Having received request for information about my field practice, today let’s take a break from looking at art, to look at what you bring to the field, should you wish to pursue mindful travel through drawing and writing
Field setup along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. 2018
Note to self. Field kit for day-trips to wild places.Orvis bush shirt, Outback Trading Co. or Filson crushable waxed cotton wide-brimmed round-hat. Drake’s (London) neck-scarf/cravat. Duluth Trading company travel-vest. Season-appropriate cargo pants. Filson belt. Woolen socks (all seasons). All-season yellow deerskin gloves, Danner hiking boots, Wolverine oiled leather 1000-Mile boots, or knee-length Chippewa snake-boots (for protection against briars and venomous reptiles). Orvis snake-proof knee-gaiters are an option. Handmade belt-knife. Compass. Brass-tipped Yew walking-stick with wrought-iron rams-head Branscombe Forge, Devon, England. Telescoping REI walking-stick is also recommended. Wood & Faulk folding tripod stool with leather seat & carry-strap. Filson field-bag, or Frost River field-satchel, or Orvis Safe Passage fishermen’s bag. Kaweco (Austrian) brass pencil (port-crayon) and fountain pen. Sakura Sakura Micron colored pens (orange and brown) Watercolor travel-kit (Golden Paints QoR watercolors; Schmincke, Kremer, Maimeri, Sennelier-brand enameled steel travel-sets, with integral water-flask. Escoda or DaVinci travel-brushes, Paper towels, folded, carried in a reusable zip-lock bag. Safety razor. Moleskine watercolor journal. Pocket notebook. Maps. Mobile phone. Backup charger with cord. A quart-canteen of drinking water. Food: sandwiches, bag of almonds. Sunglasses. Sunscreen. Insect repellent. Travel protocols. When venturing out alone, know where you are heading. Let someone else know your travel/hiking plans. Stick to your schedule. Keep a log. Note date, time, location (map coordinates) with line-of-sight vectors (compass headings), temperature, weather conditions; nature of terrain, flora and fauna. Pay attention. The greatest show on earth is the earth itself.
Leaving no Trace at Mount Greylock, Williamstown, Massachusetts
Atop Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland. Note the sketchbook in hand. Crossing the glacier in out ascent, Arne stopped his SuperJeep, got out and deflated the tires 20% to increase traction. He had a tank of compressed air in the rear of the vehicle to reinflate them when we returned to a hard surface. He jumps in the car, takes off his sunglasses and puts on a more expensive pair that was in the side-pocket of his door. I asked him what he needed to change eye-wear.
“We’re crossing this glacier (pronounced gloss-ear). It’s full of crevasses. I think the snow-pack is deep enough that we can’t fall through, but you never know. This is the first clear day we’ve had like this for nine months. It’s up to you. Shall we go for it?”
As he guided the Jeep around unseen pitfalls and obstacles, at times yawing twenty degrees to one side or the other, we crawled upward.
“You know,” I said. “If we do die, I’ll be sure to tell Saint Peter that in spite of everything, you were an excellent driver.”
Looking sharply me, he furrows his brow. Pointing upward, he asks, “What makes you think I want to go THERE?”
Below: Making a sketch of Cayambe, on the high road between Zuleta and San Pablo, Pichincha Province Ecuador. November 27, 2014.
Cayambe. November 27, 2104
BELOW: Painting at the summit of Kilauea, Hawai’i. Dawn. July 1, 2015
Dawn at Kilauea. July 1, 2015
OUTDOOR JOURNAL-PAINTING GEAR AND SUPPLIES
The mission of expeditionary journaling is to devote as much time to engaging with your surroundings, carrying no more gear than a small messenger bag, or multi-pocket travel vest. Here are the essentials: (Scroll down to the link)
(A preview of SKETCHBOOK TRAVELER by James L. McElhinney (c) 2020. Schiffer Publishing).
Copyright James Lancel McElhinney (c) 2020 Texts and images may be reproduced (with proper citation) by permission of the author. To enquire, send a request to editions@needlewatcher.com