While vacationing in Spain in the spring of 2015, I took a day trip to the beautiful El Escorial Palace just outside of Madrid.
Inside the Palace Basilica was the Altarpiece
- a sight to behold - but alas, no picture taking allowed. A roving attendant stood at the ready to dissuade offenders.
Well, I thought I could sketch it, at least. I sat on the last left-side pew, before reaching for my little Moleskine notebook and a pencil in my bag. Marking the lines wasn't easy at first yet I felt relaxed, peaceful, and content sketching the scene before me. The occasional and approving glance from the guard brought me a smile. Do I still have it?
I used to enjoy drawing when I was much younger. How could this activity lose favor in my life? When was the last time I did that? It doesn't matter.
Between the measured look at the altarpiece and the not so straight lines I penciled in on my little notebook, I reckoned I did okay. Little did I know this instance would kickstart my love of drawing again.
Since then, I slowly picked up on drawing. Many times, the results were of poor sketches saved for one or two. However, when I look at any one of my sketches, it easily transports me back to the place and time I was creating it. And that makes for a good story telling!
