Each summer, we spend time in Maine. There are many opportunities to view these picturesque, hard-working boats. This one is no exception. I am drawn to the cool exterior, surrounded by sky and water, contrasting with the warm interior, shielded from the sky. This is my three hundred eighth daily drawing. Thank you for your continued interest.
A few years ago, I joined some artist friends in New Harbor, Maine in a lovely Victorian house for a week of painting and friendship. I went two different years. The area is very familiar to me as my family has been visiting there for several generations. Here is a drawing of the porch at dusk, just as the interior lights were coming on. It's a sweet place.
Every summer we spend some time in Maine, catching the ferry from New Harbor over to Monhegan. Lobster boats are part of the landscape. They are picturesque, hard working, colorful, iconic. One day, I was painting on the rocks by Pemaquid Lighthouse, and this boat was circling through the nearby water hauling its traps out. It was mesmerizing, circling in the sun, light shifting along its angles. This is my hundred sixty-seventh daily drawing. Thank you for taking a look at the world through my eyes.
This is a drawing of a subset of the activity in busy and beautiful New Harbor, ME. Each summer, we catch the ferry to Monhegan from this beautiful space. Prior to our traveling over to Monhegan, I spent years visiting the New Harbor area. As a result, I have photos of this harbor from about thirty-five years of visiting. This is my 6th drawing for the Inktober challenge.
As always, thanks for looking.
Every day, weather permitting, the Balmy Days II ferry from Boothbay Harbor offers a 30 minute tour around the Island here. It remains one of the best ways to spend $4 that I know, I cruise the Island's circumference this way several times each week we are here. It's a nice demarcation in the day, and a way to connect with my family and friends. We now have a short hand, "2 o'clock?", which translates to "Would you like to organize your day, as I'll organize mine, and meet at the dock at 1:45 to ride around the Island with me?"
This post isn't about the tour, it's about after the tour earlier this week. We dispersed after the ride, and I headed to Swim Beach with my sketchbook. Artist friend, Kevin Beers, was hanging out in the rocks, painting Manana, and I settled in for a few minutes, which turned in to two hours of painting side by side, and chatting about Monhegan, life on the island, life off the island... it was a splendid afternoon. Not sure how long he'd been there when I arrived, nor how long he stayed after I departed, but at about 4 PM he swapped paintings and began working on his "4 PM painting". The shadows descend down Manana as the afternoon progresses so working a couple of paintings during an afternoon as the light to shadow ratio changes is a great plan.
When my mother painted for a few weeks each summer in New Harbor, Maine, she routinely had several paintings in progress and chose her day's destinations according to the weather, and the angle of the sun: 2 PM on the Sheepscot River if sunny, else Kresge Rocks, 8 AM in Christmas Cove if sunny... and so on.
My watercolor sketch is Manana sporting its 4 PM pattern. I rummaged in my sketch bag for a fine point permanent marker which eluded me, so used a water soluble fine point instead. When I added the watercolor, I couldn't use any washes as the marker would run, so it was an interesting exercise in staying "in the lines" so to speak. What a great afternoon!
Oh, and here are a couple of photos of a flock of cedar waxwings congregating in the tree off our deck last year.... just because.
Thanks for looking. As always, your comments are welcome.
