Painting in Maine

Quintessential Maine view - cove in South Bristol

With my return to painting, it took a surprisingly long time for it to sink in that I spend a great deal of the summer in an area with great painting subjects (as evidenced by the fact that along the coast, artists seem to outnumber seagulls).

In early July, a compatriot from the Artists Guild of Shrewsbury, Robert Wilson, joined me in Maine for a few days of painting. (watercolor, not my usual scraping and painting the side of the house).

We spent one day poking about the peninsula, and had a morning painting session at this little cove in South Bristol. With few people around, we could stake out spots on the docks. Bob enjoyed the view of the shack with its stacks of lobster traps (even though they are no longer the picturesque wooden ones of bygone days).

My watercolor quick sketches served as a warm-up for the remainder of the painting day.

I saved Pemaquid Point as a surprise for Bob, since I knew it would be the perfect spot. Weather made for postcard views, and gave both of us the chance to try painting moving water and surf.

The picture seen on almost every Maine calendar and restaurant placemat.

Painting down on the rocks was great fun, even when the incoming tide started giving new meaning to the term "watercolor". The sky was cloudless, and I received another lesson about the hazard of not using sunscreen. But I did wind up with some good watercolors that will serve as starting points for some more finished paintings.