And so looking back, I found this painting of early fall I had laying around the studio. It all went by so fast it seems, and it was spectacular up here in the western foothills and mountains.
What Just Passed By • 8" x 8" acrylic framed to 12" x 12" • $275
For me, it's time to get the garlic ready to plant.
Hunters Full Super Moon • 8" x 8" acrylic framed to 12" x 12"• $275
I took a day off and rode over to Sunday Rive Ski Resort - hadn't been there in over a decade. Wow - the expansion is amazing. But more amazing were the views that expansion opened up.
There's a lot of debate about ski areas these days - are they good for the environment or not. I come down on the side of good for a variety of reasons. The town I live in - Kingfield, would not be much of anything without Sugarloaf up the road in terms of commerce and employment.
But the biggest plus is that ski areas get people up in to the mountains and valleys. Folks get to see the incredible landscape that we live in. You feel a strong pull to preserve those forests, hills, mountains, stream and lakes.
In the meantime, force myself to do these landscapes. I would never presume to have the talent to capture the beauty out there - I'll leave that to the pros. But here's a sketch of one of those scenes I saw at Sunday River.
Roaming the Hills and Valleys • 8" x 8" acrylice framed to 12" x 12" • $275
The leaves are just beginning to change around here. It would be a very sad time of year for me, but as if to ease the pain of summer's passing, Mother Nature gives us a period of adjustment with a stunning color show out there. It's a real distraction and has become a favorite time of year for me. I forget jump full on in to the drama of it.
I can't imagine what humans thought was going on out there when this happened every year eons ago. What story did they put to it? The science is fascinating, but stories are always more fun. Here are a couple:
It's been a fun summer sailing around the bays here in Maine. We haven't gone way down east yet, but we will. We've just enjoyed figuring out whether or not we two workaholics have it in us to meander the coast all summer in slow motion. As it turns out, we can but only if we have to come home to mow the lawn and weed the garden. These two chores keeps reality within reach just in case we begin to fall off the big life-altering cliff.
My wish for this Labor Day weekend is that everyone in the world has an opportunity to enjoy a little time even if it's in their head, when there are no deadlines looming, no more have-to-do-work in the pipeline and no more someone lurking over your shoulder demanding better and more.
Be well out there.
iPad sketch
Sunsets in Perry Creek are not as memorable as other anchorages - it doesn’t have the long view off to the west. But one night I saw this and was surprised. It was quite stunning.
iPad sketch
It was another foggy morning heading out of Bucks Harbor. No wind, flat calm, silent except for the drone of our engine.
A light breeze began to release its fingers across our bow. And then as if too shy, it would draw them back, afraid to commit it seemed. But very very slowly the fingers gently morphed into hands, arms and eventually completed itself. We quietly raised our main and popped the jib, afraid we might scare this delicate breeze away. The engine was released and we began our whisper across the silver mirror spread out before us, our dinghy quietly gurgling behind.
There were no other boats about. Fog gradually gave way and the southern horizon lit up against the gray clouds over its head. It was too magical for words, impossible to depict this gift of a few hours of otherworldly beauty and grace.
IPad sketch
