When you travel do you, like me, bring supplies to keep the momentum going? Or do you find it more restful to take a break from your work?

Before we left for Maine I put a lot of thought into what art supplies and books to bring along. A trip that involves a flight is a no-brainer because space and weight are such an issue. In that case I’m pretty good about paring down to a workable minimum, having devised a convenient, lightweight art travel kit.

I have been reading about these sketchbooks for months and decided it was time to give one a try. The heavyweight paper will take light washes of water media in addition to pen & ink.

But journeys in the car are another beast altogether. Heading to Maine other years, my accepting husband has said nothing as I lugged assorted weighty bags of materials and reading matter to cram in with the clothes, food, bike and kayak gear. There is usually at least one rainy day when I can get lost in art  — and I want to be sure to be prepared.

Extra space means I can be liberal with the pens and brushes I include, and can even stick in a largish collapsible water container.

This time I was trying to be more conservative with what I brought, not knowing how much time there would be to work, or space for doing it. Books, however, are my Achilles’ heel; I can’t imagine a vacation without plenty to read! Here’s a taste of what came with me:

I am a devoted fan of Katherine Tyrrell’s work and her blog Making a Mark. She is an English artist who is unsurpassed in her generosity with information. Her relatively new book is one you can dive into on any page to be off and running. It lends itself well to short windows of reading time.

I learned about this book from one of the artist interviews on Antrese Wood’s Savvy Painter podcast. It’s every bit as informative as promised. And I was happy to discover that author Richard Scott was also interviewed by Wood. If you have time, give it a listen — especially if you are working on your drawing habit.

My one splurge, weight-wise, was this wonderful survey of David Hockney’s pictures – it’s exactly the type of book I like to bring or find on vacation!

Bottom line: I still over-packed. We had glorious weather and much to do, so I was limited to squeezing quick sketches in around other activities, and only had a few isolated hours to really buckle down. But I found a bonus in the cottage we rented: a wonderful book about Degas that went into great depth surrounding the back story of his life and paintings. How great to have the time one evening to soak it up! That’s what vacation is all about.

Goose Cove, Maine     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram