SKETCHBOOK

Blanca Álvarez on Santorini.

Born in Seville and now residing in Málaga, Spanish watercolorist Blanca Álvarez says her dream to visit Greece’s Cyclades island group was finally realized last year, when she went on a painting tour with a group of artist friends. “It was an unforgettable experience,” she recalls. “The magical light of the islands, the color of the sea, the gleaming white of the facades and the cobalt blue of the domes on the churches—all of it inspired me to break out my watercolors.” On Santorini, Álvarez was particularly inspired by this view of the churches of Agios Spyridonas and Anastaseos, which overlook the turquoise expanse of the Aegean Sea from their cliff-top perch in the northern village of Oia. “Before traveling to Greece, I was expecting to find a country saturated by tourism. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there are still some authentic places—the island of Paros, for example. I plan to go back soon and continue touring the country with my easel.”