There are not too many days like today. A day of rest,peace and painting. I seem to be finally getting some relief from the ultrasound physical therapy sessions for my back. My squashy studio chair was comfortable and I was happy listening to VAST,The Breaking Dawn soundtrack and score and Ingrid Michaelson.Still experimenting with Wallis Museum sanded pastel paper and getting some good work done and loving the experimentation. Painting number one is Millions of trilliums 9x6 acrylic on wallis.This was concentrating on backlighting,keeping it light and airy and colorful,while keeping my beloved darks in there.I'm pretty happy with what happened. it looks like a waterfall of small white flowers,a happy painting for a dismally dreary day. Painting number two is Abstract reflections 9x7 acrylic on wallis. Inspired by fellow Facebook artist Theresa Rankin,I

set out in a experiment of reflections of my own. this is the way paintings go sometimes...it was very different for me.It is very free and loose and it really had a mind of its own,this one did. Talking to one of my dear friends in Maine,another facebook artist Kathleen Daughan,put me in a Pemaquid mood. Listening to a repeating music session of Chritina perri's A thousand years put me in a warm and faraway mood to my favorite place . Pemaquid Point Maine and the geometric rocks of Kresque point. I seem to do my best painting there. Good Morning pemaquid is 12x18 acrylic on Wallis museum. I painted plein air 6 in the morning this past June in this same spot..in the other direction . But the early morning light,air and sound of the water is never far way from my heart.

Feathered dream ranch

It was off to Canajoharie today to drop off submissions for the 2011 Arkell Juried show.It was a dark and dreary start to the day but the sun came out and turned around nicely. I drove past Canajoharie and Fort Plain looking for the "oreo cookie cows" again and ....not finding them...again. I saw that it was only 20 miles to Mohawk and I remembered that I wanted to see Feathered Dream Ranch.....so off to Mohawk I went. 5s is gorgeous this time of year and I saw 100's of things I wanted to photograph,but I wanted to find the horses. it took some wrong turns and navigating with the GPS and a jaunt on a very gravelly road but I found Aney Hill road and the ranch. Luckily Deborah was home and took me for a ride around the ranch in her very spify,vehicle that reminded me of a quad,golfcart,manure dumper,four wheel drive all rolled into one! the ranch is utterly gorgeous on a rolling hill top.i got to meet their Gypsy Drum stallion Casper, A lovely older gentleman Clyde ,a begian ,a beautiful freisian Poseidon guarded by Moses the camel! The youngsters had a llama in their paddock! their are 20 horses on the ranch and dogs as well,including a sweet newfoundland Oliver. a beautiful lancier coloring. the stallions are so beautiful with their amazingly long manes and gentle personalities.ready for sniffing and horsey kisses! What a beautiful ride ,a sunny ,warm fall day;listening to various movie scores and Agnes obel,my new favorite singer :). Found the cows on my way home,but out of battery :( so Il post some from last year.:)

Adirondack ride

Today I got bundled up like we were going snowmobiling to take a late fall ride on the motorcycle. I never know where we are going to go....I just make sure I have my camera. We started out going around Sacandaga Lake,along the north shore to the Conklinville Dam. It was a real fall day,the colors bright and the sky showing bits of sunlight but more of the message that winter is coming. Bundled up warmly and just a crack of my shield open for air,I could smell woodsmoke,and pine and the scent of water from the lake(not quite the ocean but close enough). it is nice being the passenger,I can look and breathe and relax,not too many thoughts in my head ,just taking in the scenery going by.We went up to the top of the dam and down past Sherman's Pond and past all the water plants,which are pretty cool to look at. I looked up every once and awhile,but no eagles. We rode through Hadley and out to Spiers Ffalls,someplace I've never been to and really beautiful. After a little putzing on rt 9 we got on the Northway and then Blue Ridge Rd. I found a sweet waterfall. I think it is Branch Falls or Blue ridge Falls.A good roaring of water over short but interesting falls.Blue Ridge Rd was a great ride.twisty and turning and beautiful.The sun actually came out in time for us to stop at the Adirondack Buffalo Company to take some photos of the Buffalo! I have never seen one! they are very sweet and one seemed very interested in me taking his picture.Of course after that the weather took a turn,through the high peaks. it didn't snow but it sure looked like it wanted to.We wound our way around the high peaks and somehow came out in North creek by gore mt. No snow on the mountain yet, but it will soon. back through Hadley and to the Sacandaga Lake it started to rain and then it was just riding to get home....and coffee.All in all a great ride,my longest yet 380 miles! Il probably feel it tomorrow,but it was worth it!http://www.adirondackbuffalocompany.com/

Adirondack park this time of year in incredible.

Autumn Days

The other day it was so beautiful. I was lucky to catch a day off when it wasn't raining and take some beautiful photographs of the waterfall on Widow Susan Rd. The hills above Rt. 5 from Amsterdam to Scotia have some sweet little waterfalls. Some you can see,some are private and some require some bushwacking to get to. Luckily if you just ask people who own the property if I can" run around and take pictures of the water" they are really agreeable (even if they look at you a bit strangely,until I tell them I'm an artist). then they seem to understand. I love climbing rocks,hanging on to tree limbs and sometimes sliding and shimming to where I want to be. good thing it was warm because I always seem to get muddy and wet feet.there were still some wildflowers in bloom and the sunlight was incredible. it was very peaceful and for along time I just sat and soaked up the sun and listened to the water sing its own song.its times like this when I can just be...and breathe and relax.the photos will be good reference ( I took 147)later in the winter when its cold and dark.Some will become paintings and some will stand on their own as wonderful captures of a beautiful Autumn morning.

The Art of Local Food: a tasting party to benefit the Natural Resources Council of Maine

The Art of Local Food: a tasting party to benefit the Natural Resources Council of Maine

I have two paintings going to the benefit.

Pemaquid day#4

Morning of the last day is always rough.Getting everything packed back up and loaded,knowing soon it will be time to say goodbye again is so sad.I found my art buddies on the porch of the Hotel Pemaquid having coffee and talking about the weekend.Some of us were going to stay and paint for awhile and some were heading home. the weekend went by so fast.I miss everyone already.It is a good thing we all keep in touch on facebook!
After coffee it was back over to the Seagull one last time.And more pie was consummed!Then it was back to the Potting Shed to say goodbye to my cottage. I love that cottage so much I could live there all year! After packing up i headed over to the Pemaquid loop road with my friend Caren to paint what I call "My Rock". There is just enough room for two cars and we set up on the side of the road. it was really windy and we had a hard time holding the canvases down! But we both did a great painting there.It was windy but bright and sunny,a gorgeous day.it was a little cool but in the sun it was nice. before I knew it the time was going by quickly and it was time to say bye to Caren and head home.
One more quick trip to Shaws for a bowl of lobster stew and take yet another photograph of "Two Sons",my favorite lobster boat it was back on the road again.
I stopped for a coffee in Damariscotta at a great bookstore and grabbed some Maine magazines and the book Lighthouse Seeds for my niece.there were so many great stores.back on rt 1 i just had to stop at Mexicali Blues. I had gone to their store in Freeport,but never visited this one.I got another scarf and moonstone earrings to match my "Bella" ring. Its such a great store with so many cool items.
Then it was time to visit my"someplace i haven't been in Maine" location before going home. I chose Bailey Island and Lands End to see this year.A gorgeous ride down this penninsula that i believe is called one of the harpswell penninsulas!Lots of twsty roads,hidden harbors and marshes.When i reached the end of the road...literally,there was a parking lot and a little park and store to investigate.What a great place I found! I spent some time on the little beach looking for stones and shells,being observed by a very ornery looking seagull!I got some great photos of the lighthouse out in the harbor and lots of interesting waterfowl.The rugosa roses and lupines were in bloom here and the roses smelled beautiful!there is a very nice statue there honoring fisherman and the store was fun to poke around in. I bought a blueberry candle made in Castine and it smells incredible!Driving back up the peninsula I stopped at Cook's to eat and had a fantastic Haddock sandwich and one last Allagash. The beach around Cook's is all tiny shells and pebbles so I did some treasure hunting and took some pictures of the rapidly setting sun. It was time to really go now. back on rt 1 i stopped for gas and hoped to pick up some more allagash white...but they didn't have any. That beer is so hard to find to buy! Next time il just have to go to Portland! Now it was really time. every year its the same thing. i have the hardest time leaving,thinking I am never coming back. But I always do,and always find my friends,the things familiar and the things new.All the things about Maine that let me breathe and be "me" .