I have always taken a sketchbook to draw, paint and write when traveling. I usually packed only graphite and transportable watercolors. Traveling to far-away places and different cultures is a feast for the senses. The smells, sounds, food, language, landscape and sights are all thrilling. These experiences allow us to see the world in a new way. Recording travel visually is a rewarding way to experience the place and remember the adventure later. Observational drawing and painting require us to really see what is in front of us.

Upon retirement with more time to travel, I have started to paint in the Plein Air tradition when I am on the road. Artists in the mid 19th century left their studios and painted directly in the presence of nature forgoing sketches and preparatory drawings. They attempted to capture the impression of the place and light, finishing a painting entirely on site. The tradition is still popular today.

Thriving on the change of pace and scenery, from exotic locals to the mountains and rivers near home or my own backyard, I find painting inspired by place an immersive experience. I am using watercolor, acrylic or oils depending on the circumstances of travel. Completing a painting in a short time on location necessarily requires a faster, less conceptual, and intuitive method of painting.