How to Travel in One Place

This has been a long, hard winter for many of us.  I’ve been suffering from cabin fever. We've had to be creative to overcome being cooped up. Travel can be a mindset as well as physical movement, so even though we are at the beginning of spring with more opportunities to get out, I offer these suggestions for ways to travel in one place:

  

•  Interior paintings/sketches/photos.  I’ve looked around my house and found indoor scenes within my own home that were paint-worthy.  This could be a den or dining scene, for instance, a person reading in an easy chair, a dog by the fire. I’ve also set up my own scenes, like a bathing suit hanging on a door to remind me of a beach cabana.  I’m instantly transported back to vacation spot! Be creative with these interior scenes.

Cabana Life oil Available here

• Still life paintings.  I set up objects from souvenirs of travels, collectibles or buy flowers at the grocers that are reminiscent of places I've visited—did you visit lavender fields in France or roses in England or just violets in your grandmother’s garden? Travel back with those happy memories!  The painting, Pop One, below, has double meaning--it reminds me of vacation refreshments, as we really only drink soft drinks on vacation, and because Walt's grandfather managed a Coke plant.

Pop One oil Available here

• Explore an area of your own town or neighborhood.  Look around and talk to people. Or sit still and just take it in. In Cary and Wilmington we enjoy farmer's markets and especially like trying restaurants based on different cultural traditions--Mediterranean, Indian, or Italian.  This could open up many café and market scene paintings. Here is a little market scene I did from France.

Pommes de Terre watercolor Available here

• Reading always transports me to far-off places and sparks my visual imagination. I especially like books set in definite places.  If you like action mysteries, I highly recommend Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak’s series based in Alaska.  Each book gives you a different understanding of Alaskan life.

 

• Try a new experience.  Well, how is this travel?  Maybe it’s stretching it a bit, but a new experience IS like a vacation!  Refreshing.  In art it could be trying a new technique, or just experimenting.  For me presently, it’s chain maille copper jewelry.  This is an unfinished flower  chain bracelet.  Do you see a rose in the basic shape? 

 

Spring is here, hooray!  But next time you find yourself a little housebound, I hope these ideas help.

HAPPY TRAVELS!

If you want to be the first to know about exhibits and discounts, sign up for my NEWSLETTER email list on the home page of Sheffield Art Studio.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoy my essays, please share with your family and friends.  I’d like to hear from YOU!  Please leave comments and questions. 

My paintings are available at my studio in Cary, NC, online at Sheffield Art Studio and at my Daily PaintworksGallery (see also clickable link above right)

Please LIKE me at my FACEBOOK FanPage.

Fine Art America  http://1-sarah-sheffield.fineartamerica.com/

No Place Like Home

“There’s no place like home.” says Dorothy in the final scenes of The Wizard of Oz.   Dorothy journeyed to the Land of Oz and had many adventures along the way.  From the yellow brick road to the lollipop kids to the ruby slippers to the Emerald city the adventure story is full of color.   But in the end the road led her back to what she wanted and needed—home. 

We have entered the time of year when color has faded to shades of gray.  It’s cold and spring travel down another yellow brick road is but a dream.  I was recently wondering what I could paint.  I wanted fresh, real subject matter. Taking a lesson from Dorothy, I “traveled” around my house with “artist’s eyes” to see if I could find what I needed right at home.

Here is some of what I found in my “Kansas”.

"Bookmark" 12 x 12 oil on copper



Sketch of Poppa's bed-painting idea



"Our Daily Bread" 8 x 8 oil on copper



Sketch of dining room shadows--painting idea

I'm still exploring. There are closets, bathrooms, and more bedrooms . . .   My home—it’s full of exactly the themes I’ve been trying to paint this past year, spaces of intimacy, quietness, informality, of familiarity, comforting routines, and happy memories.  It’s been around me all along!

Be safe as you travel to visit your families and friends in these last weeks of 2013. When you return home refreshed, experience with new eyes the comforts of home in 2014.

My paintings are available at Cary Gallery of Artists 200 S. Academy St. in downtown Cary Ashworth Village. 919-462-2035 Mon-Sat 11 am - 5:30 pm.

 . . .And by contacting me at the following links:

www.sheffieldartstudio.com 

LIKE ME on

www.facebook.com/sarahsheffieldartstudio