What’s in Your Emergency Kit

As we stare down Hurricane Ian, I wonder what’s in your emergency kit? OK OK you’re absolutely right, gentle reader. There’s no such thing as staring down a category 4 hurricane. So before I get to my favorite topic, a painter’s emergency kit, I will take care of more pressing matters. Such as? Well, first I want to welcome new readers here and share a link too. The link describes the purpose of this blog.

Just In Case

On the off chance that you found this website because you really do want to know what to put in your hurricane emergency kit, here’s the link from FEMA. And, since the Governor of NC has declared a state of emergency today, I will share NC’s version of an emergency kit here.

Guess what? It’s kinda easy to tell which list has been written by someone who – perhaps – has had to live through a natural disaster. What? Well the NC list includes a recommendation to bring a sleeping bag for every person in your house. The Fed list does not. But I digress, as usual. HA! Before I get to the painter’s emergency kit, I want to send out best wishes and hopes for no injuries, flooding and damage to anyone out there in the storm’s path.

A Painter’s Emergency Kit

Now let’s get to the fun stuff, eh? First, I’ll share a painting in progress. I worked on it outdoors (plein air). It’s not finished so it’s not for sale yet. But it sure was fun to paint. It’s 9×12 inches on panel.

So my emergency painting kit would have to include the colors I used here with the exception of one. Which one? The titanium white paint I used today. It’s quick drying which is super important. Especially if I wanted to work on the painting later today. Unfortunately, my experience with this paint, by Gamblin, is that it just gets tacky. And, because I mixed the white with all the other colors, they get tacky too. :-/

This means I either need to go back to delicious Old Holland Cremnitz (Lead) white or find a suitable alternative. And, you know, since we’re preparing for a huge storm headed our way, heck, I am going to add Cremnitz white to my emergency list. It’s the dreamiest, butteriest (is that a word?), most delicious (don’t eat it though) paint ever. The downside of OH Cremnitz white? It’s at least $40 a tube. That’s right. $40 for 1.5 ounces of delicious creamy, buttery white paint. And, lead, is just not good for you either. Hence the suggestion not to eat the stuff.

What Else

Anyway, if I were to really plan ahead for an extended time away due to an emergency, I would pack all the goodies I bring with me when I go out and paint outdoors (aka plein air). Here’s that list:

• Toned canvasses
• Oil paint (white, cobalt, ultramarine blue, hansa yellow, earth yellow, napthol red, venetian red, ivory black, raw umber)
• Paint bag
• Brushes
• Brush carrier
• Glass palette/Plastic palette carrier
• Razor blade to clean palette
• Screw driver to lift glass palette out of plastic carrier
• Wooden palette
• Tripod/Tripod bag/clamp
• Gamsol
• Gloves
• View finder
• Pencil
• Sketchbook or stickie note
• Wet palette carriers
• Trash bag
• Paper towels
• Bug Spray
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle
• Backpack

Compare this

If you compare this list to the Emergency lists above, you may see a few differences. For instance, I don’t bring a gallon of water for each person and day I’ll be out (FEMA and NC recommend this). And, I don’t bring a sleeping bag or canned foods and a can opener. But will I be including a few items from my plein air kit in my emergency kit? Heck yes!

For instance, I will bring bug spray and that screw driver. It’s amazing how each of these items can come in handy on a plein air adventure, let alone if the power is out for awhile.

A Confession

And, even though I should be completely happy living with my plein air art supplies for days on end, I confess I would need to bring something else. Oh no! Really? Yes, you see, I am pretty sure that if I did not bring at least the three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) plus white and mixing white of my gouache paints, I would long for them. Oh yes, I know I would.

And like most things, gouache paints would need a separte paint storage system, as well as paper, special brushes. And, with gouache I tend to sit and paint rather than stand. So I would need to bring my sitting easel. Gah! And, a sponge. I’m probably forgetting something else essential for my gouache habit but I think that’s the gist of it.

Right Now

Right now I want to say I am so grateful for my studio. Why? Because I store everything I need to oil or gouache paint in this room at the back of our house. Here’s a photo!

Oh wait! One more thing. I realize I forgot to mention that I do always, always, always carry my sketch book with me. That way, if I get stuck in traffic, or have to wait in line somewhere, I can sketch and – woosh – the time goes by in no time.

So I guess having a sketch book, supplies and a studio of one’s own is about the best emergency kit ever don’t you think? And, if that’s not possible right now, having a creative emergency kit that you can carry with you at all times would be vital.

There you have it, gentle reader. A description of this painter’s emergency kit. What about you? Do you have a creative emergency kit that you carry with you at all times? If you do, I would love it if you shared the details in the comments below. Thank you for reading today!