Minimalist paint kit for trekking

I was just on a 7-day trek in the Teton range, on Teton Crest Trail, a fabulous experience. I so love hiking and being out on trails for that long period of time, it rewinds my clock, energizes my creativity and allows me time to reflect on aspects of my work and life.

With my backpack weighing around 42 lbs, I had to really trim down on the art supplies! So I chose my little watercolor notebook, a Moleskine one with 60 pages, and good paper, my mini box of watercolors, 1 yogurt pot lid for a palette, 2 tubes of gouache (white and black), 1 small pencil - no eraser (I never use them anyways), 1 apple sauce container for water, 1 tiny light ruler, 1 #3 brush and 1 Niji waterbrush, 1 Copic Multiliner brush 8mm, and 1 Artline pen 0.1.

With the pouch to carry all this, the kit weight is 325g, or 11 1/2 oz. Not bad!

Thus I had the opportunity to write, sketch scenery, work on abstract vignettes too. I never totally stop doing art, it's simply a part of my daily life one way or another.

I'm set for the next trip!

What's the header about?

I created my header to share a small part of what I do. The left side is self-explanatory, it's a cropped view of my work area, a sketch that took me a good hour to make, it's fairly detailed. I probably should sketch the whole area but that would take me a lot longer, so, in due time! 

And about the painting on the right. Do you feel as if you had all the time in the world? If so, you're lucky! I wish days were twice as long. I wish I could buy time. Even better, make it! The painting was an attempt at translating the "busi-ness" of life making us go like mad, and finding a still moment, which was when I was painting. The process of painting is always very meditative, I don't work fast, I observe a lot. This is, among other reasons, why I'm an artist: because it makes me pause and find my center, and sense of freedom (the seagull on the bottom).  I like symbolism a lot, and the Chinese IChing came to mind, and it fit right in. 

Are your days busy? Do you pursue any artistic purpose? What does it do to you, for you, in relation to a busy life?

Enjoy your day,

Aude

Sketching at the Raptor Center

Today I had the great pleasure of sketching at the Teton Raptor Center, with the wonderful artist Shannon Troxler Thal. I've always loved her work, and having her there to help me as I worked was most inspiring.
I had the opportunity to sketch Ruby the partially blind red-tailed hawk, a real beauty, a bit restless but after a while I understood her shape. Her talons were stunning and I wish I had had more time to sketch them.
I also drew Owly the great-horned owl, a true model at heart as she was pretty still except for a few twists of the head to follow whoever was walking nearby. Her eyes are amazing, and I didn't do them justice, but I'll try again some day.
Sketching live, and birds, not people, was very challenging, and I learnt much in three hours. Observing these birds was also a special moment, as they are mesmerizing.
Thank you, Shannon, for allowing this to happen, it was awesome!

Aujourd'hui, j'eus le grand plaisir de dessiner au Centre des Oiseaux de Proie de Teton (ouf, traduction peu heureuse, le titre est plus joli en anglais !), en compagnie de la merveilleuse artiste Shannon Troxler Thal. J'ai toujours adoré ses travaux, et je fus très inspirée par l'aide qu'elle me fournit tout au long de la matinée. 
J'eus l'occasion de faire des esquisses de Ruby, une femelle faucon à queue rouge, une beauté, un peu agitée mais après un moment je compris ses formes générales. Ses serres étaient étonnantes et j'aurais aimé avoir plus de temps pour les dessiner. 
J'ai aussi dessiné Owly, une femelle grand-duc, un vrai modèle tant elle était calme, excepté pour quelques mouvements de la tête pour suivre ceux qui marchaient dans les parages. Ses yeux sont inouïs, et je ne les ai pas très bien exprimés, mais j'essaierai de nouveau une autre fois. 
Ce fut un vrai challenge que de dessiner des oiseaux vivants, pas des gens, et en trois heures, j'en ai appris beaucoup. C'est un moment unique que de pouvoir observer ces oiseaux de près, tant ils sont stupéfiants.
Merci, Shannon, pour cette matinée fantastique !