring to Summer. We picked our way along the beach between dozens of smoking barbecues, excited youngsters dancing, occasional daredevils leaping over the flames of fires in the sand, children splashing in the shallow waters and more mature types stretching out on chairs with cool bags close at hand. One family had even brought down two huge sofas for that special home-from-home extra comfort.
Comfortably seated ourselves a little later at a table right next to the stage we continued talking as Barry tuned up his guitar beside us. Rosemary told us that she preferred bright colours as a rule, which was reflected by the matching cerise of her blouse and Kenny’s shirt, her favourite artists being impressionists, such as Monet.
“Why do you like impressionists in particular?” I asked her.
“It’s the simplicity of colour and images,” she said, “simplicity is often the key.”
The band simply rocked the house, too hot without a doubt for swirling icicles, the highlight for this unashamed Doors lover being ‘Come on baby, light my fire’ and then we were in a cab again, racing back to the hotel for a cup of coffee beneath the stars beside the swimming pool.
Good evening. Great artist. Good company.

Visit Rosemary's website: www.rosemaryhayes.com