1978 Green Boler

1978 Green Boler

orig. watercolor 8x10in approx (framed to fit 11x14in frame)

More info and Purchase: click here

Ha, today I painted this 1978 Green Boler, actually I should say: candy-green Boler! Lush and juicy- man, did I have fun today! Well, by now everyone knows I am a color junkie, I luuuuuuve colour! This is what keeps me painting!

So, thank you, thank you to the kind hearted person who send in this pic- it truly made my day (well, school has started up again, too and so everyone was full of excitement besides me being happy mixing colors, haha!)

These Canadian-built fiberglass eggs are so cute, and after their success other companies copied them and now we have Casitas and Scamps and so on... here is a sweet short video of the story behind the Bolers (please click highlighted area). You might get a kick out of the inventor spirit of this Manitoba man, with the first Boler actually started out from a septic tank shell!...

Today I had a good day- have I told you yet??? Kids got off to school great, I got to paint as well as the weather cleared up later in the day. But the best part was my darling husband taking me out for a lunch! Life was good. The summer has been so busy at the inn and he has been working so hard, we don't really spend enough time for

1953 King Camper 'Queenie'

1953 King Camper 'Queenie'

orig. watercolor 8x10in, matted to fit 11x14in frame, 
more info and purchase: click here

Today's cute camper is a 1953 King Camper named Queenie. It doesn't have any paint color, but left its natural aluminum siding. I painted a King Camper last year and it reflected the desert setting, so it was great to see today's camper which looks so sweet all decked out in bunting and cowboy boots and vintage finds.

I don't have a lot of info on the camper manufacturer, except it was built in the 50's in Los Angeles, CA. The great guys at TinCan Tourists have a great wiki archive, where I find great info on all kinds of different trailers while I am painting. If you are renovating one or looking to get one, check out their website! There are not many around, so if you  know someone with one, or happen to own one, wohoo- lucky, lucky!!

Here I want to share with you what it's proud owner sent to me. 'She is called "Queenie". And I often say: "I wonder if she thinks about me as much as I think about her."

Today will mark the back-to-school for us again. The kids are so excited to see their friends again, pack their lunches and start a new year of adventures and discoveries. I am excited for them and with them. I look forward to some more me-time for uninterrupted painting and maybe even a lunch date with my hubby. Life is good at the Ritter household...

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you will continue the journey with me as I will paint another vintage camper tomorrow! Have a wonderful day!

Orange VW Camper Van

Orange VW Camper Van, watercolor, 8x10in approx. (matted to fit 11x14in frame)

Have I mentioned that I am inviting camper vans to my 'camper a day' this September?

This summer I was fortunate to have been invited to paint during the annual vintage VW meet here in St. Andrews. It is called a 'Gathering of Friends'. This year there were over 25 vintage beauties here.

Westies, Splitties, VWs from Mexico and so on. The people were very welcoming and I hope I can participate in this active-passive way again. Not camping but painting alongside them. It was fun to overhear the guys talking renovation tips and tricks while the ladies seemed to enjoy each other's company. Many hoods were opened and closed and some needed the magic touch to go back the way they were supposed to be.

One of the participating VW cannot drive anymore and so the owners have a specially hired transport bring it down! It is then very, very carefully rolled off the transport trailer and sits there for the event. Really, if you call this love!!! I have painted this one and hope to do another painting in the future. You can see the pic here.  I have made prints to fit frames sizes 8x10 and 11x14.

Anyhow, today's Orange VW Camper Van is owned by a loving family and while painting I saw kids and dogs and chats and socializing. Made me smile! What a great weekend!

If you own a VW and would like to tucker down to my neck of the woods, look for the announcement on kijiji.ca New Brunswick or call the St. Andrews Campground.

1964 Comet Glamper with Flower Awning

1964 Comet Glamper with Flower Awning

orig. watercolor, 8x10in (matted to fit 11x24in frame)

More info and purchase, click here

Today's sweet model camper is this cute glamped up 1964 Comet.

I do not have much more info on it, but can tell you that its proud owners built a matching children's camper/tow vehicle combo to go with it!!!! It is theeeee cutest decoration!

This 1964 Comet was really fun to paint and I feel so honoured that people from all over the world share their cuties with me- and we haven't met in person! Often, I cannot do their set-ups justice as I have to simplify somewhat on a small painting. I hope still I can bring out its personality and the joy anyone must have walking by.

Today was a busy day fetching last school supplies and indoor sneakers for my gang. Really, as the kidlets grow older every year it does get easier. We don't have oodles of money to spend on new wardrobes and it is so nice how the kids are fine with it and really make an effort to zero in on what they really need. I hope it will save them money down the road when they are off on their own and that student loan looks so tempting...

I have to leave you with this little one for now and hope we will continue our journey tomorrow with another camper! By the way: Vintage camper vans such as VW's or similar are more then welcome!

Canadian Boler in White

Canadian Boler, watercolor, comes matted to fit 16x20 frame, info and purchase click here.

Today's feature painting is this cute 1980's Canadian Boler. I dropped off our daughter at her summer camp and did a quick drive to the nearby campground which has become almost a routine for me now to scout out possible vintage camper sightings. My kids they just roll their eye when mother gets the long neck looking for campground signage.

Little story around the painting

Anyhow, it was a beautiful day and the small island campground is built right by the ocean front. There is a lighthouse at the grounds, too. The US is right across a small strip of ocean, maybe a couple hundred yards away. The lighthouse is really needed as the tides are very high around here, actually, we have the world's highest tides. Furthermore, these masses of water pushing in and out of the Bay of Fundy create a nutrient rich feeding ground for whales and wildlife. But with these enormous amounts of water being in constant movement, result in strong currents, too. This current is the strongest in the Western Hemisphere by the campground on Deer Island is called Old Sow. One can see the swirling movements even from shore.

OK, finally, now to come back to today's painting... almost got carried away, haha! As I am doing my drive-around on the campground, I see this little fiberglass Canadian Boler. It was all by itself in the hight of summer at this little oceanfront campground! Of course I stopped the car and walked to the owners and asked if I would be allowed to take a couple of photographs. We had a nice chat, they were from New Brunswick, and they even showed me the inside. It has carpet on the walls inside and was very, very well kept. I could see how much love and care has been given to this little gem. I met the owners later at the PEI camper meet again- surely a small (camper) world in this neck of our woods!

Camper a Day 2017 begins today!

Wohoo! Today marks the first day of my 2017 painting a vintage camper trailer or camper van for each day of September. I am always looking forward to it, as it requires discipline to make it happen. The time to paint, to photograph, edit, blog, list on my website, cross post to my social feeds and so on will take a good chunk out of every day this month.

Also, September marks 'back to school' for my gang and with last loose ends to tie and myself finishing up taking a colour mixing and theory course that was this week, I am glad that soon life will settle into its new routine. What nicer way to celebrate this with daily painting!?

As every year, my month-long painting endeavour is not a one-woman-event. Many generous vintage camper enthusiasts that share photos of their little loves with me and give me permission to paint from their photos make my project possible. Thank you, each and everyone from the bottom of my heart!

If you read this and would like to submit a photo that you have taken, please use my submissions form by clicking here or go to my website directly. You might even know a friend who might like to join the fun! Please do invite them as I need... well... 30 campers to being able to paint a camper a day 2017!

Our first camper-a-day model!

1987 Cadet Camper watercolour 8x10in, sold

Today's feature camper is from Canada's East Coast. It is a 1987 Cadet. Now, most vintage North American campers have some kind of horizontally ribbed siding. In Europe most campers have plain, untextured siding, often fiberglass. This Cadet has that, too. This summer I went to my very first vintage camper meet on Prince Edward Island, Canada. I learned that the Cadets were originally built in Poland and some 200+ empty shells got exported to Canada. There they were finished to Canadian standards and sold. (TinCan Tourist Wiki tells me 500 Cadets made it to the US).

European camper trailer caravans often have little tents that can be added for extra space. They look quite cute, sort of like little houses. This one has one of those, too and my heart always jumps a beat when I see one. It does remind me of my youth back in Germany;-). So, what better camper to get my camper-a-day 2017 started than this one here who started its life in Europe- just as me!

If you want to journey along, please subscribe to my newsletter or facebook page or instagram feed.

Blueberry Fields Forever Commission Painting

Blueberry Fields Forever #3

commission, sold

I hope this post finds you all well after a wonderful Christmas celebration and/or some relaxing days! 

Before Christmas I have been contacted by a person who fell in love with my paintings, Blueberry Fields Forever. After some email conversations, he ordered a similar painting to the ones he saw online- as a commission Christmas surprise for his wife. I hope she liked it, he really wanted to get her something personal and from the heart. They live close to the area portrayed in the paintings.

The local wild blueberry fields really do turn a bright red once the fall frosts hit them. This creates a stunning contrast with the dark blue ever-green trees in the distance.

Blueberry Fields Forever #5

orig. watercolour, 6x8in approx.

more info and purchase: click here

As part of the commission, I have painted a total of three paintings! I wanted to make sure he found just the right one for his space. The two others are available now via my webshop.

Blueberry Fields Forever #4

orig. watercolour 6x8in approx., matted to 11x14in

more info and purchase: click here

This one above I painted on hot press paper which yields a more fluid look and the colours are a touch brighter. Different materials yield different results as you can see!

On a private note, we had a great celebration with the kids. On the 25th we had the restaurant open again and our darling daughter helped even serve and be the host for the evening. I myself helped Markus in the kitchen a bit. It has become a tradition and our Europa team is so gracious to come and serve on Christmas Day! Thank you all for making this possible!

Stay in touch with more recent paintings I have created but had no time to post!

If you like, please friend me on FB or Instagram: SimoneRitterArt