A joint exhibition of the Artist Andalucia group from the Serranía de Ronda and Northern Cadiz yesterday launched their most recent exhibition at the Grazalema Tourist Information Centre using the large gallery space to full advantage. Two of the artists were particularly pleased that sales of their works were made on the first day of opening.

Artist Andalucia is made up of Alfredo Lopez, Joe Gilronan, Frank Hair, Patricia Lane, Pauline Emmens, Alan Pearson, Christine Ellingham, and Ron Morley, all of whom are based in Benaojan, Montejaque and Olvera.

A very large crowd of visitors descended on the Tourist Centre to see the exhibition, with Clive Muir, owner of the centre estimating over 500 people made it for the first 4 hours of opening. Guests included large numbers of expatriate residents and Spaniards from Grazalema interested in seeing such a large exhibit.

Patricia Lane, a local artist from Montejaque in the Guardiaro Valley was first to sell a piece, nearly two hours before the exhibit opened with the buyer sneaking into the exhibit space to get claim their desired painting. Patricia confided to Ronda Today that she was absolutely shocked, but delighted all the same since she had a goal of selling just one painting, luckily extra paintings were on hand to avoid an empty space as guests, friends, and art afficionados started arriving.

Another local artist Alan Pearson of Olvera also sold one of his works, an event which excited all of the artists who rarely have the chance to celebrate the good fortune of one of their own since most other galleries and artists markets of the Serranía seem to be poorly frequented.

Christine Ellingham, a prominent Benaojan artist stated to Ronda Today that she was immensely excited to be associated with the exhibit in the Grazalema Tourist Information Centre because the owners are so active in promoting locally produced goods and that the spin off for artists is fantastic.