“Africa was the most exotic place I could conceive of—the end of the world—and I knew I would go there one day.” ~ Henning Mankell Ever since I was a teenager in the late 70’s, the desire to visit Morocco has been strong. The exotic countercultural appeal to artists, writers, rock stars and adventurous travelers always stirred an urge to …
Travel Sketching Tips
I am often asked about my process when sketching during my travels. Although it varies depending on the time I have or the places I go, I do have some basic guidelines I follow. To help you get started “sketching on the go,” I have outlined a few tips to send you on your way to creating treasured journals of …
Orvieto, Italy – Part Two
I spent 10 days total in Orvieto; one week at the Adventures in Italy art retreat and 3 days on my own. Although I could write an entire book about this trip, I will try to sum it up with a highlight reel . . . Everywhere I turned was a sketching opportunity and I painted dozens of pictures while …
Orvieto, Italy – Part One
Departing from the Termini Train Station in Rome, I arrived an hour ahead of time to scope out the situation and “learn the ropes.” This was my first train trip in Europe and being alone, I was a little apprehensive. The station was deserted the first 50 minutes, then rapidly filled up as I discovered that in Italy, the platform …
Rome, Italy
There is something exciting, yet very surreal about falling asleep in one country and waking in another! I left Orlando late evening, sketchbook in hand, and woke as we landed in Frankfurt. Typically extremely efficient and known as a great airport for ease of connections, I had a very tight and stressful 40 minutes to catch my flight to Rome. …
Bath, UK
The next stop on our UK adventure was Bath. We were so surprised at how tiny the area was and absolutely loved our Bed and Breakfast, Gray’s Bath. Our room was lovely and though Grays was a 20 minute walk into Bath, it sat up on a hill with a beautiful view of the city. This was our gorgeous room …
The Cotswolds, UK
We left North Cadbury just after breakfast and drove slowly through the Cotswolds admiring each little town and narrow road. Our goal that day was to find a local Pub to have our lunch! We heard that on Sundays, the neighborhood pubs serve up a “carvery” or “proper Sunday roast” for their local clientele. We passed pub after pub, town …
North Cadbury, Somerset UK
Who doesn’t want to fly off to the UK for a country wedding in the Costwolds? My daughter and I jumped at the opportunity to enjoy a charming wedding of a dear friend in beautiful North Cadbury in Somerset. And since we were going all that way, we might as well spend a few days in London as well, right?! …
Asheville, North Carolina
Before heading home from Western North Carolina, I decided to stop in Asheville for a few days to celebrate the 4th of July. That’s one of the things I love most about being an accidental tourist, I can stop wherever and whenever – pulling off the highway, or making a detour. I love the unexpected, random and spontaneous types of …
Western North Carolina
In my mind, I’m going to Carolina . . . Summer begins with a few weeks in Western North Carolina, where I rented a house to find some peace and inspiration in the Smoky Mountains. There is no better cure than a little solitary time in a rocking chair on a porch surrounded by a continually moving landscape. You can’t …
