Hello Madrid!

I have not been to Europe for 36 years, and at the first stop I am not dissapointed. Madrid is amazing! Being in the presence of the incredible architecture, broad avenues, narrow streets and vibrant people is a huge breath of fresh air, and distinctly not American. This city wasn’t designed around the car, thus people walk everywhere. And why not, there is gorgeousness everywhere. A city to be proud of. I thought I was only going to be here two days, but I am extending it to three, ‘cause there’s too much to see.

The Painting below is my first of this trip and was hard won. It is done in Gouache, which is like water color paint, but thicker. I have not used guoache like, maybe ever, so I felt pretty clutzy the whole way through. This is a corner of the Playa de Santa Ana. My AirBnB host, Antonio, mentioned that it reminded him of an Edward Hopper painting, and I agree. Tomorrow, hopefully I can get some oil painting going. That is much more my comfort zone.

The Process

It’s hard not to look up when you are in Madrid.