KAMENJARA BEACH, VRBOSKA, TRAVEL WITH MY ART #46
Hello! Time for another 'Travel With My Art' piece. This acrylic painting was actually painted on litter. Literally, on litter. As I was hiking, I found a discarded packaging and I decided to paint on it. I finally got the chance to do some en plein air. It all happened because I did not have any paper or sketchbook with me. I packed some acrylic paints in my backpack and decided to paint on whatever I could find. I thought that maybe I would find some driftwood. Instead, I found some litter to paint on. So, I was cleaning the nature, hiking and painting at the same time. Now, that was a productive hike.
This painting is painted with one euro acrylic paints. Literally, the cheapest ones. I picked them up at local TEDi in Stari Grad. Litter plus cheap paints and the result is still good. That happens when you have the skill. It stops being about the materials. At this point, I could paint with mud or dirt on whatever. I could paint with anything on everything. That is because I worked on my skills. Those of you who have been following my art journey from the very start know that I was not born with art skills. I developed them over the years. Yes, I always loved art and I had that creative spark, but if I had not worked on developing my skills, all that would probably amount to nothing. I'm sure there's a lesson to be learn there.
This 'Travel With My Arts' series on my blog helped me a lot, actually. If nothing else, it challenged me to make 46 landscape paintings and/or illustrations. Sure some of the paintings I shared were commissions, meaning people paid me to paint them, but those works of art were also of a challenge. Moreover, had I not worked on my art skills, I wouldn't have gotten those commissions. So, that's my two cents about the whole painting thing. I think we should have a big celebration when I hit the one hundredth post in the Travel With My Art category. What do you guys think? Do you agree?
Anyhow, I think this is the first 'litter cleaning en plain air painting' on this blog. I did paint on packaging before and recycled my art materials as well as painting en plain air. However, this is the first time I combined both, I think. I documented the whole process on video, so you can have a look at it below.
A video of the painting process. There are a few more of these videos on what I guess is now my Art YouTube Channel.
When I went on this hike, I was alone, so I don't remember what I was wearing and I did not take any photographs. Well, actually now I remember I made a video of doing push ups and sent it to my husband as a flex, but I don't have that video. Anyhow, it does not matter what I wore. I combined this painting post with an outfit I wore to this location recently. So, what is the location.
The location is beach Kamenjara, Vrboska on island Hvar. As I said, I hiked there by myself. I washed this cardboard in sea before painting on it. You can see the whole process in the video. I used my watercolour pencils to sketch first and then I painted the basic outline. After that, I added another layer of paint.
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| The sea was crystal clear as usual. Do you see how I am so inspired to paint it? |
It felt really good to finally do another en plain painting. I love painting outdoor, but for some reason I rarely do it. Maybe it is just logistics. I haven't figured how to organize myself with transporting paint and all. However, it really does not have to be daunting to paint outdoors. You can just paint on litter. Do smaller paintings. Work faster. Carry a sketchbook always. There are definitely ways to do more en plein air. To be honest, I do live in the perfect place to do en plain air art. Croatia is a wonderful place to do outdoor painting. There's no crime here, so it is safe to be out by yourself. The weather is fabulous. I just need to organize myself better, I guess. I do feel inspired seeing others paint outdoors. I do not see it a lot here, but I see it on the Internet. Have you tried painting outdoors? Do you feel any difference? Do you think it makes a difference? What would be advantages and what disadvantages of en plain air in your opinion?
I guess that an obvious advantage would be that an artist would have more piece in their studio or home. However, sometimes we need to be bothered. Sometimes it is good to interact with the environment. Yes, it is nice to paint at home or in a studio (if one is lucky to have it), but there is also beauty in interaction.
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| Adding more paint and getting ahead with work..... |
There is something special about en plain air paintings. Even if this landscape is not entirely en plein air. I finished most of it outdoors, but I did take it home and worked on it some more (in the company of one lovely cat named Coco). Anyhow, that is why I also included a reference photograph below. I did most of the work on the spot, but I did check the reference photograph when I was adding the final details, so I included that as well.
What can you see on this seascape? Well, you can see tiny island Zečevo. In Croatian 'zec', means rabbit and apparently this island is full of rabbits. I did see one rabit while I was hiking here a couple of years ago. If you remember I had plans to swim to this island Zečevo. It does not look that far away. Perhaps I could do it. I wonder what visiting this tiny island would be like. Nobody lives on Zečevo island as far as I know. It is located right opposite beach Kamenjara. The view from beach Kamenjara is in the opposite direction from beach Soline. Basically from beach Soline, you see Jelsa and Vrboska, and from beach Kamenjara you see island Brač, tiny island Zečevo and Croatian coastline (including beautiful Makarska).
You can get to beach Kamenjara by crossing over from beach Soline. Just follow a small path and you'll be there in one to two minutes. If you want to enjoy a longer walk, you can go all the way around. Both options are great. I used to take you to beach Soline all the time in the past, and I will today as well, with the help of my photographs. However, the emphasis will be on beach Kamenjara. If you know that 'kamen' means stone in Croatian, you'll understand the root of the name for this beach. Indeed, this area is known for its rocky terrain.
So, above you can see both the finished painting and the reference photograph I used to add the finishing detail. Below you can see the painting placed in a collage next to a sleeping cat. More information on the cat. So, I thought Coco number 2. was a stray but it turns out that she is my neighbour cat. Maybe she even has multiple owners or better to say 'own multiple people'. Her real owner passed away last year. However, since this is island where cats do not starve as people always feed them, she does not seem to lack for anything. People always wonder why cats in some countries or places are so friendly. Well, cats are usually extremely friendly when they are treated extremely well. In a lot of seaside places, there is a tradition of feeding cats, and often with fish- and we all know that cats love fish. So, loves comes through the stomach. In all seriousness, I'm happy that I leaned more about Coco number 2. She is named Coco number 2 because Coco number one adopted me in Seget Donji near Trogir this Summer, remember? Anyhow, it is nice to be adopted by another cat.
Well, the travel with my art series is certainly progressing well. Most of the paintings in this series were inspired by island Hvar and the trend seems to continue. Now, that I live on island Hvar, I assume the trend will go on. Do you want to have a look at what I painted so far?
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| Beach Soline, Vrboska |
Check out more of my visits to Vrboska. I used to hang out here all the time in 2019/2020. Having an opportunity to live on island Hvar again, I'm again spending a lot of my time here.
2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/07/vrboska-beach-soline-heaven-on-earth.html
Explore my blog for more free island Hvar content and travel information:
Beautiful Gdinj bays on island Hvar:
MORE BEAUTIFUL BAYS ON ISLAND HVAR I HAVE VISITED AND SHARED WITH YOU IN 2019/2020 (Click the links if you want to know more about them):
I always feel like the sea heels me. There is something about being near the sea that truly resets me in the right way. I have always felt drawn to the sea. I think I would like it even if I wasn't from the island.
To summarize this post, I shared a painting painted on recycled cardboard (literally litter I found while hiking). I didn't use my regular paints, rather I used the cheapest acrylic paints, but manage to finish the painting anyway.
Photographs of my art & reference photographs by me.
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| Photograph vs. reference....I always love to see these kind of comparisons. |
Another thing that I feel balances me is hiking. I love spending time in the nature. I love being next to the sea. In that sense, living on the island is a true blessing. I'm truly thankful to God for bringing me to such a beautiful place. I still can't believe it- I get to live on one of the most beautiful islands in the world. What did I do to deserve such luck? Of course, I also worked for it, but you know what I mean. I was lucky. I still am lucky and I will not forget it.
Sustainable outfit files- How I wore it before?
Black puffer jacket- old, Mana
1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/01/five-fun-winter-outfits-i-wore-in-mostar.html
2 & 3 ) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/05/spring-in-bay-torac-island-hvar-3.html
2 & 3 ) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/05/spring-in-bay-torac-island-hvar-3.html
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/04/visit-omis-town-croatia-with-me-part-1.html
25) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/05/3-beautiful-gdinj-bays-jedra-srhov.html
26 & 27) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/04/6-months-living-in-jelsa-on-island-hvar.html
26 & 27) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/04/6-months-living-in-jelsa-on-island-hvar.html
29) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/04/30-ways-to-style-pair-of-jeans.html
30) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/02/two-ways-to-style-black-ruffled-midi.html
30) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/02/two-ways-to-style-black-ruffled-midi.html
32 & 33) The two outfits I shared in Jelsa, one featuring a denim skirt and the other black flared leggings.
35) The outfit I'm sharing today!
The grey long sleeved dress (old, New Yorker)
24) with a neon blazer and kitten heels
27)The outfit I'm sharing today
Interestingly, I wore this same dress to visit Soline and Beach Kamenjara in the past!
The knit vest (vintage, probably handmade)- not sure have I shown it on the blog before.
The Nike sneakers
In this fairly recent post, you can see me wear them with 3 different outfits.
In this post, you can see me styling this pair of sneakers with a white and blue striped ruffled dress.
In this post, I wore these sneakers for the first time on the blog with a pink dress for a visit to Split.
7) The outfit I'm sharing today.
....And now, let's do some poetry, shall we? Why not mix some poetry with my art and photography?
Croatian poet Vesna Parun is my constant inspiration. I love her poetry. I translated a lot of it on my blog, so here we go again....
A DREAM*
My mother's hand, like a white sail, a wing of a tender oriole.
Do you remember a fairy tale about a golden apple, a moonlight's rainbow?
On a swing branch transparent to the (point of) snow, soft to the (point of) sorrow,
my eyes weave silent conversations, long lullabies.
Wells filled with heavy water travel into an unknown harbor.
My mother's song, a white daisy, is guiding me by the hand.
THREE ISLANDS*
There are three islands in the midst of this sea, one more rocky than another,
one more passionate than another in cricket song and pine soughing.
The first one is a snake curled into a bowl, the second a shiny sword unsheathed from scabbard,
The third one is an open dead man treasure chest rocking on the waves.
All three cursed. All three blessed.
All three abundant in deep caves, gravel and rocky capes-
Ancient treasures of experience in tired stones, that no one still
has solved the destiny of.
All three have bitten into my soul with its stone teeth!
All three have whipped me with salt, wounded me with green rosemary.
The first is known for angry battles and red wine tanks.
The second for the sunny vastness of winter where dolphins play.
The third one, chained in white marble, grows wild sheep and trembles before death.
There are three islands in the middle of this sea. One more cursed than another,
one from another more passionate in cricket song and pine soughing.
I WAS A BOY*
The evening hid me in the moonlight,
having extinguished the candles.
All night I dreamed pondering
in an azure forest through the trees.
I was a berry of a ripe grape
in the teeth during kisses
a fox escaped from a trap
a boy that throws exclamations from a slingshot;
and a bite from a song mid forehead,
colourful cat in the basket of the game.
What I wasn’t, what I couldn’t have done,
a fish’s mirror in the pupil of an otter!
A MAN HAUNTED BY FIRE*
My black lizard,
don't follow me.
Nobody must see
a hole in the vineyard
into which my song
will fade.
WHEN A BIRD CEASES TO LOVE *
When a bird ceases to love another bird, it doesn't tell it:
'Fly away now, thousand miles away, so that you wouldn't see
how the indifference is building up in the pupils of my eyes!'
Because the bird is not as listless as a man; for a bird distance
is merely hovering of sweet light that inflames the love.
The bird doesn't tell to another bird: 'Now hide a thousand
miles deep under the earth
so that you don't hear how I sing at sunset
a tender lullaby to another sweetheart
that lies with its beak in my lap!'
Because the bird is not as superficial as a man,
it knows that heartbeats
under the earth are heard even stronger
and instead of the calming sounds of a lullaby
the entire forest would be forced to hear
the roaring of the underground caused by the pain.
For that reason when a bird ceases to love another bird,
it stays by its side to die there in solitude.
But a human when it ceases to love another human,
in shame and confusion doesn't know what to do,
ends up running as far away from the other,
and nesting forever his sorrow in one's heart.
These are no such things as small pains. People love small pains.
They are pretty and don't hurt a lot.
If they lose them, they will easily acquire others,
even less expensive and less painful-
because the pain is numbed by experience
and too much experience is offered at fairs for next to nothing.
People love short meetings, short letters,
small events for which the meaning is not to be searched
far away in the stars or in too dangerous
and unknown regions of our soul.
But those little pains get in our flesh unnoticed
and exposed to the blade of boredom,
inside of our flesh they become our death.
and because of that number of small carcasses-
that silently rot inside of us-
the vultures howl around our houses our entire lives
and the ants play around our forehead
cut by many small screams.
So, there will be nothing to go to waste
inside of us when the big pains suddenly shake us,
coming from the great gathering of reason,
untouched by warnings.
We shall carelessly watch the ants that approach
and the huge flocks of vultures
circling us in ever lower circles
in front of our doorsteps
we shall whisper to them:
' You have nothing to search for here my friends.
there is nothing here but the image
of a dusty skeleton clothed in memories
and that one- rest assured- is not for you.
Meat ,blood and sweet orchard of heart
has been eaten away by little pains,
little by little- they ate everything to the bone
to this little lute in space, can't you see?'
There are no such things as little pains.
There are no little pains under the sun.*
*my translation
One more collage with my seascape 'Kamenjara beach' and that will be all for today.
To summarize this post, I shared a painting painted on recycled cardboard (literally litter I found while hiking). I didn't use my regular paints, rather I used the cheapest acrylic paints, but manage to finish the painting anyway.
What are your thoughts on this seascape made on recycled cardboard?
Photographs of my art & reference photographs by me.
Photographs of me- by my husband.
Thank you for visiting!
Thank you for visiting!
This may be one of the most genuinely “plein air” painting posts I have ever read because it captures not only the act of painting outdoors, but also the unpredictability and improvisation that come with it. Painting on discarded packaging you found during a hike somehow fits perfectly with the spirit of outdoor art. There is something poetic about turning litter into a landscape painting while sitting beside the sea that inspired it. Also, reaching 46 posts in a long-running art series is a real achievement. You absolutely should celebrate when you reach 100. Very few creative projects maintain that level of consistency over years, locations, and changing circumstances. That growing collection has become not only an art archive, but also a visual travel diary of your life around the Adriatic and beyond.
ReplyDeleteThank you Melody. I'm happy about reaching number 46.
DeleteWow, it's really impressive that you were able to create such an amazing drawing with that litter. You're so talented! No wonder you were inspired by that beautiful landscape.
ReplyDeleteI really like your outfit, too. You styled that dress so cool, and it looks so cozy.
xxxxx Nadine
Thank you, Nadine. Yes, the landscape recently inspires me!
DeleteSimply put - beautiful! I have no words! 👏👏👏👏👏
ReplyDeleteThank you, Leone!
DeleteDear Ivana, your photos are lovely. The cat is adorable. You look fantastic and your artwork is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYou are very sweet, Linda. I love this cat. :)
DeleteIvana, what an inspiration you are! Painting on whatever you come across on your travels, I love that, not only sustainably dressed but creating sustainable art, too!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you posted your art on YouTube, it means I can follow you on there! xxx
Thank you for following.
DeleteMoj tata je obožavao Vrbosku na Hvaru, to mu je bilo najdraže mesto na svetu. <3 Volela bih da jednog dana odem tamo s bratom i sestrom, da jedno leto provedemo zajedno i sećamo ga se pored mora. <3
ReplyDeletehttp://www.couture-case.com/
Hvala ti, Jeleno. Nadam se da se nekad vidimo u Vrboskoj. :)
DeleteI always love seeing your art, Ivana! You're awesome at creating outfits too!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sheila.
Deletethanks for sharing this blog please kindly visit our website too.
ReplyDelete4brothers
Great photos and art. That water is amazing. And love the cat, what a cutie :-D
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ananka.
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ReplyDeleteIt's admirable how you paint the sea and the rocks. I love your art.
Thank you, Andrea.
DeleteIvana, I enjoy your paintings!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Irina.
DeleteSuch lovely textures in your art. You are truly one with nature. Such an amazing post! Hope you are doing well. All the best to being fabulous every day. Thanks for your comments and being here. I am doing my best to start creating again. But then again..well..it is sometimes a struggle. Thanks so much for showing us this process!
ReplyDeleteCaitlin&Megan
DeleteIvy
Ellie
My So Called RP Life
Thriftworld
Thank you, Ellie!
DeletePainting on litter you found during a hike is honestly such a creative twist on plein air art. I also liked your point about skill eventually mattering more than expensive materials because a lot of people need that reminder.
ReplyDeleteThank you
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