- Abraxas sketching Acadia National Park, photo by Kate Fitzgerald.
Maine's coast is rugged, beautiful, and full of subjects to paint! I just returned from a week long "campainting" trip to Acadia National Park and have lots of artwork started (and some completed).
Artists often travel to Maine in search of inspiration and I sure found plenty. It is always interesting to view the variation in works of other artists, and so as I always do, I browsed through the many galleries of coastal Maine, enjoying that wonderful diversity. I often see that unique interpretation of the same scenery when my friends and I paint together - there is so much happening when you paint outdoors that every passing moment presents new possibilities, and each of us will get excited about those different elements... Once incorporated into our canvas stories, our works become unique.
Coming from Delaware, especially after spending so much time on our beaches this summer (working of course), the craggy coast of Maine was a fascinating change. Great landscapes combined with the action of man upon the water made my head spin with ideas! Boats have always intrigued me and there were plenty to choose from as I wandered up and down the coast. Sailboats and fleets of lobster boats abound, beautiful in all forms; clean, dirty, moored, and sailing. While sitting on a rock or standing at my easel, I was mesmerized by the movement of the boats, some at anchor and some cruising past, nothing on the water stood still. Below are a couple of pencil sketches from my journey.
- Northern Harbor, a graphite sketch by Abraxas.
- Morning Commute, a graphite sketch by Abraxas.
Having been a camper all of my life, leaky tents were all I knew, so I am really enjoying my Airstream travel trailer, especially in cold weather! My 19' International CCD has everything I need and is small enough that it is easy to tow (a harrowing near death experience on the trip proved that it is quite maneuverable). After a cold day of painting and exploring it is nice to have heat, music, and a cozy bed (and protection from wild animals). Actually, it's kind of hard to call that camping, but it sure is fun!
- Abraxas' mobile studio.
Thanks for checking in! Come visit if you find yourself in Milton, and I'll show you what I'm working on!