Solstice Postcards from Cadaqués 🌞 My Ode To Summer
My new short film and an art travel diary from the Costa Brava
SOLSTICE is my new cinematic travel diary,
a short film celebrating summertime,
my ode to coastal life and sunshine.
Hello, friends! It’s been a busy summer, balancing illustration and content projects for brand partnerships, which I am so very excited about as it is the realisation of a goal I’ve been working towards all year.
Travel is a profound passion and source of inspiration for me — it’s genuinely one of my authentic pillars. I hadn’t yet been able to leave Barcelona this year for various reasons, so it was with deep wanderlust and a readiness for rest that we escaped to Cadaqués for the summer solstice with little more than sketchbooks, swimsuits and a hope for a slower rhythm.
Somewhere between the sea, the whitewashed streets and long evenings, this little film emerged.
A love letter to the Mediterranean, featuring original music by James Vincent.
Cadaqués is a magical cove and fishing village, a jewel nestled between the green mountains of Cap de Creus, 170km northwest of Barcelona. I first visited during Easter in 2014 and immediately fell in love, but only returned in October 2021 for a belated anniversary celebration with my husband, musician and writer James Vincent. During that visit I, stayed in one of the iconic homes designed by Modern architect Josep Antoni Coderch in a mini self-led artist residency.
Making the film
As part of my new vlogging and filmmaking journey I’ve been documenting my life in video format pretty consistently since April, and this trip felt like the perfect opportunity to capture the dreamy, sun-soaked coastal life I’d been yearning for.
I’m drawn to films that make you want to pack a bag before the credits have even rolled. Stealing Beauty, A Good Year, The Trip, Before Sunrise… they’re so much about atmosphere. They linger on landscapes, long conversations, beautiful light, shared meals and the magic of simply being somewhere. That’s the feeling I hope to evoke in my own work, too.
After the trip, and with some time to integrate the experience, I revisited some notes I had written while in Cadaqués. Those journal entries became the narration, stitching the whole film together.
And finally, the whole piece came alive beautifully when I added James’s guitar composition, which he aptly named “Sumer Nights”.
I shot everything with my iPhone 16 and edited in Premiere Pro. I just bought a DJI Osmo Pocket 4, though, and can’t wait to make new films with it!
The sketchbook
Drawing on the move is one of life’s greatest pleasures for me (especially nature, travel and outdoors). It’s how I regulate my nervous system most quickly, how I connect the deepest with myself and spirit — my fast track to connecting with the greatness and beauty and abundance of life.
The trip was the perfect way to play and push with a new drawing style. I’ve recently been developing a new analog language that I finally feel represents the vibrancy and colour that I so enjoy in my digital work, but in a tactile, organic and authentic way that is not at all performative — a feeling I realised I had often felt; trapped within my own illustrative style. More on this in an upcoming newsletter.
I was also excited to be trying out a new drawing tablet gifted to me by XPPen, a digital drawing tools company I’m working with on a content series. They loved my idea of taking the Magic Drawing Pad with me to Cadaqués, and it was on its portable canvas that I sketched some of my favourite drawings of the trip.
The little moments
Our accommodation
We booked a Tiny Home at WeCamp, which ended up shaping the rhythm of the trip. Maia could run around safely while we lingered over breakfast, and the glorious sea view became part of our days and evenings.
It was profound for me to experience summer through the eyes of my daughter — playing until the sun went down, having pizza for dinner, delighting in the little things and in nature around us.
And because my beautiful mother was with us, James and I were able to unwind with evening drinks by the sea while she slept with the baby.
If you’re visiting Cadaqués...
Some places we loved and that made us slow down a little more.
Favourite swim — Platja des Llané Gran
Just a short stroll from the old town, with crystal-clear water and views back towards the white houses. The beach is shingled, peaceful and quiet, and one of my most memorable swims ever.
Favourite restaurant — Mut
The first time I visited, James and I stumbled into this café and I had th best strawberry and goat’s cheese salad of my life. Since then it’s been impossible to find a seat in all my visits, except this last time, and I suspect it’s because we came early enough for breakfast. #hottip
Favourite sunset — The hills of Portlligat
Fishing boats gently bobbing in the bay, the sky turning peach and lavender, children still playing on the beach long after dinner. It felt wonderfully Mediterranean in every possible way.
Favourite sketching & shooting spot — The promenade overlooking the bay
I love drawing somewhere with movement. People walking, swimmers climbing out of the sea, boats drifting in and out of the harbour. You never run out of little details to notice.
Favourite walk — Camí de Ronda towards Portlligat
An easy coastal walk with spectacular views. We stopped countless times, the light on the water glimpsed through the pine trees is always breathtaking.
Favourite ice cream — Joia
The perfect excuse for an evening stroll through the tiny streets.
Favourite quiet street
Honestly, don’t look for one. Wander. The joy of Cadaqués is turning a corner and suddenly finding yourself completely alone beneath bougainvillea, with nothing but white walls, blue shutters and the distant sound of the sea.
Until next time…
Alongside my usual reflections and tools on career, I have many more films, drawings and stories I’d love to share with you over the coming months as I continue exploring this new chapter of blending illustration, travel and filmmaking.
If you enjoyed this little escape, I’d be so grateful if you shared SOLSTICE or this post with a friend who loves travel, creativity or simply slowing down. And if you’re not yet subscribed, I’d love to have you along for the journey.
—Marina ♡
❋ Thanks for reading and supporting my work! I’m an artist & illustrator, educator, and creative guide. I share stories at the intersection of art, intuition, and career so you can build a creative life full of freedom, joy, and impact. Want to go deeper? Explore my self-led course The Creative Map, book a 1:1 creative career consultation, or join my experiments and studio life on Substack. Find more of my work on Instagram, my vlogs on YouTube, and peek at my prints and tools for creatives in my shop.
