A portable, interactive art journal and field guide that inspires through depictions of 31 New England scenes and encourages a deeper engagement with travel through painting, drawing, and writing. This small yet sturdy sketchbook-and-journal combination is the ideal travel companion-ready to toss into a backpack at a moment's notice. Through drawing, painting, and writing tips and inspiration, it invites curious creatives to journey toward an expansive, more meaningful engagement with the world around them. . A mix of history, narrative, and art explores the natural beauty of New England, which has long captivated artists, writers, and everyday travelers . Includes brief historical overviews of the region, composition and painting tips, a gallery of the author's field sketches, a helpful listing of resources and sites to visit, and sage advice for becoming a sketchbook traveler . Spotlights iconic New England subjects, including Mount Greylock; Pittsfield State Forest; Monument Mountain and the Housatonic Valley; Sandwich Town Beach, Cape Cod; Stage Rocks, Gloucester Harbor; Ten Pound Island; Cape Ann; the Essex River; Salem Harbor; Popham Point; Prouts Neck; Pemaquid Point; Cape Elizabeth; Morse Mountain; Fort Preble; Mount Equinox; Camel's Hump Mountain; and Fort Ticonderoga . Filled with inspiring quotes and blank pages, allowing readers to develop their own visual journal and record their observations and impressions while traveling . Author's artwork is found in many private and public collections, including Asheville Art Museum (NC); Avery Fine Art and Architecture Library, Columbia University (NY); Denver Art Museum, Institute for Western Art (CO); Hudson River Museum (NY); Museum of the Southwest (TX); New York Public Library, Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photography (NY); Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Archives and Special Collections (PA); West Point Museum, United States Military Academy (NY); and Yale Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (CT) By deepening readers' knowledge and enriching their personal experiences, this portable canvas ensures that every day can be a meaningful, mindful artistic adventure. AUTHOR: James Lancel McElhinney is a visual artist, author, and essayist known for travel journals and other works exploring American rivers and Civil War landscapes. Exhibited widely, McElhinney earned a BFA from Tyler School of Art and MFA from Yale; his art is represented in many public and private collections. McElhinney lives in Manhattan and Champlain Valley. mcelhinneyart.com SELLING POINTS: . A portable yet sturdy guide / gift book for travelers looking to engage with the world around them through plein air drawing, painting, and journal keeping . Novice and professional artists alike will be inspired by New England's rocky coasts, sandy beaches, stunning mountains and valleys, and other natural features . Includes brief historical overviews, composition and painting tips, a gallery of the author's field sketches, pages for art making and journaling, and sage advice for becoming a sketchbook traveler 31 colour drawings
