Getting ready to wander

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Artistabrush

New member
Joined
Feb 10, 2023
Messages
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Location
NH, USA
This country is full of beauty. I plan to paint some of it, crossing the country. My rig is a Honda pilot. I have to cook outside of it, but otherwise is pretty self-contained. Is there a group or caravan for/of artists?
 
Welcome. I do not know of any specific pubic caravans for artist. But you can try to connect with some or even form one on the Facebook page We Camp Together. Of course there are many forms of artist including musicians, sculptors, actors, ceramics as well as those who paint and draw. You can be inclusive or more specific if you wish.
 
There is a facebook group; "Rubber Tramp Art Community" I don't know how active they are. I would imagine of the people who travel around and set up at Art Festivals/Shows/etc. there must be some who live out of their vehicles.

I'm going full time at the end of May and will be painting based out of my van. I have a french easel and a table I can set up outside. I'll be doing some Plein air painting and continuing some series of work started in the studio. I don't paint beautiful ideal places in an idealized manner as most plein air painters do. Its already been done so well by so many it seems a bit futile to me. (although when I have done it in the past I was able to sell most of my output. People seem to want it)

I'm going to be looking to buy some property in about a year in Northern New Mexico. I'm thinking about establishing a studio there and finding the right way to market my work in the area, which already has an established art market. Will be spending at least a year living out of my van, fishing, hiking, painting, visiting friends, enjoying whatever I can, and scouting out potential locations to set up a home base/studio.

Plein Air Painting is a popular past time with many folks. I imagine there are groups you could meet up with. Probably some live nomadically at least some of the time to be able to be in locations they want to paint. In researching web sites and You Tube videos doing my van build I came across a number of people who were building out vans to go on painting trips. You might try making inquiries through painting groups as well as through nomad channels?
 
Welcome to the Van Living Forum Artistabrush. With nicer weather coming soon you and GoingMobile may be able to work outdoors while traveling. I knew a Nomad who did this painting watercolor miniatures and purchased mats & frames in volume to mount them in.

He worked arts & crafts events while working in nice weather.

He also carried a camera taking photos of interesting subject matter he though worthy. In the bad weather months of the year he found a place to live (bricks & mortar) and worked using a digital projector & screen. Then he painted from the photos he had taken that were projected on the screen.

I asked him how he found events and he told me of this magazine.

Sunshine Artist

The mats and frames didn't cost that much wholesale but added to the value of the paintings he sold. Since they were ready to hang when purchased they sold more quickly and for more money. He added that a lot of people just wanted to have something affordable from such events for home decor or show & tell.
 
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