Wow, where did those last two months go? As I sit here with my coffee, van doors open with the sun shining, I have to ask myself if there is a better way to live?
It’s been a busy 2 months and I’ve visited a few countries! My course at West Dean was well attended with some beautiful, detailed work produced. Straight after, it was a trip to France to do a few days of intensive painting. This was such a good idea, and I will definitely be repeating it.
The next cruise to the stunning Catalan Coast was soon upon me and busy as usual with teaching up to 60 guests a day, lots of painting and visits to places I hadn’t been before. The emissions lights are finally off in the van, the solar panel is working a treat, and I’m looking forward to a trip to Edinburgh in the next week to attend my son’s graduation.
Van Life
Split turbo pipes, jammed brake calipers, and broken lights to fix: it’s all part of normal life for me! Maybe I need to retrain as a mechanic? Being able to throw away those full condensation pots and open the doors more tells me that spring has officially arrived. So, in the last week I’ve caught up with my housework, forget the hoovering its cleaning the water pipes and water tank for me.
I’ve achieved a pretty good balancing act on top of the van to get rid of mold and clean the solar panel. I’ve perfected my parking in small spaces technique and am now ready for a long road trip. Next stop: Edinburgh via Norfolk, Nottingham, Derbyshire and Glasgow. I can’t wait to explore some more parts of the UK.
If I’m parked up in the countryside, I get to see a little bit more wildlife than usual including baby hedgehogs and very friendly sheep.
Art life
Substack seems to be attracting a few more Botanical Artists with some interesting articles and information. I was delighted to be featured in Emma’s Botanicals article from Behind the brush. She writes about all things Botanical, is a member of the SBA and her newsletter is a great way to find out what is happening in the Botanical world.
It’s been a busy time gathering pictures together for local art exhibitions later in the year and I aim to have to have more cards and prints produced from my latest work shortly. I plan to continue with the single days at Kent Adult Education for a few more months, click on the button at the end of the newsletter. I’m looking forward to this year’s summer school at West Dean and planning another painting session away for few days at the end of August.
I’m much better these days at NOT buying new art materials but sometimes something just catches my eye and I have to feed that addiction!
Everything has to be small and compact, and I couldn’t resist this little booklet of paints. The colours are very vivid and perfect for taking on my travels and using in my sketchbook. The paint is sprayed onto sheets of paper interleaved with waterproof paper, genius! A little cheeky concertina sketchbook also slipped into my basket when I wasn’t looking. I’m thinking of using this on the long walk I have planned later in the year.
Teaching & travel in July, August and beyond….
Adult Education: 22nd - 25th July
As mentioned, single day courses at Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and online will continue for a few more months.
West Dean: 9th - 15th August
This summer school will be a week of painting, fun, fab food and good company; always a treat.
A reminder that I will also be back at West Dean in November to run a new course of colour pencil for beginners. Not a Botanical course but a general course on techniques.
Patchings Art Festival: July 10 & 11th
I hope to be helping at Patchings Art Festival on the 10th and 11th July in the Colour Pencil Society tent so do come and say hello if you are going to be there.
There are no cruises planned until September when I will be heading to Canada and the USA with SAGA so I am hoping to fit in a bit of walking. I'm finding the AllTrails app fairly addictive.
I still have some time spare for art club workshops so do feel free to email me if you would like me to come and run a course for you. Once again thank you for being on this crazy journey with me. It’s my friends, family, fabulous students and amazing people I meet along the way who make my itinerant life such fun.
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Lovely to connect here Amber!