Hi, I’m Carol McQuaid, aka The Illustrated Vagabond. I love to travel the world sketching, painting and teaching art workshops. I hope my artwork reminds you of your last great adventure, or inspires you to start planning your next one.

Visit my shop for books and artwork from my travels, and my events page to see where we’re headed next.

And while you’re here I’d love it if you hit the subscribe button for my monthly newsletter where I’ll keep you posted on events, classes, new artworks and adventures! Thanks so much for stopping by.

Carol

Carol McQuaid 5/31/25 Carol McQuaid 5/31/25

Trip Fiction: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

Trip Fiction: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende.. This was the perfect read for our trip through Chile.

Carol McQuaid 5/29/25 Carol McQuaid 5/29/25

Running Linocut Prints from Harmony Arts Festival Plein Air Grand Prix

Join me in my Studio as I run a set of linocut prints on my Blick II press. I carved this scene as part of the Harmony Arts Festival Plein Air Grand Prix

Carol McQuaid 5/4/25 Carol McQuaid 5/4/25

Trip Fiction: Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk

Trip Fiction: Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk. This is a great read for a trip to the Caribbean.

Carol McQuaid 5/2/25 Carol McQuaid 5/2/25

Trip Fiction: Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Trip Fiction: Endurance, Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. If you’re travelling to Antarctica by boat or by armchair this is your book.

Carol McQuaid 5/2/25 Carol McQuaid 5/2/25

Trip Fiction: The Gods of Tango by Carolina de Robertis

Trip Fiction: The Gods of Tango by Carolina de Robertis. This book was fabulous to read during our travels through Argentina and Uruguay.

Carol McQuaid 4/27/25 Carol McQuaid 4/27/25

5 Great Reads for South America

Trip Fiction: 5 great reads for your South America trip.

Carol McQuaid 4/21/25 Carol McQuaid 4/21/25

My South American Sketchbook!

Here I go again! This time we’re sailing around South America, Miami to Miami, spending time in Antarctica, sailing up the Amazon and visiting Rio for Carnaval. This latest book is over 100 pages of full colour illustrations, stories, maps that tell the tale of this trip. If you love travel, art and illustration you’ll love The Illustrated Vagabond’s South American Sketchbook.

Carol McQuaid 1/14/25 Carol McQuaid 1/14/25

Trip Fiction: The Sisters of Alameda Street by Lorena Hughes

Trip Fiction: The Sisters Of Alameda Street. This was my pick for our trip from Miami to Lima. This was a great read for Ecuador.

Carol McQuaid 8/8/24 Carol McQuaid 8/8/24

My Illustrated Packing LIst

How to pack for a cruise on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. This is everything I need for transatlantic New York to Southampton, a loop around the British Isles and a side trip to Bruges, Belgium

Carol McQuaid 7/16/24 Carol McQuaid 7/16/24

Summer in Beautiful BC

Home in BC, sketching at Nighthawk and Tuscan Gardens,getting my online shop set up. Launching soon!

Carol McQuaid 6/17/24 Carol McQuaid 6/17/24

Barcelona and the Dismount

Barcelona and the Dismount. Taking a few days to decompress after our 155 day World Voyage on the Azamara Onward.

Carol McQuaid 6/11/24 Carol McQuaid 6/11/24

Trip Fiction: Adriatic and Med Getaways

Here’s my reading list from this section of our World Cruise 2024 onboard the Azamara Onward

Carol McQuaid 6/10/24 Carol McQuaid 6/10/24

Adriatic and Med Getaways

Adriatic and Med Getaways: Segment 10 of our World Voyage onboard the Azamara Onward. Venice, Slovenia, Zadar and Dubrovnik Croatia, Mostar Bosnia Herzegovina, Kotor Montenegro, Civitavecchia Italy, Monte Carlo Monaco, and Barcelona Spain

Carol McQuaid 6/4/24 Carol McQuaid 6/4/24

Trip Fiction: Repositioning AROUND AFRICA

Here’s my reading list from this section of our World Cruise 2024 onboard the Azamara Onward

Carol McQuaid 6/3/24 Carol McQuaid 6/3/24

Repositioning Around Africa

Repositioning Around Africa Segments 8 and 9 of our World Voyage onboard the Azamara Onward. Dubai, Mauritius, South Africa, Walvis Bay Namibia, Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Tunis Tunisia, Corfu Greece, Venice Italy and the Bienale.

Carol McQuaid 5/9/24 Carol McQuaid 5/9/24

Trip Fiction: Astounding Australia Asia

Here’s my reading list from this section of our World Cruise 2024 onboard the Azamara Onward

Carol McQuaid 4/30/24 Carol McQuaid 4/30/24

Trip Fiction: Ancient Trade Routes

Here’s my reading list from this section of our World Cruise 2024 onboard the Azamara Onward

Carol McQuaid 4/29/24 Carol McQuaid 4/29/24

ancient trade Routes

Ancient Trade Routes Segment 7 of our World Voyage onboard the Azamara Onward. Singapore, Port Klang Malaysia, Sabang Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cochin and Mumbai India, Muscat Oman, Sir Bani Yas, Abu Dhabi and Dubai United Arab Emirates.

Carol McQuaid 4/9/24 Carol McQuaid 4/9/24

Trip Fiction: Vietnam & Thailand Pathways

Here’s my reading list from this section of our World Cruise 2024 onboard the Azamara Onward

Carol McQuaid 4/8/24 Carol McQuaid 4/8/24

Vietnam and Thailand Pathways

Vietnam and Thailand Pathways Segment 6 of our World Voyage onboard the Azamara Onward. Hong Kong, Halong Bay (Hanoi), Danang and Ho ChiMinh City Vietnam, Bangkok and Kho Samui, Thailand, Singapore.