We are so excited to announce that our Kickstarter Campaign to help fund the production of a book of my watercolor paintings is now LIVE!

Go to: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1585642890/paul-jackson-watercolors

This will bring you to the Kickstarter page where you can find out more about the book in progress, look through our awesome donor reward levels, watch our video explaining why we need your support, and even get a copy of the book for yourself.

If you haven’t heard about Kickstarter, here is a brief overview: Kickstarter is basically virtual fundraising, but for creative projects only. Many film makers, tech designers, and artists use this site to fund their projects that would otherwise never happen from lack of support and awareness. Although it is a relatively new concept, it is the best way to reach a large audience, thoroughly explain the project we are trying to fund, and bring the book to the most people possible.

It is important to note that only successfully funded campaigns will receive the money pledged. This means that unless we meet our goal of $25,000 to publish my art book, then 1) you will not receive a copy of the book 2) your credit card will not be charged. If the campaign is successful, your credit card will be charged right after the campaign ends on July 1, 2013

All of the information you need to know about the book, how the process will work from the time you make a donation to your receipt of your limited edition Paul Jackson Watercolor Book, and what your donation will actually help us accomplish is on the Kickstarter page. However, if you have any additional questions or comments, please shoot us line by replying to this email announcement.

We are so excited to finally be able to bring a book full of my best work to you with this fundraising campaign, and hope you will join us in making it a reality.

Paul Jackson

Ketchup Blogging.(hereby coining that term), is what I have to do when so much time passes between blog posts and I have to cram a whole lot of stuff in one post to catch up. It’s not the most appealing way to serve up info. I prefer to deliver tidbits of news in bite sized morsels that can be quickly consumed, rather than the feast of a newsletter. Bring the ketchup. This one’s a whopper.

The Wandering Watercolorist is scheduled to be released in late summer. This 12×12 portfolio monograph contains 200+ of my best watercolors from the past three decades. More info will be revealed in my Kickstarter project that launches here soon.

String Theory, 34×34″ watercolor
String Theory was accepted into the 146th annual exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. We made it to NYC for the show last week. It was the best I’ve seen in the 21 years I have been involved with this amazing group of artists.

The American Watercolor Society Awards dinner is one of the few places that professional artists can be in the same place at the same time. I’m always teaching workshops or judging shows where John Salminen or Stephen Quiller had been previously. All of us in one room is pretty amazing!

Uptown Bird. 36×22″ watercolor
Uptown Bird was awarded the Jack Richeson Award at the Northwest Watercolor Society exhibition in Seattle. I wasn’t able to make it to the awards ceremony, but my good friend, Amelia did. She thinks Uptown Bird is a keeper!

And if all that wasn’t enough..

Suspense, 26×20″ watercolor, collection of Paul & Anne Tuckley
Suspense was juried into Splash 15, a book containing the most amazing watercolors. I’ve had work in several of the previous Splash books but I can’t remember which ones.

My 2013 workshop schedule is now in full swing! We’re heading for workshops in Rarity Bay, Baton Rouge, Baltimore and Kenosha…all over the next six weeks!

We also have a watercolor sketchbook workshop in Paris & the South of France coming together for late October. Space is still available if you would like to join us!

Watercolor Adventure in Cambodia!
Imagine yourself with watercolor sketchbook in hand, exploring Angkor Wat, the coolest UNESCO world heritage site ever! We went last year to paint and it was so incredible that we’re taking a group in February, 2014….and you are invited! More info about this trip and all of my workshop calendar can be found under the workshop link at the top of the page.
Here’s a pic to tease you with:

New work:
I’ve been painting…a lot! And I’ll be showing my new work at the Boone County Historical Museum in Columbia, Missouri in July and August. The opening is July 11, 5:30-7:30. Hope you can join me and see some of these big watercolors in person!

Fire & Ice, 40×60″ watercolor

Thanks for catching up with me.

Blogging from home seems a lot harder to do somehow. When we’re on the go I blog in queue at the airport, or train station. At home I am focused on studio time, rarely leaving the Avalanche Ranch for more than groceries. And yet somehow I can hardly find the time to write a bit.

After a year on the go, we finally found two consecutive months to spend at home and in the studio. I’ve completed quite a few of the paintings I began while on adventure last year. All of them are now on display at the Meridian Museum of Art in Meridian, Mississippi thru March 23

The exhibition, called “Full Circle”, features 70 of my large watercolors, spanning a couple of decades. I left my Mississippi roots in 1989 for grad school in Missouri. This is the first time I have exhibited my artwork there since. The opening was a fabulous reunion of friends, classmates and family. It happened too fast, but it sure was incredible to see everyone who attended.

We’ll be back in Mississippi for the closing of the exhibition and to teach a workshop at the museum, March 22-24. There are a few seats left if you’d like to attend. Contact Marla to reserve a seat: Marlamjackson1@aol.com

As I sit in my studio and watch the snow fall, I am happy to be home for the holidays, but a bit sad to say goodbye to 2012. For such a big year, a quiet ending is all I have planned. Maybe a little painting time and a bottle of Prosecco tonight.

We talked about New Year’s Eve in New York or Paris, but decided that no place sounded better than home after the year of adventure that we had.

2012 began with us trekking amongst the temples in Cambodia, meeting new friends and sketching ideas to paint. We swam with elephants in Thailand and ate sushi at the Sukiji fish market in Japan.

In the spring I had workshops in Miami, Sedona, Little Rock, Manhattan KS, Knoxville and Rarity Bay TN. In May we came home for a High School graduation and a giant mural project.

In June we left for a workshop in New York, then flew direct to Sydney. For the summer we explored Australia and New Zealand, forging new friendships and filling up on inspiration. Two and a half months was not nearly long enough.

Short stays in Fiji, L.A, Dallas dotted the weeks between bigger adventures. Ten days home and off to Des Moines for two weeks of workshops with the Iowa watercolor Society, then straight to Italy.

18 of us tramped the coastal towns of Cinque Terre, the shoreline of Lake Garda and the canals of Venice with our watercolor sketchbooks in tow. We were all family by the end of our 10 day Italian adventure. We squeezed a week of museums in Amsterdam out of October before we had to come home.

More workshops in Picayune MS, New Orleans and Victoria BC. We finally made it home again in time for Thanksgiving. My studio was calling.

I’ve been in the studio for the past month, finishing paintings begun while traveling, and starting on a few new ideas. I’ve mostly kept my new paintings under wraps for now. If you want to see them you’ll have to come to one of my exhibitions in 2013.

My show at the Meridian MS Museum of Art opens February 9th. I’ll also be opening at the Boone County Historical
Museum in Columbia MO on July 11. I hope you will join me! 2013 promises to be a really amazing year.

Here’s wishing you the best for the new year! May it be our best yet.

Just in time for holiday studio painting, my new “Blade” brushes are ready to go. These are specialty watercolor brushes that make great calligraphic strokes and wonderful shapes with their extreme taper. They are a hardy synthetic brush, carry a lot of paint and make a sharp point. The 1″ brush is $35, the 2″ brush is $65. Contact Marla if you just gotta have one for yourself or the artist on your holiday list: Marlamjackson1@aol.com

Venice is one of the few magical places on earth that lure me time and again without disappointment. It is a unique jewel that captures the heart and imagination of every visitor and never lets go.

Bringing people to Venice for their first experience is a thrill for me. There is an audible gasp as we round the corner into Piazza San Marco, followed by speechlessness or tears every time. It is such a visually rich environment that artists and non-artists alike are overwhelmed.

St. Mark’s square is filled with tourists and pigeons all day long and it is impossible to see everything without grabbing an expensive table at one of the outdoor cafes for a still place to observe and experience. You’ll pay dearly for the cappuccino here, but it is worth the money for a front row seat to the best show in town. We nurse our coffee, gelato and beer as long as we can and sketch from here pretty often!

There aren’t many hotels near Piazza San Marco, and the few that are close don’t try very hard with customer service. Still, we stay within a short walk so we can have the square almost to ourselves for sunrise each morning. For a fleeting moment this grand place is empty and is ours to explore and sketch.

As the tide comes in the square fills with water and tourists walk on tabletops to get around. Some of the more adventurous will wade in the ankle-deep reflecting pool, but the locals wear boots. The water isn’t something you’d want to swim in without a dose of antibiotics, but it sure makes for a fun time with photo-ops everywhere!

There never seems to be enough time to see everything Venice has to offer. It demands repeat visits and changes seasonally. I’m always sad when my workshop groups depart Venice. It’s always too soon, but I know we’ll be back!

Malcesine is the small city at the top end of Lake Garda. It served as the perfect plein air studio for our watercolor sketching tour.

We stayed at the Hotel Benacus, just a short, beautiful walk from town and sketched lakeside each day. The sunrises were mostly obscured by the tall mountains behind us, but the sunsets were unbelievably colorful and reflected by the lake.

A few new friendships were made as we sketched in public, and our sketchbooks got a workout with new vistas and wonderful experiences.

Our Northern Italy watercolor sketchbook workshop has begun! We landed in Milan on September 8, and bussed down to Cinque Terre. Much of the damage from the mudslide disaster last year has been repaired, but our bus wasn’t able to make the last 4 kilometers to our hotel, so we had to ferry down the hill in taxis. Not the smoothest start, but at least we arrived. It just gets better from here!

We took the ferry down past the other four towns of Cinque Terre an sketched at Porto Venere on our second day, then back up to Vernaza for more.

Day three we took the train down to Rio Maggiore and walked the Lover’s Stroll to Manarola. More sketching and lots of photo ops! My group is having a blast and soaking in the rich culture and gathering inspiration to paint!

We’ve walked, boated and trained all over the area now. This morning I’ll demo paint from the terraced roof garden of our hotel. Less movement and more painting today!

New Zealand is a visually rich experience that is an artists playground. I could stay here forever painting landscapes with the low clouds wrapped around the mountains.

Driving around the North Island you will find one beautiful scene after the next. The South island takes beauty to a
whole different level. The Southern Alps are simply breathtaking.

I mistakenly thought I could see all of New Zealand in three weeks, but My estimation missed the mark by years. Just to hit the highlights we were on the go every day, and still missed a lot.

Blogging was almost impossible, squeezing the most out of each day, cramming in as much as possible. Free Wireless almost nonexistent, which made communication tough, but I enjoyed the digital silence for a while.

The Milford Sound was as spectacular as I imagined it would be. Mount Cook as majestic. None of the vistas on my list disappointed. I should be painting for years to come with the sketches I’ve gathered. I have inspiration to spare from this corner of paradise.

The magical Whitsundays are the jewel of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. The relaxed atmosphere makes a visit here worth all the effort. We kicked off our shoes an played on the beach, painted in the mangroves and walked through the rainforests. From Airlie Beach we ferried out to Hamilton Island for a few days. We definitely felt the resort experience, but not the adventure we tend to crave.
We enjoyed the slow pace for a bit, but couldn’t stand the sound of the clock ticking. We chartered a small plane and flew out to the barrier reef in search of the legendary heart reef. We found it!

The Heart Reef was smaller than I imagined, but no less thrilling to see. We also got a great view of Whitehaven Beach from above. Stunning!

The Reef was definitely one of the most beautiful places we found in Australia. There was far too much to see
It all, but what we could see we fell in love with.

Up to the wet tropics in the northeast corner of Australia, we trekked into the Daintree Rainforest in search of exotic landscapes and creatures of imagination. This steamy place grows amazing plants and trees, some dating back to the age of dinosaurs.

The Daintree is the oldest rainforest on planet earth. It is home to thousands of different species of birds and insects. I found many of them in the three magical days I had to catch them with paint and photos.

Three days was definitely not enough time to truly explore the Daintree, but I know where I’ll be coming back to. This place tops my list of unbelievable destinations.

Once named Ayers Rock, now named Uluru, it’s a magnetic place that defies description. Why do people travel to the middle of Australia to a barren desert to see a big rock?

Maybe the color of the orange-red sand complimenting the deep blue sky is visually stimulating, but there is something else that pulled us here.

The few aboriginal people we met were incredibly interesting, as if they were from a different century. They told us incredible stories about the rock, none of which made a bit of sense. My indigenous teacher, Alice, explained that they aren’t supposed to tell the whole story, just their part. (as if that made any sense either). Still, it was interesting to listen to her talk.

Walking the 10k around Uluru was the most satisfying part of our journey to the Red Center. The rock offers continuous surprises, amazing views (some of which photos are forbidden), and a spiritual trek through time.

We came to Adelaide to meet with friends about a series of workshops we are planning for 2013. Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney will be our locations for the first three events, because we have artist friends in each and have now scouted locations as well.

Adelaide is known as the city of churches but offers a lot more to see as well. The cathedrals are spectacular, but so are the wineries and small towns that surround the city.

We didn’t spend enough time getting to know this quaint city, but did have a marvelous time with our friends and managed to have another Koala encounter as well. I never get tired of interacting with these fuzzy creatures!

We'll explore Adelaide more when we return next year for our workshops. It was just a pleasant teaser this time and left us wanting more!
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To really experience the best Australia has to offer, you have to drive through the bush at least once. I was told that the Great Ocean Road was an opportunity not to be missed, so we rented a car in Melbourne and spent a few days driving to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road.

To be quite honest, the coastline reminded me a lot of the Pacific Coast Highway in California. It was dotted with wineries and the occasional awesome rock formation off the beach. The PCH has more to see, but it is hard to beat the colorful parrots, kangaroos in the road and spectacular Gum trees that you’ll find in Australia.

The distance between cities in Australia is surreal. It is not uncommon to drive 6-7 hours with nothing more than a couple of gas stations along the track. It is quite easy to escape civilization, but so monotonous at times that apparently falling asleep at the wheel is a huge problem. Signage along the two lane highway is not that helpful with distances and place names, but there is no shortage of morbid warnings about driving drowsy. “Drive Drowsy. Die.”

If you make this drive, take every opportunity to stop and stretch, see the sights and wake up. There are plenty of bouncing kangaroos waiting to wreck your rental if you aren’t paying attention!

Tasmania is a beautiful surprise for those who dare adventure to the southeast corner of Australia. Home to Platypus, Echidna, wallabies and the infamous Tasmanian Devil, this incredible place is a paradise for anyone seeking the extraordinary. Every corner I turned offered a new a spectacular view.

We landed in Launceston, in the north central region and drove the coastline down the Eastern shore to Hobart on the south central coast.

We spent a day at the Bay of Fire, gathering inspiration and sketching the Dr Suess-like landscape. The giant rocks lining the coast are covered in thick lichen of several different colors, most notably the red that gives the place it’s name.

July is winter in Tassie, but the temperature was in the 40′s and 50′s. We really enjoyed the brisk weather, fog and dramatic light, but got several doses of heavy rain in the south. The early sunsets are hard to get used to. It’s dark before 6pm. Sunrise is around 7am.

We missed the west coast entirely, opting to spend time with new friends in Launceston. We’ll be planning for a longer visit next time. Three days isn’t enough time to discover Tasmania. It’s just enough time to fall in love with this remote land.

Ninety minutes in the air from Sydney to Melbourne provided an expensive lesson in Aussie air travel. I’ll save the wrenching details and skip to the end result…won’t ever fly Tiger Airways again. Thankfully Australia has a lot of other, better airlines that connect all of the major cities.

Arriving in Melbourne was actually a very nice contrast to soothe the nerves from the air travel experience. Laid back, colorful and appropriately paced, Melbourne welcomed us with fun places and people.

We walked every part of the city in our five days there, taking in all of the museums and cultural attractions. This city has certainly embraced public art and is flourishing because of it. The skyline is filled with the cranes of new construction. Beautiful new buildings rub shoulders with some of the coolest buildings from 1800′s.

When we had walked every street in downtown, we walked out about 10 miles to the small beach suburb of Brighton. Here, with the skyscrapers of downtown Melbourne on the horizon, is a beach lined with colorful beach houses. The sunset alone was worth the walk, but the vibrant cottages beg to be rendered in watercolor.

On the advice from our new mate, Simon, the best host you could ever want in a hotel manager, we took a day trip out of Sydney into the Blue Mountains to the small town of Katoomba for the WinterMagic festival. From Simon’s description I imagined a fusion of Trekkie convention, Costume Party, and Steampunk happening. His description did not disappoint. There were all manner of crazy people having fun in the crisp 50 degree air of the winter solstice in June.

All ages crowded the streets for a parade of faeries and princesses, goths, punks and hipsters. There were people dressed as animals and animals dressed as people. The grim reaper was on our train car for the two hour train ride into the mountains. It didn’t bode well for the trip, but assured an interesting adventure.

50,000 plus people crammed the streets of this gorgeous mountain town for their biggest event of the year. Australian winter revelers came from around New South Wales and beyond to bounce to a wide range of music from several stages scattered around town. As crowded as it was, I was really impressed with how nice every was!

I barely remember the train ride back down the mountain that night, except for a chance encounter with a guy we met crankin to the dance music earlier in the day. Our new mate, Nick had ridden his bike most of the way down the mountain and jumped on the train at one of the lower stops. We enjoyed getting to talk to him on the train, again on the the bus to downtown Sydney, and yet another surprise encounter at the airport a couple of days later. Some people are just meant to meet!

Walking around Sydney is more of a visual feast than exercise. It is much like San Francisco with its steep hills and big bridge over the bay, but it is so clean and so friendly that it is hard to imagine it is real. Certainly the 2000 Olympics had an impact with construction of incredible new buildings, but there was already a lot to work with here.

The traffic isn’t bad and there are walking paths all around. The ferry service is efficient and relatively cheap, although much of everything else is a bit pricey. A beer will cost you about $8 just about anywhere in the downtown area, even the local brew. Plan on $30 each or more for dinner just for a bowl of soup. There isn’t so much in the way of Australian food, so I don’t really feel the need to waste time on epicurean adventure.

I’m here for the visuals, as usual, and to lay groundwork for a series of workshops next year. There’s plenty to discover. I hope I have enough time to get a good overview of what’s here.

The wildlife is spectacular! Colorful and noisy birds are everywhere. Koala encounters are possible and even a Roo or two can be found. The Flora and Fauna are unique to Australia so all is brand new and exciting.

We’ll be wandering the botanical gardens this afternoon, and trying to catch a different view of the Opera House and bridge at sunset. Maybe a night walkabout is in order this evening to catch the lights of this spectacular city reflecting in the harbor.

Believe it or not, one can be in New York, Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia on the same day. Well, at least in the same 24 hour period. There is an international date line issue that confuses things and eats whole calendar dates. I missed Father’s Day entirely this year. My kids called me before I left New York though.

One day we were visiting John Lennon’s Imagine mosaic in Central Park, caught a flight to L.A. and then on to Sydney for a walk around the opera house. This was all before the sun set on us twice. It is a small world after all.

So, we’re on walkabout yet again this year, as if a month in Southeast Asia wasn’t enough. It wasn’t. My bucket list is long, and my painting research sometimes requires extreme leaps.

This morning we caught sunrise over the famous opera house and walked around Darling Harbour. Sydney smells and feels great as far as cities go. We are loving it after only 48 hours. It may be the nicest city I’ve visited so far.

We’ll explore further afield after a few more days. So much to absorb. Check back regularly. I’ll post pics and blog whenever I cross a wireless hotspot. G’day for now!

Judging the Adirondacks National was both a thrill and a tough task. There were so many great paintings that choosing the award winners meant eliminating fantastic paintings. I truly got to choose among the very best watercolors in America. Congratulations to those who won, those who made the show and those who entered this prestigious competition. Lucky are all who make it to see the exhibition at VIEW in Old Forge NY.

Not only was it a fun week, but I had a great workshop group to play with in Old Forge. We laughed and slung paint for four days, and bonded as new friends. I hope to return to Old Forge and meet with all of these friends again sometime.

At the southeast corner of Broadway and Hitt Street in Columbia MO, you’ll find the Alpine shop, featuring a new mural on its west wall.

My crew, (mostly family), spent the last two weeks painting “Blown Away”, a 16×68′ design that is stopping traffic already. I love ambitious projects, and this one occurred at a good place and time. The weather was somewhat cooperative, although we both baked and froze…no rain.

The project was a load of fun, and I hope the mural fever catches on here.

Sneak preview!

Just in time for our Italy workshop, my new “Traveler” watercolor brushes are almost ready for their debut!

After years of travel and beating up brushes, I finally broke down and designed the perfect paintbrush set for adventures. No more junky brushes in the field!

The set features two collapsible, self-contained, Kolinsky Sable round watercolor bushes (a #8 and a #4), and a 1″ Golden Taklon flat with an abbreviated handle so that whole set will fit in a 7″case!

The sable rounds brush heads are protected inside their handle for transport, and fit together with the handle to provide the extra length needed for painting.

A protective case is in the works for the set, and will be ready for travel any day now!

I’m very honored to be included in this latest book, “Secrets of the International Contemporary Watercolor Masters”. It’s only available in Chinese, but you should be able to find it on Amazon.com/ci.

I haven’t seen an actual copy yet, but got my chapter in advance.

It was 4 years ago that I last came to Manhattan, Kansas for a workshop with a unique group of friends that paint together. This group seems to value friendship over ego, perhaps more than any other I’ve met. They pull each other forward as artists, and their growth is tremendous.

This week was a treat, reuniting with friends from my last visit, and making a few new ones. They tackled my glass workshop like professionals and made me look good as a teacher. (I’d love to take credit for all their success, but it is their own hard work that made them so good.)

I also made a Prairie Chicken pilgrimage again, and was only disappointed by the lack of light. The Prairie Chicken booming was totally mesmerizing. If you ever get the chance to witness Prairie Chickens booming, take it!

Last time I was here I went from Manhattan KS, to Manhattan, NY directly. The differences were immediately obvious and the two worlds have little in common. I love them both for different reasons, but always feel that Green Acres is the place for me. It would be tough to grow tomatoes in New York, and you’ll definitely not witness a Prairie Chicken booming.

Art has a different feel on the plains. It is honest and pure, no hustle or insincere posturing. I love the way the people embrace their work and how they share it with each other.

Painting with the Mid-Southern watercolor society was a nice treat! (it sure felt good to be back where people “talk right”.)

The Southern hospitality and charm were both in full swing for this fast and furious glass workshop. We had to race to finish this complicated demo in time, but the results speak for the experience.

Just home from Southeast Asia and filled with inspiration, I immediately had to head out again to judge a show, give a demo and workshop with the Miami watercolor society. With jetlag and daylight savings time, one might think I should have been exhausted, but I was bouncing with energy from the previous adventure, and recharged with enthusiasm by the wonderful artists I spent time with in South Florida. The Miami Watercolor Society Spring exhibition was a stunning array of paintings, half of which I was forced to reject because of the space. It’s always a difficult task turning away such talent, but the task suits me, and I have never been run out of town for my selections….not yet anyway. My 90 minute demonstration was a bit of a race, but I actually created a decent painting, although quite simple and atmospheric. Watercolor typically requires a longer period of time to create anything since drying puddles monopolizes the minutes. My effort was well received though.

The workshop narrowed my group down to less than 20, all eager, some already very skilled. I specialize in absolute beginners, but I typically get one or two professionals that sign up. This group was a good mixture, but more pros than beginners. They all did remarkably well and were some of the nicest people I’ve had the fortune to work with. My demo painting was of a dramatic landscape from my recent travels in Cambodia. The silhouette of Angkor Wat provided a nice reference for a painting that could be accomplished in a week. Painting while talking is a bit of a circus trick that doesn’t always go well, but in this case I am very pleased with the result!

I’m sad to leave the balmy weather and wonderful new friends, but I must move on to my next event with the Mid-Southern Watercolor Society in Little Rock.

Walking the streets of Tokyo this past week has been a dream. It is much like New York City, but larger, cleaner and more crowded. The other differences are quite noticeable as well. Fashion seems to lean toward the bizarre “Lolita” trend for teenagers and twenty-somethings. I saw no homeless, no panhandlers, no rudeness or shady characters. It’s a wonderful and safe environment, but so very expensive. There must be more than 20 “Times Square” type areas, brightly lit with a thousand advertisements. The neon canyons are a particular draw for me. I love to paint the odd and colorful array of lights. It’s tough to do in the crowd though.

It was cold and foggy quite a bit of our time here, but the atmosphere made for nice effect, and kept some of the crowd indoors. The views were stunning from the rooftops, with skyscrapers peeking in and out of the mist.

There were so many things to paint, and I got a few starts, but nothing completed beyond a sketch. I gathered information as rapidly as I could though. Tokyo will certainly inspire my work for a long time to come. I was completely impressed with the people and their hospitality, attitudes and willingness to help me negotiate my way around.

Each morning we would set out on foot in a different direction with no particular destination in mind. We wandered for 10-12 hours, discovering visual gems everywhere, then grabbing a taxi to get us back to our hotel when we were exhausted and as lost as we could get. If we could muster a second wind after dark we would go out again to see the lights.

Sushi for breakfast surprises nobody here. We ate our fill several times a day and still crave more. It is so fresh and so well prepared that we became very experimental. One morning we went to the famous fish market and ate tuna minutes after the fierce auction. Only two other places I’ve eaten have fish this good…Bloody Mary’s on Bora Bora and Jina Yoo’s in Columbia, Missouri.

During the daylight hours we visited a couple of Shinto shrines. They are a stark contrast to the colorful city that surrounds them, but incredibly picturesque and tranquil. They brought out the more peaceful, thoughtful facets of my creative side. These are places to paint, if you can get away with it respectfully. There are a load of rules to be followed in the shrines, and none of them in English. I seem to have learned most of them the hard way, but the worst punishment I got was a finger wagged at me. I took a bit of advantage of the fact that no signs were in English, and went where I pleased until I was told not to.

Of course the art supply stores grabbed me every time I ran across one. I always enjoy looking for things that are new or different than what I’m used to. I don’t exactly need more supplies, but I find treasures I can’t live without in every different country I visit. Japan was exceptionally tempting in this area.

There just wasn’t enough time here for me to do all I wanted. I must definitely return as soon as possible. Hopefully the Japanese Watercolor Society will invite me to come teach or judge. I’d love to meet more artists next time. This was just an exploratory first visit, but I filled it as best I could. I regret not having the time to visit Kyoto and other places further afield. Next time! Hopefully soon!

Thank you Tokyo! You have impressed me and quickly captured a piece of my heart. I am inspired to paint and dream for more!

Until this week we have avoided big cities on this adventure, but Bangkok beckoned, and our next flight departs from their big airport. I only scheduled four days here, which was not enough to really see much, but I did my best.

Khaosan Road is the backpackers haven and location of the cheapest hotel rooms in town. We went for a visit, but did not stay long. Maybe in my younger days.

We also visited the various red-light districts of Patpong, Sukhumvit and Nana, but just to see the neon lights. None of us had any desire to see the debauchery within the various clubs. I was hoping to paint a little, but gave up quickly after being harassed by dozens of prostitutes, lady boys and people trying to sell me all types of goods and services. They couldn’t seem to comprehend that I was just there to see the lights. No massage necessary, thanks!

Sunrise was a lot better time to get out and sketch. Apparently Thailand doesn’t get up early, except for the orange-robed monks who are out searching for food. They are only allowed to eat what is given to them, and only in the early morning. Picture me with a giant bunch of bananas, surrounded by a dozen monks, each happily eating my offering. Wish I had a picture!

Bangkok is definitely a big city experience, much like Shanghai or New York. It is very crowded, smoggy and chaotic. After the tranquil places we have been to this month, it is a bit of overload and i’ll be happy to move along…although my next stop is Tokyo, which won’t be exactly an escape from the chaos.

I love big cities when I’m in the right frame of mind. There is so much to see and do that you never run out of inspiration. Still, my small town roots always lead me to quieter, calmer places.

Home is on the horizon and I’ll have all the quiet I desire soon enough. For now, I’ll endure in the interest of more discovery and adventure. I can never get enough!

Elephants are awesome! I’ve always liked them from a distance, and had enough respect for their giant size to admire from afar. At over three tons, they can easily squash a human being, so you definitely want to stay on their good side!

I have always wanted to get a closer look at one of these beautiful creatures, but access to them has been rather limited, typically through bars at a zoo. This is not the case in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Northern Thailand is elephant central. Chiang Mai has dozens of elephant camps, and the city is decorated with elephant sculptures everywhere. Most of the camps train the elephants to do tricks and offer shows and rides, but I really didn’t feel like that was humane or what the elephant would want. However, I found an elephant farm that allowed a much friendlier access to elephants.

The Patara elephant farm breeds elephants and does not train them to paint or dance. They also don’t put steel cages on their back and make them haul four or five people through the jungle. Instead they train people on how to coexist with elephants. This sounded good to me.

I never thought I would be holding a giant chunk of elephant dung, but a health inspection was part of the training. Surprisingly, it smelled like grass and wasn’t unpleasant once I got past the thought that it had passed through an intestinal tract. After a brief introduction to my elephant, Maicompok, I fed her a barrel of sugar cane and bananas and we became fast friends.

With a little guidance from my trainer, I led Maicompok down to the river to give her a bath. This was no small feat! Imagine scrubbing down a truck that is ticklish! The big girl liked being scrubbed behind her ears and around her eyes. Her skin was very tough, and her hair like a wire brush, but she was very sensitive. She let me know when I was scrubbing too hard, and I got a bit of a bath myself.

We each had our own elephant to work with, and it was exhausting work at that, but the most fun we ever had!

After the bath, we learned several ways to get on an elephant. This was no easy task! I was afraid I would hurt (or anger) Maicompok, but my trainer assured me that she liked me and would tolerate my ignorance.

Marla took a different approach to boarding her giant.

Soon we were all riding high on the most majestic perch imaginable. It was so unbelievably exciting, I hardly noticed how painful it was to do the splits on a moving behemoth. (My hips may never be the same again).

Our trainers taught us to guide the elephants where we wanted them to go, but I suspect they already knew where they were going, and secretly laughed at our attempts to tell them. We rode through the jungle, up and down some perilously steep terrain, and managed it like pros. The elephants really made us look good.

My favorite part of our trek was swimming with our elephants. These massive puppies love the water and are quite playful! They found great joy in soaking us with their trunks, but were very careful not to crush or drown us. What seemed a bit terrifying at first, turned out to be one of the most fun and memorable events ever!

When Nantucket is under a bucket of snow, head to Phuket. (pronounced Poo-ket)

The beach is sunny and hot in Thailand this time of year, and all has been beautifully rebuilt since the 2004 tsunami. We came over on the ferry from Phi Phi this afternoon. (pronounced Pee-pee). Both islands are fun, but Phi Phi is much harder to get around since it has no roads.

We tried to meet up with Ismail on Phi Phi, but met with too many obstacles so we decided Phuket would be easier. (I think I may have pronounced it wrong a few times yesterday.)

So now we’re in a taxi, flying past rows of rubber trees, heading to Patong Beach to meet Ismail and some local watercolorists for dinner. Our driver put some Whitney Houston on the radio. Such a tragedy that she died so young yesterday. That kind of news travels around the world pretty fast, although our driver didn’t know. I hated telling him.

Whitney was only 48. I am 43 and feel my own mortality every day. I lost several dear friends in 2011. That is one of the reasons I am here. It’s a big world and a short life. There is so much to do and so many friends to share time with. I haven’t even met all of my friends yet.

Dreams can’t wait any longer. I don’t live with the notion that “someday” I will go after them. There is no time like the present. So…Phuket. No regrets, no missed opportunities. I am here and I feel very alive today.

Now where is Ismail?!