I wanted a challenge, inspiration from immersion in nature, and solitude.  I got all this and more when I embarked on a 16 day Camino Spain walk from Leon to Santiago de Compostela.  The road was long and harsh on my body and my mind.  Walking solo during a heat wave in June, I quickly found myself not wanting to continue.  I had only what I carried on my back, so resources were kept to a minimum.  But I did managed to bring a small watercolour set, given to me years ago from a wonderful artist friend, and lots of small 'hand' sized watercolour papers, where I hoped I would have enough time to do some drawing and reflecting during the walk.

I learnt very quickly that the rest moments when drawing became my life saving resting times during the day.  The recording of everything I could see around me at the time of each break became an important record, not only of the observations of wildlife and tiny elements along the track, but also a tracing of my mind and how I was coping or not with what was happening on the day.

I find it interesting how much stronger memories are from the drawings conjure up, compared with the quick photos taken on the move. 

In the end, I accumulated over 150 drawings of moments in time, places and feelings that can be easily re-membered in my mind.  And now these are forming a new view of the world as they are transformed into larger memories of place, time, and emotion.

Below are a selection of 'moments in time' taken during the Camino Spain walk, from Leon to Santiago de Compostela.