Still life and urban sketching — basically me trying to make inanimate objects and city blocks look more interesting than they actually are.

Barcelona has an indescribably magical atmosphere of a unique and endlessly creative city — you know, the kind of place that makes you wonder how it got so cool without trying. From Antonio Gaudí’s legendary masterpieces (that defy normal architectural rules) to today’s innovative artists still riding that creative wave, Barcelona basically wrote the book on how to be fabulous.

I’m continuing my flowers&cities series, and this time I’m obsessed with the blue thistle. Why Barcelona? Well, according to my imaginary painting logic, it matches perfectly! This post features some gloriously bright blue cultured thistles that will either inspire your next Mediterranean adventure or at least make you wonder why anyone bothers with ordinary purple flowers.

This thistle’s color palette? It’s got depth-of-sea blues, some moody olive tones, sprinkles of raspberry, and pineapple-y yellow hues — basically the Barcelona version of Casa Milà in flower form. You know, Gaudí’s stunning modern architectural masterpiece that looks like it melted in the sun and decided to stick around anyway.

Behold: another thistle! This one’s sporting petals of lilac and turquoise — colors that somehow perfectly capture Barcelona’s old historical centre, Ciutat Vella, with its Gothic Quarter that screams “Look how old and charming I am!” in the most photogenic way possible.

Meet another thistle, this time decked out in azur and silver petals. In my professional artistic opinion (which I made up), this one represents Barcelona’s most Instagram-famous resident: La Sagrada Familia. I’m pretty sure Gaudí would have approved of my choice, or at least not sued me for it. :)

And here comes thistle number four (I’ve lost count) with colors of raisins, figs, and blue sea tones — basically screaming “I’m La Rambla!” at you through its petals. You know, that famous pedestrian walkway known for its historical architecture and the mild chaos of street performers who may or may not be actual statues.

This thistle’s rocking a combination of rose-salmon and pale-brown petals — tender, bright, and way more coordinated than your average wildflower. Question: Do you prefer “Barcelona” by the legendary Freddie Mercury, or perhaps the lovely “Barcelona” by Giulia y Los Tellarini from the movie “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”? Because this flower apparently has a soundtrack.

Let’s talk about Antonio Gaudí y Cornet for a second — the man who literally devoted his entire existence to Barcelona and transformed it into the architectural wonderland we know today. He’s basically referred to as “genius loci” (fancy for “the genius of the place”), which is a lot of pressure but also kind of accurate. He shaped not just the look but the very soul of the city. No big deal.

All paintings belong to the author. Seriously, don’t copy them without permission. I mean it. No image theft, please.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel adventure :) Now go forth and stay healthy, you magnificent human.