This past spring, I spent three months living and working remotely in Prague. I spent my free time exploring the city, admiring its architecture, and relaxing in (and occasionally running through) its lovely public parks. I came to enjoy doing things alone, on my own schedule and at my own pace. While I was there, I decided to create these illustrations to document my adventure and bring together some of my favorite things: traveling, drawing, and being outside.
Strelecky Island
This first illustration is of a small island in Prague that looks out onto the Charles Bridge. I loved sitting at its edge, admiring the view while listening to my favorite songs of the moment. I was particularly into Brique a Braq at the time (and still am). His piano music seemed to both celebrate and mourn the transience of things—or at least that’s how I interpreted it. In those quiet moments, I felt immersed in the present—absorbed by the beauty around me.
Park Folimanka
I made a point of checking out this park after an intern at my coworking space recommended it. It was kind of grungy—the ledge I was sitting on was covered in graffiti. I can’t say I blame the people who tagged it—it seemed like the type of place you’d want to leave your mark on. The view was beautiful, in an understated way. The buildings were a bit greyer here than in other parts of the city, but you could see for miles.
Maltézské Square
I wandered onto this street while looking for a place to eat. No luck finding food, but it was lovely nonetheless. Thanks to Prague’s commitment to preserving these buildings, there were a lot of streets like this—quiet and seemingly frozen in time.
Natural park Kosire-Motol
The forest in this illustration was not too far from the city center—about 40 minutes away on public transit. It was a nice, quiet spot to read and walk.
The Charles Bridge
I was a little obsessed with this bridge, not gonna lie. I loved that it looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. The view in this illustration is what you see when you’re walking toward the Prague Castle.
It was probably the most popular tourist destination in the city, but I didn’t mind the crowds. Since I usually spent the weekends alone, it was kind of nice, actually, to be surrounded by people. Everyone seemed excited to be there, which made for a lively, joyful atmosphere.
Although I wasn’t bothered by the crowds, I had heard that the bridge was pretty empty in the mornings and was curious to also experience it in that setting. So one day toward the end of my trip, I got up early to check it out before work.
As expected, it was much more serene and quiet. I had the luxury of sitting and drawing for an hour, without awkwardly getting in anyone’s way. Since I was used to sharing the view with lots of other people, I felt especially appreciative of the opportunity to have something so lovely almost to myself.
Me in my happy place
Thanks for taking the time to look at my illustrations and read about my adventure! I learned a lot and had a great time. To see my visual journal visit: icscreative.com/prague
If this inspired you, or you have any questions, let’s talk!
BTW, we’ve set up a Society6 page with these as prints and greeting cards.