Prepping For Paris: Choosing A Journal can be found here.

Prepping For Paris: Choosing Art Supplies can be found here.

Extra-Special Items You Might Want To Bring
Getting ready to go to Paris or anywhere really, especially when you fly, is a matter of making choices based on how much you use an item, how much use you get out of an item and how much room you have in your luggage!

For me, extra-special items usually have to meet a few requirements or they get to stay home in the studio. I generally ask 3 questions:

• Does the item or tool have more than one use? 
• How much does it weigh/how much space does it take up (and can either be reduced)? 
• Do I already use it in my journaling when I am close to home or at home?

I used washi on the page above to add a spark of interest

A variety of papers in different shapes can add a lot of pizzaz to your journal pages!

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Come and join me on Saturday, June 23rd at 9:30 for Art On The Rocks: The Magic Of Art Journaling!

Art journaling on the beach...does it get any better?! We'll be at the Beach Art Center in Indian Rocks Beach for an introduction to keeping an art journal, using watercolors and pens as well as the different ways a journal might fit into our lives. We'll be journaling about the fun treasures to be found along the beach.

You'll receive an eight-page watercolor journal along with a couple of permanent black ink pens and a mechanical pencil to get you started. Best of all, you'll receive a handout with step-by-step instructions to help you create even when you're not in class!

After the first introductory class, there will be two classes a month during July, August and September.

If this sounds like just the thing you'd like to try, please visit the Art Center's web site by clicking here to learn more and to sign up for class!

After class, weather permitting, maybe we can take a stroll down the beach to find some treasures! Hope to see you there!

Hello again, my friends! I am back from my walkabout. Blogging is something I started years ago because I liked connecting with likeminded friends and artists. It takes a certain mindset—and a lot of work—to post week in and week out for years.


Keeton's Office & Art Supply
June 9, 2018
Keeton's Office & Art Supply
Bradenton, FL
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Sea Nettle
Love or hate them, jellyfish are a fact of life if you live at the beach! While sea nettles can be quite dangerous, even deadly, there is no denying their beauty as they float along with ocean’s currents. Capturing the changing colors along with the long tentacles vary in length based on the creatures age. The bell (body) can grow up to over 2 feet in diameter!

A visit to the Provence region is a delight to the senses, the sun-drenched patina of the old architecture, the vibrant market fare, and the glittering coastline...but that's not all! Breathe deep and smell the scent of fresh bread, listen to the cries of the gulls and feel the warmth radiating from the cobbled stones of the street. History saturates the area and there are plenty of markets and cafes to explore and enjoy.

This new adventure begins on Thursday, May 3rd! Click here to register.

Video demos are provided for all of the assignments. All techniques are shown so that you can “see” when and where they’re used. You have total flexibility as to when you watch the videos once they are posted. The demos are available for the duration of the class and you can watch them as many times as you like.

Things that show the passage of time like an old tin watering can is one of my very favorite subjects to capture in paint! If it shows a few bangs and dent from daily use, all the better. I've often wondered what tales we'd hear if old tools could talk.

I will be teaching how to capture these lovely beauties this Saturday, April 14th at Keeton's in Bradenton.

These cans might seem like a difficult subject, but they're really not. The patina is quite forgiving and you get to use all the colors in the paint box. If you're worried about the drawing aspect, don't be! You draw only one can and then you move it around and trace on the page two more times.

I hope to see you at Keeton's on Saturday! Please click here for information on how to register!

To learn more about this image and what's in it, click here

Part One: Packing Art Supplies WITHOUT Taking The Whole Studio
Long years ago, I packed a BOX of Art Supplies to take on a seven day road trip to Tennessee with my husband. (Note the emphasis on box and art supplies.) The image above is NOT from that box, but it will give you an idea of what I took!

A BOX. As in the BOX was 12" W x 18" T x 6" D and I crammed it full of all the Art Supplies I thought I could possible need or want, things I didn't even normally use in my studio at home because you never know, right? I had extra paper and all kinds of markers, pens, watercolor pencils, traditional brushes, rubber stamps, glue, masking fluid, a mask remover, a special brush for applying the masking fluid AND soap for cleaning the special brush.

And do you know what happened?

I did not open the box the entire trip.

Not once.

I maybe sketched twice?

Colossal fail.

Fast forward a few years and we went back. This time, I managed to get it down to a bag of Art Supplies. The bag was bigger than my regular purse and I crammed it full of all kinds of Art Supplies that I could possibly imagine needing.

Mind you, we were going to Tennessee, not a third world country.

I did manage to sketch and paint that trip, but I didn't use anything but my normal kit the entire trip. No glue was needed, no masking fluid was applied or removed, no watercolor pencil applied, no stamps stamped. Nada.

Now go back and re-read these first few paragraphs substituting the word FEAR for Art Supplies.

Because that's what I packed—FEAR in the disguise of Art Supplies.

Entering The Unknown
When we don't know what we're doing (or we don't do an activity often enough to develop any confidence) and we're "expecting" to come home with a visual record of our travels, we tend to want to stack the outcome in our favor as much as possible and that translates to taking every possible Art Supply we could conceivably need because we're afraid of failing.

Because we wouldn't want anyone to know we didn't know what we were doing (gasp!) or that it was the first (or third or eighth) time we tried to sketch on location (gulp!) or the purpose of the entire trip we took just so we could sketch (eek!), would we?!

And if we came home without a sketchbook full of adorable pages of sketch after perfect sketch, then we would have failed, wouldn't we?

And if this happened because we didn't have the one exact art supply we needed because we left it in our studios, then the failure would be our fault, wouldn't it?

Can you see how slippery the slope becomes and how easily things can spiral out of control when fear is woven through our thought process?

I can remember being in my studio and looking at an item while thinking, "well, I haven't used this in six months (or ever) but you never know, I might need it. I want to be prepared!" and then I chucked it into the box.

I lugged approximately 20 pounds worth of art supplies (fear) that never saw the light of day the entire time we were gone.

Not once did I open the box.

Fear's job is to keep you "safe" and fear has become a master at disguising itself in clever ways (extra art supplies, anyone?) so it can do that job. Make no mistake, fear is determined and sneaky. It will hitch a ride any way it can to keep you "safe."

Your job is to recognize the fear before you drag it around the world with you!

To Truly Stack The Outcome In Your Favor...
If you really want to stack the outcome in favor of you coming home with that adorable sketchbook full of sketch after perfect sketch, I suggest the following:


I know, that's not a lot of fun. We all have dreams of creating these phenomenal pages using all these specialty supplies while on location and some artists do...those that draw, sketch, paint and create on location on a very regular basis.

They've honed their process so that they know what they need and they take very few "extras" because they know what they need to create.

There is something to be said for only having what you need as this bring a certain magic into play when we consciously choose to limit our choices. Remember, not only are you going to sketch, you're going to "see" a new location, to experience the culture and to take in as much as you can.

While making art is a top priority list while traveling, it's not the only priority on the list and if we make the art-making process too difficult by overwhelming ourselves with choices, then it is likely the process will suffer, if not break down all together.

To learn more about this image, click here

Keep It Simple
1. Choose a sketchbook that is appropriate for your chosen medium. In this case, I'm going to use watercolor as an example.
2. Choose a lightweight palette* and fill the wells full. Give the pigments plenty of time to firm up by doing this a couple of weeks ahead of your departure date...nobody likes to open their palette and find their paint ran everywhere! If you already have a palette you use on location, top off the wells and use that. If you are setting up a brand new palette, be sure to set the pigments up in the same order as your usual palette so you are not scrambling to learn the new layout while on location.
*Do not, under any circumstances, take a palette or any art supply that has great sentimental value or cannot be easily replaced. It's not worth the grief if something happens to the item while you're traveling.
3. Two identical**, large-tipped waterbrushes (if you use them) as well as two identical**, small-tipped waterbrushes. I recommend taking them out for a spin BEFORE leaving to make sure they work properly and do not leak.
4. Choose two identical** mechanical pencils, two pens** with permanent ink in whatever colors you normally sketch with and or two most common nib sizes you use. Limit yourself to no more than eight pens in a variety of colors and nib sizes. Make sure the pencil has plenty of lead and a new or nearly full eraser. Make sure all of the pens work well on the paper in your sketchbook and that they are permanent on that paper.
**A plus of having identical waterbrushes is that if you run out of water in one brush, you can switch the tip to the full handle of water in another brush and continue sketching without having to find a water source. Also, if one tool breaks, becomes damaged or stop working, you have an identical item for backup.
5. A kneaded eraser or a white eraser that will not mar the paper.
6. A ruler that is no larger than six inches in length and there is a bonus if it's clear.
7. Two white gel pens with non-water resistant ink and two white "ink" or paint pens with permanent ink.
8. Paper towels or a wrist band to wipe your paint on and a pack of facial tissues.

And that's it. That is all you really need. Because these are the tools you are most familiar with, you will not be struggling to not only learn how to use a new tool but also create in the moment while you're on location. (Now, is that all you're going to take? Not likely, but that's another post!)

Make A Test Run
Before the trip arrives, pack your kit. Set out your "must-haves" (journal, pigments, pens, pencils, etc.) and fit them into the bag or pack you plan on using on your trip. Once everything is in there, including any extras like your phone, camera, keys, lip gloss, glasses, etc., lug it around with you for a day. Even better, take it out and use it a time or two.

If your neck and or shoulders begin to hurt, look for ways to lighten the pack by either carrying less or by finding lighter items.

Likely Culprits

• Leather bags and leather covered journals are beautiful, but they are heavy and they'll triple their weight by the end of the day! Only you can decide if it's worth it to lug those items around. The same could be said for large journals (8 x 10 inches and larger).
• Question every item in your pack and make sure you absolutely need it. Consolidate items where possible rather than taking two or three different organizational containers.
• Metal palettes are great, but they are much heavier than plastic. However, paints do behave differently on each surface. If you're used to and happy with metal, take the metal but see what else you can remove to make the kit lighter. 
• Check to see if there are any items you can take with you, but not haul around daily (like duplicate items—with the exception of waterbrushes, I leave the duplicates in my room). You likely will not need two black pens, two red pens and two blue pens for one day of sketching. Take only one size and color of each pen (the size/color you use most) and add any additional pen work when you get back to your stash. 
• If you're traveling with a partner, see if you can figure out a buddy system for those extra, nice-to-haves-but-not-need-to-have items. This can cut down the amount of weight you're both carrying. 
• If you already know you will have trouble with your neck and shoulders, pare down your kit to the most basic you can make it...one pencil and one pen along with loose pieces of paper cut down to the size of your sketchbook. Leave the palette and sketchbook back in your room. Add paint later. Glue the paper into your final sketchbook when you're done. It's not worth missing out on the trip because of the pain!

Those Special Extras
In the next "Prepping For Paris" post, I'll be discussing those "extra special items" to take with you and I'm going to leave you with a question to ponder...what item or items would you likely use on a trip that would make it worth hauling them (weight-wise and space-wise because they will be taking up space in your luggage!)?

As you may have heard by now, I will be conducting an Art Workshop in Paris, France in October of this year (details here). Through a series of serendipitous conversations, a second workshop opportunity has come my way and I cannot wait to share it to you!

Le Vieux Couvent is a refurbished 17th century convent which is now a phenomenal art retreat located in the South of France in Frayssinet. Way south of Paris, this beautiful property has gorgeous, meandering gardens, koi ponds, intimate courtyards and all sorts of surprises tucked around every corner to lure you to sit and relax as you fill the pages of your sketchbook.

We'll have the opportunity to explore the French countryside of gently rolling hills and winding backroads before making our way to nearby villages like Souillac for a chance to sketch the colorful market, a domed, 16th century church as well as an old distillery museum; Rocamadour, a historic pilgrimage site dramatically perched on a limestone cliff; Chateau de Baynac along with La Roque-Gageac and Domme.

We'll make use of the large, well-lit studio and extensive art library for demonstrations and to work on our sketchbooks as well as for those days when the weather discourages outdoor exploration. All rooms have en suite bathrooms, free wifi and most meals (like gourmet dinners—yum!) will likely be included. Roundtrip transport to Toulouse International Airport or Gourdon Train Station will also be included.

You can see more photos of the property here. (All photos are property of Le Vieux Couvent and copyright protected.)

A sampling of the sketchbooks I've made or used

Choosing a sketchbook is (or should be, in my opinion) as important as buying a pair of shoes you can wear all day long, every day you're on a trip. It will be your daily companion and there are few things worse than being stuck with a lousy companion made of crummy paper! It's worth it to make sure you will like your choice long before you leave. 

Maybe I was feeling a bit nostalgic when I created this image or maybe I just wanted to depart from "reality" for a bit, but regardless of the reason, this image looks NOTHING like the photo reference. The photo I used was taken in a large craft store and it featured 3 pastel watering cans on a white wire shelf with big sale tags everywhere.

It takes time to build up experience and courage to create something that doesn't exist. I think it also help to throw in a dash of crazy, as in being crazy enough to not be so invested in the end result that you're not willing to take chances.

I have always found that taking risks with my artwork is what keeps it fresh and exciting. When I get too invested in the final results, I almost always squash my willingness to take chances...and then I wonder, "If I would have done X, would the art be better/strong/more exciting?"

I will be teaching how to draw and paint "Crusty and Rusty Waterin' Cans" at Keeton's on Saturday, April 14th at 9 AM.  Come and join in the fun! 

Creating patinas and rust really isn't a hard thing to do and it allows for all kinds of palette play! You can use just about any color on the palette, but especially in the earth pigments and granulating pigments.

Please click here and scroll down to April 14th for all the info on this class.