A few days ago I experienced something I still find hard to believe: I was invited to brunch at the Hotel María Cristina in San Sebastián, and afterwards… I ended up painting in one of its best rooms.
It was one of those experiences that takes you out of your routine and reminds you why you do what you do. As an illustrator and artist in San Sebastián, it's not every day you get the chance to draw from a suite with a terrace, overlooking the Kursaal, the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, and the sea. A dream, literally.
I sat there with my watercolors, a mix of nerves and excitement in my mind, thinking about all the people who must have passed through that room. And of them all, one name came to mind clearly: Bette Davis. She was one of the actresses who stayed at the hotel most often; so much so that there's a room named after her.
So I took the sketch I'd started there, brought the photos I'd taken, and when I got home I illustrated his portrait. It's my way of connecting with places: observing, feeling, and transforming all of that into something you can look at calmly.
If you'd like to join me through the whole process, I've uploaded the video to YouTube (I think it's one of my favorites so far).
Thank you for being on the other side!!
Besarkada bat,
(a hug)
Uxue