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 from a travel store. I saw it for sale and at the time it was still really expensive, but it has been worth every penny. It looks like “blue jean” material, but it is actually a non-destructable vinyl that has stood up to many workshops, plane trips, being dumped in the dirt and many, many pastel classes.

I add in my cloth pencil case, my small Heilman box, a little silver makeup bag, (also in a destructible fabric) which holds my business cards, my box cutter and blades, a bag of trail mix and a microfiber cloth. I have my pastel surface on my board along with my easel and I’m off to paint! I can get pretty much get anywhere and paint anything easily with this set up. (btw- I did find on my easel the faint logo saying, “Jullian” so it IS an official French easel!)

Last weekend I set up a model and along with a group of artists we painted her down by the bottom of the waterfall in downtown Greenville. If you are near the town join us next time! Find us on Meetup under the group name of “Artists Unite” You will see the next paint out listed there.

Next week I will be skipping my blog since I will be traveling to the IAPS convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have not attended in 6 years, and so am looking forward to getting a serious pastel “fix.”  If you see me around, please stop me and say hi! I would love to chat. I hope to see many old friends and workshop attendees at the banquet on Saturday night too where I will finally get to wear my Eminent Ribbon and pin along with my Masters Medal that I received 2 years ago. I was unable to attend the convention that year due to that crazy time in my life when I had my surgery. You will see me carrying this bag around next week since I will be demonstrating in the vendor “Candy Shop.”

Stop by and say hello! 

I’ll be back in 2 weeks and will share photos from the trip. Keep painting!