Return to Barcelona 2017! With Urban Sketchers in Poblenou.

On Saturday, the day after I arrived I met with Urban Sketchers Barcelona in the Poblenou neighborhood of the city for a Sketch Crawl. This neighborhood is in a state of change at this time. It is a place where abandoned warehouses and factories have been converted to artist studios and galleries but it is being overtaken by shiny new high rise buildings, commercial and residential that is completely changing the flavor and atmosphere. There is resistance from the Arts community and several art center exist but it seems a matter of time before the high rises win and this charming area is transformed. I was happy to be able to see it and appreciate its charm and to sketch among friends.

Graffiti covers the walls of many buildings in Poblenou

The entrance to Can Ricart, former factory, now an Arts Center where we met and sketched 

I was astounded to find these mosaics and a reference to Isaiah Zagar, from Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. I couldn't determine if he had been there or if it was simply an homage to the Artist. 

A monument in the Rambla Poblenous (pedestrian walkway) to famed Catalan Doctor Trueta whose work with emergency medicine saved countless lives. 

Sketchers admiring sketchbooks

Sketchbooks from the day

The Agbar Tower is one of the symbols of contemporary Barcelona. Barcelona's new iconic landmark was the result of a collaboration between the Atelier Jean Nouvel and the Barcelona-based b720 architectural practice, and was inaugurated in the Plaça de les Glòries in 2003.