“Patagonia is a region encompassing the vast southernmost tip of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile, with the Andes Mountains as its dividing line. The Argentine side features arid steppes, grasslands and deserts, while the Chilean has glacial fjords and temperate rainforest. ”
Promise of Patagonia
Patagonia had been on my must see list for years. It wasn’t until 2009 when I was first told about it by the friendly Argentinians I met in my hostel in Auckland, New Zealand. I was told to expect the most incredible views, unforgettable sunrises and sunsets, and a truly breathtaking experience in what is considered a jewel of the natural world. My imagination had started to wander as I pictured the vast landscapes of mountains, forests, lakes and incredible wildlife. I had heard about Patagonia before, I was aware of it, and I knew I wanted to visit one day, but not until I met the people who had already travelled there, had I truly desired to go.
South American Dreams
South America was a trip I wanted to do almost 8 and a half years before I actually went. I had dreams of visiting countries like Argentina, waking the streets in Buenos Aires, in huge canyons and desert landscapes in Chile, and what imagined to be Mexico City. Going to South America was part of a new plan that I decided on during my first trip to Japan in 2010 with 2 friends from University. “See you in South America” we all said to each other as we said goodbye on our final day together in Tokyo’s streets.
Finally in 2018 after having saved enough money from spending years working in hospitality as a waiter and bar tender in New Zealand and Australia, and being free from any other ties, I booked that plane ticket once again, and finally went in February 2018 from London, England. My South American journey started in Brazil where I spent 5 and a half months in total, travelling mostly in the northern regions working as a volunteer artist, and participating in a graffiti festival, before moving down to Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. Patagonia was the topic of conversation for much of my time in Buenos Aires between me and my youngest sister Ellie who I had just reunited with. We discussed Patagonia with every other backpacker, hostel staff member and reception staff we could, gathering and collecting information, tips and advice from those who had experienced it for themselves. Both my sister and myself went over to Santiago, Chile where we would gather our supplies and equipment to take on the challenge and adventure of exploring and camping in Patagonia.
Bariloche, Argentina
Bariloche was the first place in Patagonia I started to sketch and paint en plein air. It was a stunning place to visit and to start my painting and sketching.
'Patagonia Watercolour Sketching - Bariloche, Argentina'
This was my first attempt at a watercolour sketch of one of the mountains in the Llao Llao National Park in Bariloche.
I had intended to improve my watercolour landscape painting on my backpacking trip around Patagonia, before I left Australia and England.
I'm was beginning to notice that the more I drew and painted from life, the more I was able to see and appreciate in people, animals and nature.
'Plein Air Sketching, Patagonia'
This was a very quick 10-15 minute quick skethc of my first bit of northern Patagonia in San Carlos De Bariloche, Argentina. I wanted to draw and paint the Patagonia region in pencil, inks and watercolours as I travelled across both the Argentinian and Chilean sides during my time there.
Latin American Friendships
Fortunately I had made a kind, generous and trusting Chilean friend called Tote in a hostel which we both met at and stayed at in Pipa, Brazil. Tote offered me and my sister some help, she said she would lend us her camping gear, and that we could stay at her house until we were ready to go on our adventure. Me and my sister went over to Santiago from Buenos Aires to Mendoza by flight, then from Mendoza to Santiago by bus, over the Andes mountains, which was a great experience in itself. We stayed with Tote in her family’s stunningly beautiful home, and we were welcomed and treated like family members. Tote’s family was kind, generous and hospitable. After a few days of preparation, we left to begin our route back towards and over the Andes, to begin our descent towards Argentina’s and Chile’s Patagonia.
El Bolsón, Argentina
El Bolsón, Patagonia, Argentina - Watercolour & Gouache Plein Air Sketch
What a first day in El Bolsón! I started the day off in Argentina's northern town of Patagonia, Bariloche, checked out and walked for almost an hour to the bus terminal to catch my 12.30 pm bus to El Bolsón.
I arrived in the small town Bolsón and checked into my hostel. I then grabbed some lunch from the supermarket and caught the next bus to the national park Lago Puelo.
I then hiked around beautiful Lago Puelo and up Mirador hill for the amazing viewpoint. I brought my watercolour gear with me just in case, and when I arrived at the top of the hill alone with the incredible view, I decided to get the paints out.
I started painting a section of the amazing panoramic views with the huge lake, snow capped mountain peaks and forestry. I totally forgot about the time, as usual when I'm deep in the process of drawing and painting. Not long after starting a family of 4 kids and their mum sat down next to me. At one point I turned around and the mum was standing behind me taking a photo. She asked if I would sell my paintings and if I had any more, which I didn't at the time. But she took down my Facebook page address and said she would message me there. I thought that was really nice considering I am very new with painting landscapes in watercolours.
The family said goodbye and then I did my best to finish well before sunset. It was just me sitting on the cliff face with my paint materials all delicately balancing on, and being supported by little rocks and the crevaces. I finished and checked the time, I had 20 minutes to make my bus which came every hour. I packed away as quickly as I could, took this photo, and started to run down the hill as fast as I could holding my bags close to my body. I was very optimistic that I would make the bus, even though I wouldn't have made it running the entire distance. Fortunately a lovely local lady called Marcela drove by my side and signalled if I needed a lift. She drove me to my bus with 1 minute to spare
El Bolsón Plein Air Painting 2 - Watercolour & Gouache
I hiked up one of the mountains close to Bariloche center to this viewpoint. I had to sit over the barrier, a little on the cliff edge to get this great view and paint it.
Unfortunately my sister didn’t make the whole distance with me, at El Bolsón she felt like the rest of the trip was going to be too expensive and she had very limited funds for 10 months ahead around Latin America. I personally think this down to the mentality of a lot of poverty minded backpackers who waste most of their money and shoe-string budget on alcohol, bars, cigarettes and other drugs, and then complain that things are too expensive for them to do. From the places I’ve been, including Japan, which is notoriously expensive, I know things can be done economically and ‘cheap’ to keep costs down, no matter where you go. I had to become a kind of expert at budget travel quite quickly when I first left in 2009, as my friends had 5-8 times more savings than me. I did almost all that they did, arriving in New Zealand with $48 to my name, but I made it happen. So sadly at that point in El Bolsón, me and my sister said our goodbye, and we wouldn’t meet again until we crossed paths in Colombia, about 4 months later.
I then walked over to the bus stop where I would get my 24-hour bus from El Bolson to El Chaltén, and started talking to an English couple that was about to do the same journey as me. We ended up trekking and camping through El Chaltén together.
A preparation landscape study sketch which I did on the 24 hour overnight bus from El Bolsón to El Chaltén.
I woke up on the bus to El Chaltén with this view from the front bus window.
The first night and sunset in El Chaltén. This is a photo of me sitting in the rocks with my sketchbook, as the sun set over the mountains.
The overnight bus from El Bolsón arrived in El Chaltén around 3pm. I met up with the English couple again as we got off the bus and grabbed our bags, and then we headed to our hostel, checked in, freshened up and began heading towards a beautiful spot for sunset. The next morning we would be getting up early to begin our first bit of trekking.
I set my tent up for the first time. Not a bad little shelter for it to be in right?
The following morning we woke up and begun our trekking through the forests and up the mountains. The temperature dropped as we ascended, and this is a photo I took close to the top of Mt. Fitzroy.
It felt like I was on another planet.
To be continued…
If you would like to see more of my blog posts, including future educational art content, join my mailing list by filling out the form below;
Thank you for reading, liking, sharing and subscribing!