Catherine Lindberg Artist: Pochade Box

I am a landscape and seascape oil painter. I have been painting for over 30 years. Inspired by the beauty of nature that surrounds me. I try to paint daily while life continually gets in the way! Life? What is that? It's what happens when I am not painting! Being a wife and mother, finding the remote, the shoes, signing permission slips. Where is the permission slip? "Mom why is there alizaran crimson on my permission slip?" I paint en plein aire as often as possible, and studio paint when I can't, like at 1:30 in the morning. Often enlarging small plein aire paintings onto a large canvas. I hike all over Mt. Diablo and the surrounding hills gathering field notes for my large paintings in the form of sketches, notes, small oil sketches, and photographs. I have been chased by cows, tangled up in barbed wire, soaked in rain swollen creeks with slippery crossing rocks, and all the while I have to make sure I am back in time to pick up a kid from school! Back in the studio, I get to work on the day's information I have gathered. Recreating it on a large canvas. When I hear, "what's for dinner?" Dinner? What's for dinner? I should know this. My mother always knew this. It should be on the table in about ten minutes from now, and I haven't a clue as to the answer of that question. I am still trying to figure out how I got alizarin crimson on the permission slip!

Please enjoy my work, I will post as often as possible. Feel free to leave comments or to contact me by e-mail.

All works © 2010 Catherine McClure Lindberg No images may be reproduced without express permission from the artist.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Pochade Box

Because I have no desire to pay between $300 and $400 for a pochade box to use plein aire painting, I thought I would try making my own box. Below are photos of the work in progress. I like it. Now I want to refine it. I don't own all the tools necessary to make it properly. I cut the square wood for the top and bottom with a circular saw. I need a table saw. As straight as I tried to cut it, it is not perfect and the hinges and latches don't line up right. This box is my prototype. I have used it in the field several times now. It weighs only 2 lbs. It fits in my backpack and holds a small palette, brushes and my rag and palette knife.

I am going to make a new box using the proper shop equipment if I have to beg, borrow or steal them. No, I have no degree in Engineering as I was asked by one who saw my box. My degree is in art. I just needed a smaller light weight box and had no desire to pay the going rate for one so I figured out what I needed and a way to make it. Due to size limitations on photos, I will have to post the finished piece separately.

Pochade Box lid and bottom

Inside lid showing spring mechanism

Close-up of spring mechanism

Inside lid cover with slots for metal "L-hook" for canvas support

Hinge made out of a toggle bolt

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