Some More Travel Postcards

In months past I've posted pictures of watercolor postcards I made while traveling to send home to friends and family. The idea has been to keep working even while away from the studio. At first I thought it might be something people would enjoy but not necessarily care that much about otherwise, but the practice has become something of a traditiuon. Now one of the routine questions I get as we go away is whether or not I plan to send some of these little paintings back. And of course in general that's what I do.

This past week we've been on a cruise along the east coast of Spain, stopping in several coastal cities and towns to explore. We were in Barcelona, Tarragona, Cartagena, and Malaga, among others, and I've had the chance to make a few postcards while also keeping a trip diary/sketchbook. I highly recommend doing that for anybody who wants to keep their hand in while traveling.

Here are a few of those paintings. All are 4x6 on 140# Strathmore wc postcard stock.

This one is a view of the esplanade in the seaside city of Tarragona. The walkway is a beautiful setting overlooking the Mediterranean and a Roman amphitheater that has been excavated just below it, close by the sea. This part of Spain is warm and subtropical, and quite beautiful. These sketches are quick ones, so there isn't much detail.

The next is a sunlit view of a city street in Cartagena, a truly ancient city dating back to the Phoenicians and successively owned by Carthage, Rome, the Visigoths, Muslims, and Spain. There is a harbor that is protected by mountainous terrain on the approaches and over which loom the Alcazaba, a big fortress and castle. The city is quite beautiful as well, with some streets actually paved in marble. We spent the afternoon in tapas bars, having a bit of the wonderful Spanish wines and typical snacks that are a big part of Spanish culture.

The next is a view of one of the harbor navigation lights that dot the coast. This one is at the tip of the breakwater in Almeria, on the southeast coast. I happened to look out a porthole and there it was, looming up in the dawn. Couldn't resist the chance to sketch it.

During almost any journey, sketching will repay the effort because it allows the artist to continue working, provides a strong memory, and (at least in my own practice) sends a gift home.