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| 40 lbs. of gear! |
We recently returned from a one-month trip to the United Kingdom (Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England). I took my usual gear:
Rick Steves Convertible Carry-On backpack for clothing and necessities and a front-pack with painting supplies. The total weight was just under 40 lbs. My art pack included a
13" x 10" x 5.25" wooden pochade box manufactured by Guerrilla Painter loaded with pastels, paper, and tools. I love this box and it's accompanied me on many fabulous trips! My art pack also includes a sketchbook, apron, baby wipes, and a small set of watercolors and watercolor postcards (sometimes I like to mail original art postcards.) Taking a heavy art pack is a big commitment, but I really enjoy "painting on the road" so it's usually worth the effort. This trip, however, I questioned my decision because it rained 24 of the days we were gone, including a couple days with snow and/or hail! And let's not forget winds of up to 50 mph! Needless to say, I did not do much painting. But I did carry my art pack on a long, somewhat steep hike to
Fyrish Monument near Inverness, Scotland one gray day and managed to get a bit of work done between sprinkles. Even though the weather on this trip was lousy, the scenery was stunning--especially in Scotland and Wales-- and I took lots of "atmospheric" photos that may one day become the basis for studio paintings.
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| Painting along the trail to Fyrish Monument in the Scottish Highlands |
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| Pastels dissolve in the rain, so I'd better hurry! |
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| Fyrish Monument (built 1782), Alness, Easter Ross, Scotland |
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| 15 lbs. of art supplies x 8 miles + rain + wind = 20 minutes of painting. Fun? Yes! |
