Back to Barcelona

[Stephanie Bower, Seattle] I love Barcelona. I first went there in 2013 to attend my first Urban Sketchers Symposium. I knew only one person (thank you, Gail Wong, for letting me cling to you), and I was so intimidated by all the talent–the heroes I had only recently discovered online–that I had a migraine nearly every day! But my gosh, what a baptism into the wonderful community that is USk. Everyone was warm, sharing, generous in spirit, I knew I had found my tribe. A year later, I was teaching at the symposium in Brazil. Dreams can come true!

OK, that story aside, I was back in Spain to teach two workshops on the Costa Brava. I arrived exhausted, as I had sent off the final images and manuscript for a new Urban Sketching Handbook (yep, #6 in the series and it’s called “101 Sketching Tips”, due out in November…) only the day before I boarded the plane to Europe.

And as any instructor knows, it’s smart to arrive early to get the lay of the land, warm up and practice, figure out the colors, how fast things dry, etc. So I was back in Barcelona, pooped, but thrilled to be there.

The first day was pure jet lag, and I knew my first sketch would be like the proverbial first pancake…the pan isn’t quite right, so it gets tossed. The second one will be edible. And so it was with my sketches. My favorite was sketch #2, done in the morning while walking the amazing streets of the Barri Gotic behind the cathedral. Ah, that light!!!

Next I braved the crowds to sketch this iconic street.

Then it went into the cathedral to sketch in the cool air, but it was dark. I am a firm believer of painting on location instead of later in the studio, which meant painting where I couldn’t see the colors well. When I finally walked outside into the light and saw these colors…yikes!!!