Art on the go

The joy of capturing your adventures by hand

There was a great article in the NYTimes lifestyle section recently on travel sketchbooks. I loved it because I’ve been bringing a sketchbook along on travels and hikes for some time now, and I heartily recommend it. It encourages me to slow down. Looking back through the book always evokes more memories and emotions than a written journal. For my own reminiscing, there’s something about a scene I’ve transmuted which sparks deeper than my written word.

Below are a few images from my travel sketchbook and all the items in my toolkit.

Death Valley National Park, California

El Retiro Park, Madrid Spain

Montezuma, Costa Rica

The toolkit

• Ruby Mountain Paint Co watercolor palette - an awesome CO-based, woman owned company. Kate makes handmade watercolors in these magnetized wells so you can easily swap colors in and out of these tin travel palettes. The lid acts as a mixing tray.

• Brushes with water wells - the squeezable handles of these brushes hold water which means you don’t need a water dish (or even to search for water when you’re sitting in a desert and ready to add paint).

• Water soluble artists crayons - these are fun to draw with and then use the brushes to smooth it all out

• Charcoal, pencils, smudge stick, eraser, 6-inch ruler, sharpener - the basics. I upgraded my sharpener to one that captures the shavings to leave no trace. Sometimes a ruler is helpful for a straight horizon line/perspective checks.

• And of course, the book itself (next time I will probably splurge on one with proper watercolor paper) and a bag for it all!

To read - biodiversity sci-fi

I was in Madrid a few weeks ago and went to an amazing immersive video piece - The Great Silence - at Casa Encendida narrated by a Puerto Rican Parrot. The story was so well written about the gift of nature and searching for the new while not seeing the precious things you already have. I was dabbing my eyes at the end of it. My friend I was there with, who works in biodiversity, asked the gallery for a copy of the script to no avail. When I returned home I was telling my husband about it and to my shock, he had read it already as a short story!

I looked back at the exhibit details and sure enough, “Allora and Calzadilla collaborated with science fiction writer Ted Chiang on a subtitled script that explores translation as a device to trace and ponder the irreducible gaps between living, nonliving, human, animal, technological and cosmic actors.” If that doesn’t convince you to read this short story (less than 10 minutes), I don’t know what will - it is so worth your time.

For my Colorodan’s

My art is on display and available for purchase at Leever’s Locavore, the best bougie grocery store in Denver! Head up to their dining area on the second floor with your beverage/meal and enjoy my art.

While you’re there, I suggest picking up my favorite treat - the Honey Mama’s refrigerated truffle bar (sesame citrus flavor).

Love,

Christina

https://christinacopeland.my.canva.site/