IAPS

So if you are not familiar, IAPS stands for the International Association of Pastel Societies. Every 2 years this organization holds a huge convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was a convention year and artists arrive from all over the world.  Last week I got...

Carry On

 The last thing that I find important for painting plein air and that has become my very good friend is my travel bag. I can’t remember exactly when I got this bag, but it has to be at least 15 years ago and it is still going. It is a Kipling luggage bag and I got it...

Getting a Handle on Things

One thing that helps so much when painting plein air is being able to carry things easily. Last week I mentioned that my easel was a bit heavy, but great to carry around mainly because it has a good handle on it. My drawing board is the same way. This one above is my...

Taming the Easel

I love my French easel. I got it from an estate sale many years ago where another artist had loved it and broken it in first. Not sure how old it is, but it looked like it had hardly been used. I tried to find out what type it was and the nearest I can figure out is...

Not Boxed In

Ah, here it comes… one of my biggest pet peeves. I see it all of the time…those pretty, perfectly sorted travel boxes and drawers full of pastels. And the lamenting…”Oh, I spent three days sorting my pastel sticks! Look at how pretty and organized I am now!” (while...