Permission to Sketch!

I find this unbelievable. It is actually illegal to sketch on the streets of Barcelona and Valencia without permission. Permission that it seems, is impossible to obtain. Last attempt at the ayuntamiento. Filled in all preliminary forms. Get them stamped. "OK, what next?". "We'll call you". Right. Won't be holding my breath.

I get a mixed response from Policia Local. Some say it's fine if you're just sketching. Others say you need permission and insist I pack-up and leave. It's spoiling any chance of me getting decent work here and saving money to walk to Cuenca. I have a mural to complete. Other than that, I'm restricted to working during siesta for just Onee hour whilst there are no police around and trying to sell sketches illicitly by night alongside drug dealers and purveyors of illegal goods. Barcelona and Valencia make artists feel like criminal scum. I will leave with a prevaling memory of facist cuntism.

Not that I think my art is that good, but...

100 years from now what sort of street art will Barcelona and Valencia have to represent their extrordinarily rich culture in these times? They'll have fuck-all other than commercial, valueless bullshit.

On the face of it, you walk around both cities and feel as though you're surrounded by art from all eras and an overdose of contemporary art. However, it's 90% superficial crap and there is sod all real art going on today. No future Vincents, Henri de Toulose (who I am told used to do similar large scale sketches to my own to pay his way), not even a future Guadi!

So, I'm on a new plan. Just make enough cash to get the fuck out of here and start walking from Cuenca. Hopefully, they treat artists better. If that fails, I head straight to guaranteed work elsewhere and save enough to walk across the plains in winter.

Just about surviving myself ATM. Waking each day with just a couple of €'s in my pocket and scraping enough to pay for bed and meal. Weather has turned shit also. It's tough. It could be much easier if I had permission to sketch. Hoping to find new sponsors, but my own survival is paramount - cold winter coming.

Permission to sketch on your own fucking streets!

Facist Catalunyan scum.