I will admit it. I am obsessed with packing light. Probably because I am on the road about 25% of the time the past few years and also because I’m mad for organization and streamlining. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a minimalist. I like to have all I need, all the comforts, amenities and as many of the fashion options and conveniences of home on a packable scale.
That said, I have no desire to lug any 3 foot (1 metre) canvases or 32 ounce (1 litre) bottles of pouring medium with me on vacation so I do pare it down quite a bit for travel. I usually work on paper with paint or gouache when I travel so I have the satisfaction of working with a brush and wet media which I adore but in a far more portable format.
I made a video for you showing how I have edited down my travel art supplies and how I pack them so they fit neatly on the top of my 22″ rolling suitcase.
Here are some supplies to help you get started:
Mesh pouch
Windsor Newton Professional watercolor field box
Yupo paper 9” x 12”
What about you? Do you like to take art supplies with you when you travel? Do you keep it to a sketchbook? Or something more involved?
I’m inspired by science (nanotechnology, for example), colour, other cultures, history (West coast native art is great), form and sky. Often one thing will lead to another; I’m working on some pictures for an upcoming show – one picture took an abrupt turn, which I followed and am now learning new aspects from this.
Life is what inspires me: the authenticity of each emotional experience lends validity to each brush stroke. What inspires is sometimes the pain that comes with living, it’s joys, it’s sorrows, it’s triumphs and it’s losses.
Anything and everything. It’s hard for me to pick one. I can’t really say I know where it comes from. I’m multi-creative, which means I create in many different ways.
Ideas come from everywhere. God gave us a lot to work with and putting it together in a unique way intrigues us all. Make notes. Your mind is full and universal mind has all – so take notes on what comes to you. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on a thing or not. Put a date on it. Do everything you do perfect because it’s all only single steps. Nature is full, observe!