After months of counting down and dreaming of sunny days, the time had finally come: the sketchbook art retreat in Portugal with TJ Marston and Katie Moody.

I had never traveled to Portugal before, but a visit was high on my bucket list. When TJ and Katie announced their joint retreat and Kiki would be there too, the idea was irresistible in no time. I booked a spot and started the countdown.

Then the plans got even better, and I had the chance to explore more of Portugal together with the dogs- and I can tell you right away, that Greek dog of mine could not get enough of the warm sun and palm trees :-). We drove from Sweden to Belgium, then through France and Spain to Valéga, which is close to Porto. From our Airbnb, we could easily catch a train to the city, but there were also stunning beaches to explore. It wasn’t all about the sights though; Portugal turned out to be a feast for all senses. Our host gifted us fresh herbs and vegetables, the garden was filled with beautiful roses and other sweet flowers and blossoms, and every day, freshly baked bread was delivered to the door.

After one week and a ginormous power cut, we drove south to Sesimbra. This coastline was very different and impressive. It had high cliffs, turquoise water, and… fossils! We had some incredible vegan takeaway, which is always worth a mention. While hiking, we spotted dark trees from which the bark had been partially removed– these turned out to be cork oaks, which we had never seen in real life before.

After another week, we left the coast and drove East to Monsaraz, where we would stay in an Airbnb until I went to the art retreat. Every day, I was getting a bit more nervous- but the fun kind of curious nervous. What would the group be like? What will we create? What kind of lessons did TJ and Katie plan? A whole bunch of creative butterflies were dancing around in my stomach.
When I booked this retreat, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime type of travel- but just like a few others I talked to, being there made us all long for more!

It’s my first day back at the studio, and my mind, my heart, and my sketchbooks are overflowing with moments and memories. I’m still enjoying the rush of inspiration and taking that with me as I get back to my normal routine. I’ve started editing the images, photographing the sketchbooks, and collecting some new Portugal-inspired colours on my way home. If you spot bright yellowish-green in future sketches, that’s the Tj & Katie/Portugal influence 🙂 (I used to stay miles away from this colour).

I was asked which art materials I took with me, so that post is coming up too.

That’s it for now,

talk to you later!
Fenne.