Workplaces

One of the very best things about working in watercolour is the portability of my 'studio'. Thanks to my handy little box o' paints, small paintbrushes and light paper blocks, I can pack up my whole operation and plunk it down just about anywhere - as long as I can get at some water (and maybe a scrap of paper towel for blotting), I can keep working even when travel is on the cards.

This weekend, being a holiday, saw me escaping the sticky city and trundling up to my cottage for a few days. I packed up the necessary materials, wrapped a bunch of half-finished pieces carefully in plastic (one must take a boat to get to the cottage and traveling over water with wholly soluble pieces of art is exceptionally nerve-wracking if they're not protected in some way) and, after arriving, taking a refreshing swim to wash off the hours of car travel, and chatting with the parents, I set up my workspace. On the dining room table, where I had to move it nearly every meal.



On the much brighter side, this was my view from the table (the weekend was rather grey, but the lake is gorgeous no matter what the weather):



And sometimes I worked by the light of a kerosene lamp (the creature in question there is Mr. Alonzo Purcell, who first appeared in this blog a while back):



Of course I eventually had to reluctantly pack all my things back into their bag for the long trip back to the city. On the way back, I stopped off at my parents' house (for their washing machines are much more free than the laundromat down the street), and, while waiting for loads of laundry to finish, I worked on another piece. This time I ensconced myself on the couch in front of the TV, proving I don't even need a full table on which to work (knees do the trick in a pinch).



Wherever will I be found painting next? Only time will tell.