Anna Huling at Watts Towers

Hand-Painted Fan by Anna Huling.

 

An eye-catching fan is indispensable at all times, at home and beyond. To deprive an Andalusian woman of hers would be like cutting out her tongue, although the fan is superior at transmitting thoughts over distance. A rapid, tremulous agitation, coupled with significant movement of the head, both recognizes and uplifts a friend, even from the far end of a sidewalk. A slow and formal inclining gesture dismisses with indifference and freezes the blood in one’s veins. At times it hides the giggle or murmur; other times concentrating the smile in the sparkling eyes shining above its lacy edge. An affectionate rap reclaims the distracted’s attention; a wave lures the distant object closer. A determined twist between the fingers signals doubt or anxiety; the rapid opening and closing reveals joy and anticipation. In perfect harmony with the Andaluza’s expressive face, the fan is a magic wand, the power of which is easier to feel than to explain. 

                                       Jose Maria Blanco White, “Letters from Spain”