A Childhood Bridge, After the Rain.

It’s hard to describe how lucky I feel to have grown up where I did. My childhood home was directly connected to the marshes of San Fernando, and that entire natural park was my playground—despite my parents’ strict warnings. We used to sneak off, exploring that labyrinth of muddy paths, old salt pans, and narrow clay roads winding between sluices, gates, and ancient bridges. The Romans were already harvesting salt here. It’s incredible to think about how much history lies beneath your feet in a place like this.

One of those bridges was the Puente Lavaera, and it became an iconic spot in my childhood. My father—an excellent painter with a strong impressionist style—painted this kind of bridges several times. I grew up with his versions of them hanging on our living room walls. So this painting was almost inevitable for me—an essential subject I needed to revisit through my own lens.

For this version, I wanted to capture a very specific moment: the calm after a storm. That clear autumn light, mid-morning, when the sky is still heavy and wet but the sun begins to break through. The landscape is soaked, clean, and quiet—washed by the rain. The bridge is simple, almost mundane, but full of meaning. The scene became a study in subtle contrasts: saturated grays, cobalt blues, and warm ochres, all balancing the mood between memory and atmosphere.

Preliminary Sketch and Color Study

Before diving into the final piece, I explored the composition and color palette through a tonal sketch. These studies are where I adjust the values and decide how to balance structure and emotion. The sketch also includes the selected palette—tones like Ochre Gold, Natural Amber, and Cobalt Blue helped build the cool-warm tension of the scene.

Materials and Technical Details

🎨 Medium: Schmincke Horadam watercolors
📄 Paper: Sennelier, 300g fine-grain cotton paper
📐 Size: 26 x 36 cm
📅 Date: March 2024
🔲 Format: Portrait
🎨 Palette: A reduced, moody palette focused on grayish blues and illuminated earth tones to evoke post-storm atmosphere

Final Notes / Artist’s Reflection

Some subjects are deeply rooted in your story, and this was one of them. Painting the Puente Lavaera was more than a landscape—it was a way to connect with my childhood, my father’s legacy, and the quiet poetry of these forgotten corners of San Fernando. I’ll always return to the marshes, whether with a brush, a camera, or just in my thoughts.

Further Exploration

🏞️ More paintings inspired by the marshes and rural paths
🎨 Read about the salt history of San Fernando

💬 Do you have a place from childhood that still lives in your memory? Share your story in the comments.
🌾 More quiet landscapes and personal tributes coming soon.