Heilmann sketch box

Since I’m all packed and ready to go tomorrow, I thought I’d add a post to let you know about two new sketch boxes from John Heilman that I saw at IAPS. If you don’t know about the Heilman boxes, they are definitely the top of the line for transporting pastels. I use the backpack box for all plein air work and classes outside the studio. But it’s pretty heavy.  Now, Mr. Heilmann has come up with two new “sketch” boxes that each weigh under 2lbs empty. The one shown in the picture is the single sketch box. It has one compartment for pastels and the other side acts like an easel. There is a metal handle that holds the box up for painting. You can also get the box with two compartments for pastel with holes drilled to fit on a tripod (sketch box double).  The boxes run $150 (single) and $180 (double). They are beautifully made. I would probably buy the double and use one side for hard and Girault and the other for soft. If you use small pieces, you could get a lot of pastels in with less weight for transporting on planes.  For complete information, see: www.heilmandesigns.com.

The other new product that I got a sample of is the “cube” from Caran d’ache. These are long square pastels that look similar to NuPastel. They seem softer than NuPastels, but are still on the hard side. The colors are lovely, but they are also expensive.  Will try out the two I got a little more when I get home and let you know what I think.

Terry Ludwig booth

Hello friends! I am back from IAPS and the Southwest and very happy to be here!  It was HOT!!! and DRY!!! and I am very much looking forward to the cool temperatures of Cape Cod, where I’ll be soon.  But IAPS was really great, probably the best one for me. I’ve included a photo of the Terry Ludwig booth, which is always the most spectacular display at the convention. I was lucky to be working at the IAPS booth, which was right next to this. I managed to come limit my purchases to 12 Ludwigs and 8 Giraults. Amazing!  In addition to the trade show, there were the wonderful exhibitions by the master circle and the open juried show. I had two paintings in the latter. The shows were fantastic and I was very honored to be part of them. No prizes but I sold “Gracie.”  I took three workshops: abstract painting with Debora Stewart, which really inspired me; portrait painting with William Schneider, and color in the landscape with Doug Dawson. All were very good, but for me, it was the total experience of being with so many old and new friends. Running the silent auction, I was able to meet many more people than I have in the past. And I had a book signing on Saturday that went very well.  I will report on a new box from Heilmann in a future post. Only two days to get ready for the next trip and so much to do.  One word: I really appreciate the comments that I get from you all. In addition to those, I received hundreds of spam messages that I have to clear over and over again. So if I haven’t responded to you it’s because you are lost in the spam!  A project for July is to download spam-blocking software once I learn how and where to do this. I love the blog and being able to reach out to new people, so keep letting me know what you think. In July, I hope to do lots of painting and experimenting and sharing it all with you.  Cheers!  Jean