I have thought a lot about what to pack for creative travel. Though you shouldn’t expect too much from yourself while on vacation, I still think it’s a good idea to pack art materials to create just in case. I like to bring watercolors and watercolor paper. Sometimes I bring a mixed media sketch book. On a recent trip I took a small mixed media sketchbook, some of my favorite Arches paper, a Koi watercolor set, colored pencils, mixed media pencils, a few small paint brushes, and my travel paint water cup.

I didn’t really expect much of myself, beyond playing around, but I actually created some work that I really love. I think it’s because I was feeling so much and I needed my creative outlet. That’s what art is for! Feeling. Making. Being. After my trip I took time to review my watercolor paintings and I selected the ones that I think most resonate with how I was feeling. Then I took time to title them and present them to you. The result is You Can’t Stay Here Forever, a series of watercolors that I made during an island vacation on my first trip away from my baby. You can view the full series and purchase in my art shop.