#400 • Night Sailing Horrors

 

Click here to purchase this painting #401
http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

I dream about night sailing under a full moon in a moderate wind and gentle seas within sight of land. The Perfect Storm made ocean going no longer desirable for me. I would find it scarier than hell with undetectable-by-radar-obstacles out there like partially submerged logs, thick wooden planks from other unfortunate vessels, scrap wood from shorelines loosened by a high tide or storm surge, and other sailors silently lolling about in their dinghys. And as if that's not enough to scare the bejesus out of a sailor, Maine now has its own Jaws - the ultimate night time horror.

Night Sailing Horrors • 8" x 8" watercolor framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#399 • Corner Garden

Click here to purchase this painting #399
http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

Another getting-back-into-watercolors-practice-session-painting. This weekend was so summery, it reminded me of a favorite walk. 

It's always so much fun to take a walkabout the gardens on the hill in Portland. There were all kinds - like the folks who build and plant them. A little more homogenized these days, the gardens are still a nice reminder of human occupation and the force of nature in cities.

Corner Garden • 8" X 8" watercolor framed to 12" X 12" • $250

#398 • Frozen in Sweat

  

Click here to purchase this painting #398
http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

You gotta love the seasonal change here in Maine. One day you're drowning in your own sweat - the next you're encased in it. I would suspect that the next surprise will be a week of 90 degree temps in October. We've seen it before.

Does Mother Nature suffer from multiple seasonal personality disorder - a result of our meddling in her affairs? Or do we human beings simply refuse to believe we don't control everything and continue to be amazed and surprised - in denial, every freakin' year that when things don't go as we think they should, there is something terribly wrong? 

 Such a great life lesson - every year!

Frozen in Sweat • 8" X 8" watercolor framed to 12" X 12" • $250

#397 • Hog Island

 

Click here to purchase this painting #397
http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

 Hog Island, Eggemoggin Reach, Maine

#396 • Face Masks

 

Click here to purchase this painting #396

http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

 

I've seen some beautiful face masks lately. For a long time I wore those disposable phthalo blue green shade medical masks. They are everywhere in my spaces, appearing, disappearing and re-appearing like socks in the dryer. At this point I'm guessing some of them might be months old. Nevertheless, I now own two cloth masks. The patterns weren't my first pick - I got to the sale basket too late, but they're pretty cool anyway, and I'm supporting a local entrepreneur. 

In the meantime, I'm seeing Mother Nature in her mask. She's protecting herself from us I think. She's wearing a lovely one right now - a lush green abstract against a blue bird sky. She's trying to set an example for visitors to Maine this long Labor Day weekend. Stay socially distant and wear your masks folks!

Face Masks 8 8" X 8" watercolor framed to 12" X 12" • $250

#395 • A Safe Place

 

Click here to purchase this painting #395

http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

 

Everyone is looking for a safe place these days. Kind of feels like Maine is being sucked up by ETs who are trying to escape the ruined planet they left behind - leaving their less fortunate neighbors forced to deal with the aftermath.

For those who have been working on their spiritual programs for a while, our safe place, we are told, is in our heart and mind first, and then from there we now have the tools to create it "out there." But what if your "out there" safe space is no longer safe? What if no "out there" space is safe no matter where you run to. Scary isn't it!

Can artists help deal with fear by creating safe looking spaces for those who can't or don't know how? Does that help, or are we perpetuating a Ozzie and Harriet image that doesn't exist, and never did? Do we comment on the scary stuff - document it so it doesn't get repeated in the future. Or do we artists need to simply share our own truth - how we deal with fear. 

I've seen places like the above. I know they aren't what they appear to be, but they make me feel better when I imagine them. Is that okay? Can we just imagine these places as a possibility? Can they help us remember, albeit naively, what a safe place might look and feel like? Do these images help us all aspire to re-create this planet as a safe place for everyone?

I hope so.

A Safe Place • 8" X 8" watercolor framed to 12" X 12" • $250

#394 • Life's Too Short

Click here to purchase this painting #394

http://www.claudiadiller.com/blog.htm

I've been kind of screwing off this summer. Sailing and gardening a lot, though gardening does have some redeeming qualities. I would argue sailing does too because it inspires me to do what I do for work. I think it's a COVID thing - life's too short.

Life's Too Short • 8" X 8" watercolor framed to 12" X 12" • $250