Wednesday
Several UK urban sketchers arranged to meet in Malaga in April. A wonderful itinerary had been arranged by Karen Jones (who so sadly couldn’t make the trip due to catching Covid the week before).
I caught a daytime flight from Bournemouth Airport and after checking in to my hotel, met up with the group for dinner and a few drinks before an early night ready for our full day sketching ahead. The atmosphere in central Malaga was wonderful and a late night walk through the historic centre reminded me how vibrant the city is at night
Thursday
We all met up bright and early the next morning in the eastern part of the historic city. I focused on Plaza de La Merced while others walked up to the beautiful Alcazaba which I had visited on my visit earlier in the year.
Before lunch we had a ‘throw down’ of all the mornings work. Afterwards we walked up the hillside to Gibrafaro which enjoys extensive views over the city and port. I found a panoramic spot and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon sketching and chatting to fellow sketcher Anne Rose Oosterbaan
We all met up for a drink on a chic city centre rooftop bar to review the day before going for an alfresco pizza in a somewhat chilly side street.
Friday
The focus of the morning was in and around Malaga’s beautiful cathedral. I sketched with friends close to the cathedral itself. Whilst I don’t like to necessarily sketch the obvious major buildings, the cathedral was hard to ignore - it did require the sketch book being used vertically and getting a stiff neck caused by constantly looking up that towering spire!
In the afternoon I found a little side street with an interesting vista of the cathedral as a backdrop. I managed a small pen and ink sketch in between the periods of rain.
After our group dinner, a few of us continued the Friday evening with a few more beers enjoying the vibrancy of the city.
Saturday
Karen’s amazing planning of this trip had organised to meet up with urban sketchers from Malaga and the surrounding areas. After a meet over breakfast, we sketched around Plaza de la Constitucion before meeting up for a grand throw down back in the square.
There was an amazing turnout of local sketchers and it was so good to chat to many of them. We continued sketching after lunch with some of the talented Spanish artists and in the evening met in a local restaurant that had been recommended for what for me was a great farewell to the group before my return home early the next morning.
After the meal I decided to make a short detour back to the hotel as I realised I hadn’t experienced the wonderful waterside on this trip to one of my favourite cities.
