Sisterhood of the Traveling Paints

D & Barbara

Sandra, Susie, D, Ruth

D, Phyllis, Diane

This blog today is dedicated to the women painters I have met over the years. These are not your ordinary, paint in the studio and don't get dirty painters. They are the ones who paint on-site or outdoors in all kinds of weather and all kinds of conditions. We are Sisters of the Traveling Paints.
I have always drawn and painted. I can't remember not doing it. I carried pieces of paper outside as a child and drew what I saw: flowers, bugs, trees. I didn't know it was called "plein air". It was just something you did because you had to. You wanted to capture what attracted you on paper. Save it for looking at later. It was fun.

Today I count myself very lucky to have crossed paths with lots of women who share the same passion for painting outside. They come from many different backgrounds, many different locations, and many different personalities. Some are very representational painters, some are nearly abstract painters. Yet we all paint for basically the same reason: we have to. Along the way, I have come to know a few of these sisters and their families more in depth. It becomes like a network of friends that you hear from occasionally, but you think about more often than that. When one suffers a sickness or a loss, you feel it too. You know that while art is very important in their lives, so is their family. You also rejoice in their victories- awards, sales, new galleries, etc. And in the achievements or expansions of their families as well.

So, here's to you, my fellow Sisters of the Traveling Paints. You have made my journey into painting outdoors a lot more enjoyable by sharing it with you. A few of my oldest paint buddies:

Susie Covert, Bradenton, FL; Barbara Perriotti, Ormand Beach, FL; Diane Johnson, Cary, NC; Linda Blondheim, High Springs, FL; Ruth Cox, Myrtle Beach, S. C.; Phyllis Franklin, Thomaston, GA; Carly Hardy, Darien, GA; Marsha Savage, Smryna, GA; Sandra Babb, Ringgold, GA; Terry Mason, Sarasota, FL; and the many new sisters I have met: Jeanne Salucci, Long Island, NY;Priscilla Watson, Aptos, CA;Barbara Davis, Montgomery, AL; Barrett Edwards, Naples, FL; and others. Thanks for sharing your advice and your friendship.

May you always have your palette ready,
Durinda