Field Kit Lite

This is the "lite" version of my field kit for painting watercolors. Click image for larger picture. I used this almost exclusively this summer from August-September.

The easel is an Anderson Travel Easel that has its own quiver-style carrier case. It has quick release, telescoping legs, and adjustable tray-support with little hinged arms that hold your brushes (see the right side) and painting knives. (I use the easel left arm to hold my Yarka palette if I'm not holding the palette on my arm.) The Velcro strap is permanently attached, so it holds my water container.

The board is gator board (16x22") and I stack two or three half sheets of watercolor paper on it, then clamp all together with four large Boston clips (Bulldog clips)

The water container is from Daniel Smith, Inc. It collapses down to a flat disc for easy transport when empty and has a ridged handle to keep it from sliding sideways on the holding strap. I squeeze out my sponges and store them in the flattened container.

The black bag on the ground is a waterproof rain gear "yoga bag" with one shoulder strap, a top zipper and a long back zipper. It has two small zip pockets and a long elasticized pocket on the front.

I will take a photo of the bag and its contents for the next post, so you can see how it all fits easily. Please let me know if there is anything else I should add to this description.

Wapato Lake

Tire Planters
10x14" Original Watercolor

As I was going through my sketchbooks, I came across this one, painted at Wapato Lake. My husband and grandson, Evan, were out in a boat fishing, while I stayed on shore to paint. Typical of the rural areas here, people plant used tires with the most charming little flower gardens in them.

"The Cook's Flowers"

The Cook's Flowers
15x11" Original Plein Air Watercolor

Captain Whidbey Inn graciously offered complimentary box lunches for those of us painting there on Friday. They were delicious! Thank you!

After lunch, leaving the comfortable deck and returning to the car, I found this subject lit up for me in the afternoon sun.





Setup for "The Cook's Flowers"

Barn Painting

Red Barn Sketch
8x10" Original Watercolor

This farmer already painted his barn. Now it's my turn.

This is another one from the US Open Plein Air Event this summer.

"Down Holbrook"

Down Holbrook 15x11" Original Plein Air Watercolor I kept going back here every morning for 4 days. The first day, I was painting something else but the view down the road kept catching my eye. The next day, it was foggy. The next day I went back to sketch it and the last day, I finally had the light and inspiration to paint this. That's the old fire station on Holbrook and Penn Cove Road in Coupeville.

Shadows of the Past

St Paul's on Salt Spring Island, BC
10x14" Original Watercolor

This was a demo for my workshop, too. We painted the old ferry dock in the morning and the church in the afternoon, all from under the shade trees in a park nearby.

Salt Spring Island's oldest church was founded in 1878 by the first Roman Catholic missionary to the Gulf Islands, erected by community members between 1880-1885. The windows, door and bell were acquired from the "Butter Church" in Cowichan Bay. These were brought in Indian canoes from Cowichan Bay to Burgoyne Bay, then by ox-drawn stoneboat to this site. Colored stonework was added about 1973.

Ruckle Park, Salt Spring Island, BC.

Watercolor & Graphite Sketch
6x11"

This was a demonstration for my workshop at Ruckle Park on Saltspring Island, BC. Hope this brings back fond memories for those who were there.