Day 26 - 30/30 Challenge - Wait haven't we seen this before???

Yes. Yes you have. A little more than a year ago, this is how I kicked off my trip to Maine and the start of the 30/30 Challenge. This is an ink and watercolor pencil drawing of/on the Cross Sound Ferry.
More to come when I get to Maine!

I'd like to direct you to my Etsy page. Please consider purchasing a painting because, a. Christmas is coming, and these little paintings really make nice gifts, and/or b. the mermaid needs to buy some picture frames for the big solo show and selling a couple of these little guys would be a BIG help!

I'd also like to suggest that you sign up on the right side of this page for emails (not every day), and the follow button to get notifications when this blog is updated (for this month nearly every day, most times, not so much).

Day 5 - 30/30 Challenge & Pemaquid Light and Back to My Real Life.

Pemaquid Lighthouse, Watercolor, 6" x 6" $45
Woohoo! SOLD!

I started this EARLY this morning (Thursday) and had every intention of finishing it right up, but real life and emails, etc. took over. I will do better on Friday.

It occurred to me last night, as I travelled home, that my day had a parallel quality. Up at 6 am, I saw the dawn break. I pack, walk and explore during my final hours on this beautiful little island. (Even more beautiful when the sun is out and I realize that there are other islands around and - shocking - you can actually see the mainland!)

I take some pictures up on Lighthouse Hill, at the school house, up Horn Hill, and hurry back to the wharf to catch a (very small) ferry. (I am the ONLY person leaving the island. How sad.)

The ferry captain stops at two small islands (barely more than rocks - do those count as islands?) to look at some grey seals. We look at them, bobbing about in the water. They look at us, bobbing about on a boat, and after a few minutes, we carry on. 

We see some porpoises surface and dive as we make the hour-long trip back to New Harbor. Muscongus Bay is prussian blue and fairly calm as small trawlers and lobster boats cruise about. Monhegan, Allen, Burnt, Matinicus, Metinic, Ragged islands and lots of other little islands, get smaller and smaller.

Once on the mainland, I make a quick stop at Pemaquid Lighthouse, just down the road a bit. The rock formations on this shoreline look like huge fossilized, eroded logs, as if someone had dropped an gianourmous load of lumber. It's very beautiful. 

I took a quick walk up the lighthouse, and took dozens more pictures. There was a group of painters set up in the picnic area. The light was sparkly and the colors were just saturated. I wish I had the time to join them.

Back in the car and on my way home. I reach New London early enough to make the (very large) 6 pm ferry. I take a few pictures of lighthouses as we leave Connecticut. 

The Sound is prussian blue and fairly calm, small working boats cruise along in the evening, sea gulls swoop overhead and the mainland gets smaller and smaller, becoming a sliver as it reaches west. Islands pop up on the left - Fishers, Little Gull, Great Gull, Plum Island, and finally a very big island – Long Island. Orient Light winks hello as we push through Plum Gut and the sun sets – stunning. The lone cloud reaches across the sky as a sort of mirror image of Long Island.

I'm nearly home...

Day 2 - 30/30 Challenge - Plus arriving in Monhegan

Sunflowers for Lisa, $35, Watercolor, 6" x 6"

Now Available in my Etsy Shop - just click!

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I did this watercolor sketch of sunflowers on Saturday in anticipation of having limited painting time on Sunday. 

The rest of Saturday was filled with the Hopkinton State Fair in NH. Lots of cows/steer and sheep and pigs. There were some horses (for equestrian events), and chickens and rabbits, but mostly cattle. I took quite a few photos for reference. It's funny how sometimes a photo that's great as a photo isn't the photo you want to paint. I feel as though there's a different criteria. 

These for instance are sort of a "who cares"? photo in a "roll" of photos of the day. "Why would you want a picture of that? Do you know those people?" or "Why a picture of a food booth?" 

And for me the answer is, because I think they might be interesting compositionally. I particularly like the Tickets one.

Sunday I drove up to New Harbor and caught the boat to Monhegan...here are a couple of quick images. Today is sort of a rainy day - but I may be able to take advantage of a lull in rain and take a hike.

 Enjoy!

Day 1 - 30/30 Challenge and on the Road to Monhegan

On My Way, watercolor, watercolor pencils, ink

6x6, $35

Selling link to follow 

Good morning! First day of the challenge and I'm ready. I painted this two days a go at the beginning of my journey to Monhegan. It's from the deck of the Cross Sound Ferry heading to Connecticut.
Here is the painting with the subject:

I'll take more professional photos when I get back.

IF you are interested in buying this painting, please comment here. Because I am now on Monhegan Island, I will not have a chance to do proper set up for selling for a few days. Thanks for understanding.

Enjoy - I look forward to posting from the beautiful Monhegan Island, ME.