Vacations and getaways are the stuff of memories.

Vacations and getaways are perfect for sketching during downtimes.

Gratitude Journal entry for week 30: Draw, quote, or illustrate your appreciation for vacations and getaways (on Instagram see other entries at #G52Prompt30).

This post first published in 2016, was revisited and edited in 2024. Eight years ago I participated in a weekly Gratitude Journal which compelled me to create each week. Jenny Frith sent us a prompt (gratitude for books, water, freedom, etc.) and then published all entries on Instagram. It was always fun to see all the different interpretations of the quote or prompt we were given.

There are all types of prompts for any particular interest so that artists who want to stay creative during any period of time, can always find a group online with challenges for collage, watercolour, sketching, journaling. In the last several years, I participated in #28februaryflowers on Instagram. Unfortunately, because of changes in the algorithm, the most recent posts to hashtags aren’t showing so this challenge has ceased to exist on that platform. However, that doesn’t mean that I won’t work on flowers and post them anyway. In the depth of winter, flowers are much needed to keep us looking forward to spring.

I am grateful for getaways whether I am going to a nearby cottage, a trip to my hometown five hours away, visiting a friend in the USA, or flying to some foreign country.

Photos and Sketches preserve holiday memories.

Whenever I travel, I am always inspired by the scenery and take lots of photographs and sometimes, I even find a few moments here and there to sketch.

Spain is one of our favourite destinations and we have been there three times.

The third time we were in Cuba, we stayed in Havana for several nights before heading for a beach vacation. Cuba has changed very little since we first visited in 1979, then again in 2004, and our last time in 2016.

We have visited Amsterdam twice on extended stopovers before travelling to other countries including Germany, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina. I have lost count of the number of times we have escaped the cold and vacationed on a beach either in Puerto Vallarta or on the Mayan Riviera or in Punta Cana.

Below are some of the memories from our travels.

Warren Bay, Lake Nipissing, Northern Ontario.

Cuba 2016. Third trip. Lobby of Parque Central – Havana

Under the palapa — Mayan RIviera – under the palapa.

River Cruise – Illumination night cruise, Budapest

Seattle Pike Place Fish Market – Freshly caught fish.

Seattle Chihuly exhibit. Chandelier series. One of five installations from, or inspired by Chihuly over Venice.

Sunset on the beach, Maui, by Indy24 at Pixabay.

welcome at Grounds for Sculpture — Grounds for Sculpture – New Jersey

Déjeuner Déjà Vu at Grounds for Sculpture — Grounds for Sculpture – New Jersey

Nerjas (Balcony of Europe) Spain 2017 — Nerja, Spain

Good Times in Torremolinos, Spain, 2017 — Good Times – Torremolinos, Spain

Spanish wine journal entry — Travel journal – Spain

shells on the beach travel journal entry — La Carihuela, Spain, 2017.

Frijiliana, Spain, 2017 — Spain tour of coastline

quick sketches of people in journal — Hotel Bar, Melia Costa del Sol, Torremolinos, Spain, 2017.

quick sketches in the lobby on a rainy day — Spain Travel Journal

Picasso Museum sketches — Picasso Museum page in Spain journal

Below, a downpour doesn’t dampen our enthusiasm as we tour Havana on a Hop on Hop Off bus in June 2016.

(Special thanks to friend and photographer, JP Serré.)

4 Responses

Catherine says:

February 19, 2024 at 7:43 am

I love this post and like the idea of sketching vacation travels as a record of those experiences. I also like gratitude as a prompt. I check in with a friend each day with 3 gratitudes. It does help set an intention for my day and my creativity.
- Louise says:
  
  February 22, 2024 at 11:52 am
  
  Thanks Catherine. Keeping a gratitude journal made me realize how fortunate I am and that I often take so much for granted, even the simplest things. Those weekly prompts in 2016 really made me think and appreciate my surroundings.
Graham McQuade says:

January 24, 2024 at 8:14 am

Nice little paintings, Louise. I am finding it hard to get time for some sketching on the trip I am presently on. You seem to have managed well.
- Louise says:
  
  January 24, 2024 at 8:46 am
  
  I didn’t sketch on this last trip with the family. I didn’t even bring my art supplies as I needed a break from it all. Most sketches were completed on trips when we were on the go quite a lot as in Spain, or Cuba, or Maui. I managed to find the time in the evenings to look back at the events during the day and sketch from the balcony while sipping a few glasses of wine or while looking at photos I had taken. Enjoy your holiday Graham.