Getting Ready for Adventure

Jaime Howard and Joanne Middlebrooks, feeling adventurous

Once upon a time, two painters decided to have a big adventure in a small trailer.

 Destination:

 Monterey, California and  the Plein Air Convention, "the Woodstock of plein air painting." We're off to join the largest collection of plein air painters on the planet for a week of classes, demos and on-site painting with world class artists along the rocky coast of California.

This is a road trip of epic proportions - almost 6,000 miles round trip from Jacksonville, Florida. It will take a lot of planning and about five weeks to complete the trip.

 The goal is to paint our way across the USA, at every location and in every state from here to Monterey and back. We represent our local group of artists, the First Coast Plein Air Painters, and everyone who hankers after an adventure of their own making.

 

Bubba Jane

Bubba Jane, the 14 foot long 1965 Zipper vintage camper, will be our home away from home, so our first task is to make her as comfy as we can.

With an end of March departure date coming up, we'll be taking a short shakedown cruise to make sure we both fit in this little tin can comfortably and happily. We'll be posting our preparations and adjustments as we go - and we'll try to answer some of your burning questions:

• What will they take with them in the way of art supplies? Food? Camping equipment?
• Where will they be camping and will they end up spending the night in any WalMart parking lots? 
• How many paintings will actually be painted on this trip? 
• How will these friends get along sharing this tiny space for over a month?
• Does anyone snore?
• Will they still be friends when they get home?

We'll try to answer all these questions and more, so stay tuned to this channel and please feel free to share with your friends who are interested in adventure, camping, painting or venturing into the unknown toward an uncertain but exciting outcome.
 

Vintage Trailer Transformation - Bubba Jane becomes the Blue Bird

Have Brush, Will Travel
goes on the road!

The restoration of a vintage 1965 model Zipper 10' travel trailer, came at the end of a very busy school year and before the trip to my painting workshop in Maine. 

My capable and creative daughter, Janna, just back from two years of la dolce vita in Italy, got right on board to make sure this trailer was transformed into a beautiful, practical portable painting studio and living space, as cute as we could possibly make her.

Her name used to be Bubba Jane

She was adorable when I bought her and I had my doubts whether we should even attempt to give her a new paint job. But being artists, Janna and I had to make our mark, so...

...we took a deep breath and took on the challenge. We painted her inside and out, gave her a retro zig-zag and a pair of wings to help her fly down the road. We dubbed her Blue Bird and we flew down the highway.

Now we call her Blue Bird

Blue Bird followed obediently along behind our car over 3,000 miles - from Florida to Maine and back again. She provided us a with almost all the comforts of home: a comfy place to sleep, shelter from the rain, and a tiny kitchen to cook in. What else do you need?

Did you see us on the road?

 

Chalk paint, inside cabinet door

 Stay tuned to this blog for more photos from the inside of the camper. See you soon!