Art as lasting souvenirs
Why not a painting as a souvenir instead of photos? Artist Carl Soete gets his inspiration from his travels. With his partner, dog and Boxstar he crosses Europe and sketches the places he visits. He then goes to work in his studio and creates beautiful works of art! Read his story underneath.
CAMPING BY BICYCLE
I have been traveling adventurously for years. First cycling with suit and bag. Later with a self-converted Vito. Besides a bed, some water and a gas fire, I had little comfort in the Vito. Since I prefer free camping, the trips I did alone were quite short. But I really got the hang of it! Last year we rented a campervan a few times to be able to travel a little longer. From then on we also took our Dalmatian with us. And of course some more drawing material. Even then we rarely stayed at campsites, because adventure is in our blood. That previous experience with different types of campervans helped us in the final choice of the Knaus Boxstar Street Celebration at Vanomobil.
CHOOSING THE KNAUS BOXSTAR STREET CELEBRATION
I had a clear list of conditions in mind: shower, atmosphere, practical and fast delivery. We ended up with seller Jan. Jan was able to convince me of the quality of Knaus and the winter resistance of the vehicle. The disadvantage of a stock model was that certain options could no longer be changed, such as the circuit or the color, but that was a compromise that I was willing to make in exchange for the short delivery time.
HOLIDAYS EVERY WEEK
Since we got the campervan, every week is a holiday. After all we don't have to wait until we have several days off. Because we both love nature so much, we prefer to be in the middle of it, so we usually camp freely. We choose the places where I can paint. If it takes a long time to finish, we often just go to the sea in the evening. First take a long walk with the dog, then afterwards prepare dinner at a beautiful location and have a chat at sunset. In September we went on our first big trip: Slovenia!
SLOVENIA
Straight through Germany and then go hiking for a few days in Austria. The last day in Austria was rainy and the weather forecast did not predict anything good for the mountains in Slovenia, but with the campervan we were very flexible. So we started the trip in Bled, where the sun smiled upon us. Unfortunately, free camping is not allowed in Slovenia, but the campsites are spacious and calm in September. The nature is really beautiful and we made a lot of time to sketch. The highlights followed each other; swimming in Lake Bohinj, the Vintar gorge, the coastal walk between Strunjan and Piran, the blue-green Soca river, but also the beautiful cities of Ljubjana, Piran, Kanal, the cave castle in Predjama.
ART AS A LASTING MEMORIES
There is always a backpack ready with a sketchbook, drawing supplies, brushes, watercolor box and a bottle of water, which we take with us when we go for a walk. In the campervan I take more supplies with me: a container with acrylic paint, larger brushes, a foldable easel, a folder with large leaves and also a roll-up table and chair so that I can make some larger works. In the past, the subject was chosen because we were having a drink on a terrace, but now that we have the Van, this can be done anywhere, because we have the aperitif at hand everywhere! So we now deliberately seek out nature more. And so the topics also follow. Actually, my sketches are a reference work of my travels. By drawing I consciously absorb the environment and these are lasting memories. Most sketches in nature are preparation for larger work in the studio.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH VANOMOBIL'S SERVICE SO FAR?
Everything is going according to plan. I ordered the camper in November and waited anxiously for further news. At that time, delivery problems were already a reality for many suppliers. But I was lucky and was able to pick up the camper in February. This way I could present it as a surprise on Valentine's Day. I notice that at Vanomobil they really do their best to provide good service. When I bought the Van, Jan already warned me not to plan the first trip too far, which I thought was very strange at the time. But indeed, while driving home a drawer popped open and a few more defects emerged. The next day they were all resolved quickly. A camper is different from a car: there are more technologies available, water, gas, electricity... Traveling with a camper requires preparation, but that is also part of it and is fun to learn!
