I came across Betty Oliver’s lovely sketches of Spain the other day and I was instantly captured by the freedom and beauty of them. They pulled on a few of my heartstrings, too, since I just moved to Barcelona (or thereabouts). I think you’ll absolutely love looking at her pieces and finding out more about them, too!
Your sketches have a lovely free style to them. How did this develop?
Maybe because I’m in a hurry to finish them? I’m not sure. I find that if I have too much time, my sketch loses its freshness and becomes too detailed, so maybe having to do them in a hurry helps.
Let’s talk about process. What steps do you take when creating each piece?
Yes, I sketch on site; most of the time I use a Sharpie pen with an ultra fine point; then I put a watercolor wash on top. When my husband Robert and I were in Spain, it seemed like we walked “from dawn to dusk.” When we stopped for meals or wine and beer breaks, I liked to sketch whatever was in my line of sight, sometimes a major tourist attraction, but more often just an interesting spot on a plaza. These sketches were done quickly, usually as long as it took to drink a beer or glass of wine. Maybe this is why they seem to have such a “free style” (which is a lovely compliment, by the way).
What inspired your sketches of Spain?
My sketches are probably inspired mostly by my need to have something to do all the time and the fact that I love to draw and paint. Sketching on vacation is a wonderful way to draw without worrying about the finished product. The sketches become my travel journal–fewer words but lots of images.
What do you hope your sketches tell viewers about Spain?
I guess I want viewers to enjoy the color and feel the excitement of being in a beautiful and interesting place.
What was your favourite place to sketch in Spain?
I think sketching the Alcazar in Toledo from the Parador de Toledo on the other side of the river was the most challenging and fun.
Another favorite place was La Rambla in Barcelona; stopping to have a glass of wine in front of the Gran Teatre del Liceu gave me a great opportunity to watch and sketch people strolling by.
Do you have any tips for readers who might be interested in visiting Spain?
A “must see” in Barcelona is the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi. I didn’t sketch it; I was so engrossed in seeing everything that I didn’t have time. Of course another is El Escorial in Madrid. My husband insisted that I see a bullfight; I recommend skipping that–way too gory!
If you could go anywhere in the world to sketch, where would it be and why?
I want to go to several places in South America–Argentina, Peru, Chile–you name it: I’d like to go. And I’d love to go back to Bali, Indonesia with time to sketch and paint.
You can see more of Betty’s work on her website.
