An ode to home
Connection to place isn't something I actively realised I was missing until it bloomed in this house in Granada. So here is my ode to this home, constructed of hundreds of moments of repeating yet shifting experiences.
Hi, I'm Emma
I’m a watercolour and gouache artist living in Granada, Spain.
I love creating lasting memories from everyday moments with bright colours and dynamic textures. I hope my sketches bring you some of the joy I experience while creating them!
I also write Sketches from Granada, a newsletter which celebrates moments of connection with strangers, friends and ourselves.
Featured posts
How to start travel sketching
Key things to consider before, during and after your trip to help you start to develop your own travel sketching practice. Plus, download your travel sketching kit.
Painting the Court of the Myrtles
As soon as I finished painting the Comares Palace at the Alhambra, I knew I had to paint the view from the other side of the Court of the Pool. When you enter the courtyard, you're drawn to the reflections in the enormous central pool, which is framed by thirty-metre-long myrtle bushes.
Latest posts
Aug 20
Women who burn: reading my first novel in Spanish
What I learned from reading Mujeres que arden by María Esclapez.
4 min read
Aug 04
An ode to home
Connection to place isn't something I actively realised I was missing until it bloomed in this house in Granada. So here is my ode to this home, constructed of hundreds of moments of repeating yet shifting experiences.
4 min read
Jul 21
How to start travel sketching
Key things to consider before, during and after your trip to help you start to develop your own travel sketching practice. Plus, download your travel sketching kit.
4 min read
Jul 06
The point of travel
When I first started travelling as a Uni student in the 2010s, I had two (misguided) goals:
to visit as many countries as possible; and
to tick off everything on the ubiquitous "10 things everyone absolutely must do" list in each city.
3 min read
Jun 22
Painting the Court of the Myrtles
As soon as I finished painting the Comares Palace at the Alhambra, I knew I had to paint the view from the other side of the Court of the Pool. When you enter the courtyard, you're drawn to the reflections in the enormous central pool, which is framed by thirty-metre-long myrtle bushes.
2 min read
Jun 15
Granada Sketching Retreat l 23-27 October 2025
Julia Henze and I are hosting a Sketching Retreat in Granada from 23 to 27 October 2025. We'd love you to join us as we immerse ourselves in the beauty of this city with a community of like-minded sketchers.
1 min read
Jun 09
Why I make art
I started painting as a form of self-care when I was burnt out during the acute phase of the pandemic. Since art is a passion I've developed as an adult, it's fascinating to consider why it's become so important to me. So, here are the key reasons I keep picking up a paintbrush.
4 min read
Jun 01
The question Spanish people don't ask that helped me to find myself
If you meet an Australian, the first question they’ll probably ask you after you tell them your name is, “What do you do?” It’s an easy question to ask and the expected response is simple: tell them what your job is.
5 min read
May 25
Painting the Court of the Pool
One of the highlights of any visit to Granada is the Court of the Pool. It's a combination of all the best parts of the Alhambra: glorious colours, water features and attention to detail.
2 min read
May 18
Painting a portal to the past
Since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by the possibility that you might open an old wardrobe or get lost in an overgrown garden and find yourself in another world. If there were a portal to another time or place in Granada, then an archway at the Generalife would be the perfect place for it.
3 min read
May 04
Write out the song lyrics by hand
When I was growing up, my favourite albums were the ones that came with a booklet of song lyrics. In 2002 I spent hours processing my teenage angst while singing to Avril Lavigne’s debut album, Let Go. Her booklet had lyrics full of slang that made her feel authentic and relatable.
4 min read
Apr 27
In which we visit the egg shop
Rain slaps the pavement as I walk to the huevería or egg shop. My small umbrella with its pithy slogan is defenceless against the onslaught. But it's worth it because every time I inhale there's nothing but petrichor.
3 min read