#441 • Stonington Blues

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A sketch from Stonington looking over to Isle au Haut. It's all of Maine's blues in one view.

Stonington Blues • 8" x 8" acrylic framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#440 • Pushy Poppy

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All of us gardeners go snooping around the ground for signs of life as soon as the snow melts. We're like truffle hounds out there maniacally sniffing for a hint of fungi. So far I've got two daffodil shoots and a bunch of poppy. I don't remember the poppies popping so soon, but I can't remember what happened yesterday either. 

Personally, I think they're all pushing their luck right now. You want to hope Mother Nature knows what she's doing, but the climate is evolving so fast, maybe she, like us boomers who are on a non-stop treadmill to catch up with technology, might be on the same apparatus.

Pushy Poppies • 8' x 8" watercolor framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#439 • Whispers From Beneath the Snow

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I took a trip to the coast to visit a friend this past weekend, and she has flowers - snow drops and crocus and lots of green shoots. They're always ahead of us down there until the sea breeze kicks in later this spring. Then we inlanders jump ahead. 

I've lost count, but last week may have been the third fake spring. So as not to give up hope - it tends to wane this time of year, here's a sketch of some spring flowers gifted to me on my birthday years ago from a friend's garden. They remind me that somewhere beneath the remaining piles of snow there are little shoots patiently waiting to break through. I think I hear them whispering, we're coming, we're coming! Though that could be a fake-out too!

Whispers From Beneath the Snow • 8" x 8" acrylic framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#438 • Three Birch

 

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I always thought there was something special about birch trees. I found this piece posted by Nibwaakaa, The Indigenous Women's Ingenuity in the Great Lakes Region. The link is below.

"According to Ojibwe tradition, a spirit-boy named Winabojo once sought shelter from the Thunderbirds in the hollow interior of a birch tree after being chased by them from the birds' nest. The tough bark of the tree protected Winabojo from being attacked by the creatures, and upon emerging from his hiding place, Winabojo declared the birch tree would “forever protect and benefit the human race” with its durable and enduring bark (“Winabojo and the Birch Tree,” 1994). For this reason, birch bark is considered to be a trustworthy material for the creation of many Native American cultural objects, including the piece featured in this virtual exhibit."

http://projects.leadr.msu.edu/indigenouswomen/exhibits/show/four-views-of-a-birch-bark-con/story-of-the-birch-tree

Three Birch • 8" x 8" acrylic framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#437 • Gillman Pond Road Farm

 

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So what the heck, I thought we could all use a nice little summer scene to prolong that short hiatus from sub-zero temps we just had. It hopefully softens the blow of another belch of cold on the way.

Gillman Pond Road Farm • 8" x 8" acrylic framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#436 • Snow Day in Kingfield

 

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It finally arrived. The snow day. A day that gives us a day off and a legitimate excuse to stop, slow down, get cozy, and do that thing you've been looking forward to doing since the fall when the snow day countdown began. It was the best day of the winter for us kids. Still is.

Snow Day in Kingfield • 8" x 8" watercolor and gouache framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#435 • And Then It Snowed

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And then it snowed in beautiful patterns throughout the western mountains, foothills and countryside. 

 

And Then It Snowed • 8" x 8" gouache framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#434 • Cold Enough

 

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There's no reason for the outside temperature in Maine to go sub zero. If it helped kill ticks I'd say bring it on. But it doesn't. I'm all for supporting our local polar ice cap, but damn, it's way up there and we're down here. I realize it makes no sense and is a waste of time to grouse about the weather - there are way more critical things to think about out there. Like for instance, climate change.

Cold Enough • 8" x 8" gouache framed to 12" x 12" • $250

#433 • Fall Memory

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A fall memory to warm us all up.

Fall Memory • 8"x 8" gouache framed to 12" x 12" • $250