Conversations with strangers in Spanish
Reflecting on day 1 of our Granada Sketching Retreat
Hi, I'm Emma
I’m a watercolour and gouache artist living in Granada, Spain.
I love creating lasting memories from everyday moments with bright colours and dynamic textures. I hope my sketches bring you some of the joy I experience while creating them!
I also write Sketches from Granada, a newsletter which celebrates moments of connection with strangers, friends and ourselves.
Reading Sketches from Granada brings a sense of calm. It’s something I read over and think on when I want a break. It manages to convey the joy of small pleasures and how difficult it can be at times with work / life to fully appreciate them. Emma is actively living an engaged life and it’s a pleasure to follow that via her newsletter.
Louise Johnston
Latest posts
May 25
Painting the Court of the Pool
One of the highlights of any visit to Granada is the Court of the Pool. It's a combination of all the best parts of the Alhambra: glorious colours, water features and attention to detail.
2 min read
May 18
Painting a portal to the past
Since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by the possibility that you might open an old wardrobe or get lost in an overgrown garden and find yourself in another world. If there were a portal to another time or place in Granada, then an archway at the Generalife would be the perfect place for it.
3 min read
May 04
Write out the song lyrics by hand
When I was growing up, my favourite albums were the ones that came with a booklet of song lyrics. In 2002 I spent hours processing my teenage angst while singing to Avril Lavigne’s debut album, Let Go. Her booklet had lyrics full of slang that made her feel authentic and relatable.
4 min read
Apr 27
In which we visit the egg shop
Rain slaps the pavement as I walk to the huevería or egg shop. My small umbrella with its pithy slogan is defenceless against the onslaught. But it's worth it because every time I inhale there's nothing but petrichor.
3 min read
Apr 21
Reconnect to yourself with colour
I first picked up a paintbrush as a form of self-care, and it’s something I return to again and again in my practice. When I’m feeling low on energy and need to reconnect with my body, I love to play with colour.
3 min read
Apr 13
The self-care habit I stopped to find more ease
When I worked as a lawyer I tracked my work days in six-minute increments for almost ten years. When I finished work, I had limited energy left, so I put pressure on myself to make my self-care as efficient as possible.
4 min read
Apr 10
Painting the Gate of Justice
The Gate of Justice or la Puerta de la Justicia is my favourite way to enter the Alhambra palace in Granada. Built in 1348, it’s the largest of the four gates in the Alhambra’s walls. Like so much of the architecture at the Alhambra, its layers mix the work of different peoples, times and faiths.
3 min read
Apr 06
In which a beloved belt gets its second wind
We go to our local shoe repair store to see if they can fix my husband’s leather belt. Its buckle has retired after many years of service and it’s time for a piece from the younger generation to take the helm.
3 min read
Mar 30
In which I sketch Granada’s busiest square and travel to 1970s New York
The last few weeks we’ve had an inordinate amount of rain in Granada. So when my urban sketching group
4 min read
Mar 23
In which I order two hearts and my dog learns to six
A few weeks ago we took our dog, Skye, to a café for the first time. Every time I go for coffee in Granada, I see dogs lazing under café tables or calmly waiting for snacks to fall into their mouths, but for Skye this was a big deal.
3 min read
Mar 18
Take a moment for inspiration, joy or curiosity
Are you craving inspiration to help you start your next creative project? Would some music bring a bit of joy to your morning walk or evening chores? Or do you want to engage your curiosity and think more deeply about this present moment?
4 min read