Monday, August 25, 2008

Make Shift Studio...

Oh it has been busy here in Vermont. We shopped for books...students need those...this weekend. It was fun. But today I am trying to do a bit of painting after a morning of errands. Errands? Yup! I came here with the idea I might paint a little bit, but wouldn't you know it I came without Titanium White! ARGH! So off I went this morning to procure a tube. I found a brand I have never used before - "A>2". Do you know it?
The other thing I have needed to do is set up a kind of "safe" studio here in the hotel room. Clearly, I can't be as "free" or "wild" with my paint brush as I am in my home studio. So this is what I have done.

I sit on the bed, cross-legged, where you see the apron. I also tuck the apron bottom under the butcher trays. Literally, the large butcher tray is the work table and the smaller one is the pallet. As you can tell, I am working on very small canvases. The larger one you see there is 10" x 10".
Have you ever done this kind of thing? We will see, in the end, how it has worked out. It is great to be able to at least have some paint time here. Clearly, with all of the airline rules, I can't do this unless we drive somewhere.

I am collecting some photos, so maybe later in the week I can share some of those with you.

Have a Beautiful Day!

20 comments:

sukipoet said...

Kim, it is really cool to see your portable studio. It reminds me of some of the shots Carol of Paris Breakfasts took a while back of her portable hotel room studio in Paris. So wonderful you are able to focus and do some work/play while in Vermont. Hasn't the weather been just gorgeous. At least down my way it has. Love those teeny canvases.! And thank you so much for your thoughtful comments on my recent posts. I thought maybe you'd returned home but you're doing that too from long distance. !!!!

Katiejane said...

Kim, you are truly a dedicated artist! I think I would just treat this trip as an extended vacation and sight-see and play. I commend you on your perserverance. You're a better man than I am.

Love how the new work is starting out. Will be interesting to see more.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Suki,

I am trying to keep up with a few people from here. The internet service is a little iffy, so went I can get on and try to do a bit. The weather has been beautiful. The misquotes remind me of the ones in Texas, though! It did turn cooler today, but I don't mind at all. I know I am going back to some heat this weekend.

I am going to have to look up Carol's post. I don't think I have seen that one. It was kind of fun playing with the paint here. I have some kind of idea for working with those tiny ones...we will see if it works!

Suki, you hang in there with all that is going on at your house! It will all work out for the best...I will focus on that being.

Sending Hugs!

Andrea and Kim said...

Thanks Kate!

Well, I really miss painting and I have spent some time up here before. My daughter graduated from a school near by 2 years ago.

LOL, I will be eager to see how those canvases turn out, too!

Thanks Kate!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim,
You are ambitious. Where there's a will, there's a way, eh? What is that square blue box shaped thing? Is that some kind of collapsible water holder?

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Chewy...

Well, I don't know about ambitious, but I am needy...in need of touching paint!

You are exactly right...it is a collapsible water well! This is the first time I have used it, too! I found it at a $1 sale and thought it might be a good thing for someone like me...and for $1 I had to try! It is working well.

Thanks Chewy!

marianne said...

Hi Kim,
We both seem to be a hotelroom....... Fun!
Nice to see your portable studio!
On this trip I brought some pencils and stuff and of course I bought things here (as you saw on my blog. Thanks for your visit btw)
but I can't put myself to it (yet)
Your room and temp studio looks organized, mine is a mess........
Maybe I should create order in this chaos first?
Thanks for this post
greetings >M<

Shayla said...

Nice to meet you, Kim! I really enjoyed the interview you did with Lesley McIver. What a rich life! (and a dreamy studio)

indiaartist said...

While shifting home I have worked without a working place, mostly sitting crosslegged on carpet, Difficult but better than not painting at all. It's good to catch up with you. Best wishes

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Marianne,

I have been here 8 days now...but I leave on Friday and hope to get home then or the next day (depends on when we can get away). I had a few good days of painting...but it just wasn't the same as working at home, either. When I traveled earlier this month, I flew so I couldn't take very many things with me. With the security measures in place, now, it makes it difficult to fly with paint.

I loved the post you did with the paint brushes...how much fun was that? I love, love, love visiting different art shops in different places! It is so much fun! Have you ever noticed that going to art shops and grocery stores tells a lot about the people in that location?

Thanks Marianne!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Shayla,

It is lovely to meet you, as well.

I am glad you enjoyed the interview I did with Lesley. That studio is really amazing, isn't it? The views are amazing from there! This will tell you what it is like...she moved there from a house which was right on the beach!!! There are other interviews, too, if you like that kind of thing (links are to them all in the right hand column to this blog).

I loved visiting your blog and will be returning often...you share so much and I love that!

Thanks Shayla

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi India,

I think I have learned that although I have done a good deal of yoga, sitting cross-legged for a long time leaning forward is not a good thing. I am going to have to pace myself a bit better than I have done over the last few days. You are right, though, not doing art is not an option.

Thank you for catching up with me. It is always lovely to have you visit!

Lesley said...

Hi Kim,

I really admire your determination to paint! I usually take felts and pens and pencils when I go away, but to actually paint canvases...well, that seems just too difficult! You go girl!

I loved the corally reds on the canvases, so I went out and tried to mix those colours in glass - it didnt work :o(. Never mind, I had fun trying.

Thanks, Shayla - I do love that place in Golden Bay - it has a real soul. Perhaps it's mainly because it is so close to the ocean and the bush - whatever it is, it has magic.

Drive safely home - take all the time you can - we'd love to see more photos. We traced your route (or what we imagined) on the atlas - you go through so many interesting places.

Arohanui,

Lesley.

Andrea and Kim said...

Les, I had been away from the canvases and the pens and pencils just wasn't doing it for me. So, much to Jonathan's displeasure (he likes the idea of traveling light as possible), I loaded up the car with supplies.

Okay, so those reds are literally Alizarine Crimson and Titanate Yellow with a touch of Titanium White...will that help out any?

Now about our route...we didn't take the one through NYC because that is just full of heavy, heavy traffic from where we live all the way through NY. So we went straight up through Maryland, Pennsylvania and just inside NY, we took a hard right and then a bit north into Vermont! It was a pleasant and easy trip...just a little long. We may take 2 days to go back, though...Jonathan needs to be here a little later in the day.

Thanks Les...

colorspeaker said...

I love this documentary "road trip" AKA
"have art, will travel."
The photos are beautiful. Have fun!!!
Jr

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Julianne,

things have really been crazy around here lately, but maybe I can get back to some reasonableness for a month or so soon. :)

I am glad you like the photos...hopefully, if I can get online later today, I will have one last post from Vermont to share!

Thanks for stopping by to see what was up here. I need to do better making my blog rounds!

Have a Great Weekend!

marianne said...

Yes it was so much fun to visit the art supply store here and indeed it gives you an idea of the people and how they experience art.
I also saw a lot of things , which I wondered where they use it for..... Big foam plates!

I bought the small canvasses because I had the idea at home to take them with me on my travels. To make a box for in my suitcase and kind a like you are doing on your bed. I also bought small aquarel paper and brought my pencils along, but I can"t seem to find the rest to create something...... I haver started a little mandala but I miss my usual stuff and indeed THE WHITE! I should have bought that, you never can have too much of that!

We are bought blogging and commenting from hotelrooms, so funny.
You drive home safely Kim!
greetings>M<

Andrea and Kim said...

Really Marianne...big foam plates???? I suppose you did wonder. I worry enough about the environmental impact of the materials I choose to use, but foam plates!

I do think it is difficult to "find your groove" when you are traveling. The small canvases are a very good idea for creating a kind of "art pack". Sometimes you just have to put some paint down. Maybe not for any other reason than just to keep things going or play with paint. For me holding a brush is far different from holding a pencil...and the feeling of the paint is far different. Sometimes you just gotta do it!

This is funny...you are right!

Will you be in Singapore long? Be safe in your travels, too!

Thanks

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

Well you are certainly making your time count while away. I like your makeshift art studio. Thanks for keeping in touch while away.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Cris,

Well, I try... :) I thought it would make for a smile, anyway!

Thank you for keeping in touch, too!