Paint by Destination
Anderson Artists Guild member Teresa Anderson recently combined her love of travel with her passion for painting by taking a trip that involved both.
She participated in a Paint by Destination cruise that took her along the Danube River from Budapest, Hungary, to Bratislava, Slovakia, to several locations in Austria. Along the way, the group of 12 watercolor artists debarked toward a destination, sketchbooks in hand, to stop and draw.
They also received lessons from watercolorist Al Kline. “We received our first painting demonstration on the banks of the Danube overlooking Budapest Castle,” said Anderson.
Paint by Destination was the brainchild of Kline’s daughter, a travel agent. Unlike other international workshops Anderson has attended, this adventure involved multiple destinations. And unlike plein air, the artists spent their time on land touring, taking photos, and sketching; they did the actual painting when they were back on the ship headed for their next destination (though there was one day when they actually did paint plein air).
For the painting, Anderson packed quarter-size sheets (about 11 x 15 inches) that fit into her suitcase. Her travel sketch book measured 8 x 5 inches. She also brought a few brushes. “You don’t want to pack a lot,” she said. “I do carry-on only.”
She painted mainly buildings and reflections on the river, drawn especially to the variety of decorative steeples. Among her favorite memories are the aqueducts and warm baths of Budapest; the UFO Bridge in Bratislava, Slovakia; the Mozart and Strauss concert in Vienna; and Melk Abbey in the Studengau Valley. She did miss the last day after falling and breaking her wrist.
This was actually her first cruise of any kind, and she was surprised that she didn’t experience any seasickness. It was also a different kind of group travel experience. “The times before when I traveled with groups, I didn’t have time to paint or sketch,” she said. “For this company to work that in amongst the tour was like a dream come true. I will absolutely do it again.”
For more information about Paint by Destination, visit https://paintbydestination.com/.
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