Most of my elementary school trips were to either the Whaling Museum or Plimoth Plantation, both of which were pretty boring as kid. Half a century later, with no teacher's or lesson plans, it is pretty fun to get up early and watch the Mayflower sail through New Bedford's Harbor and the Hurricane Dike and its way back to Plymouth.
On this quiet Monday morning, I sit on my deck, watching hummingbirds, and thinking about my weekend spent at an art show in the old New England summer enclave Nonquitt. Over the three day of this event I saw friends I hadn’t seen for many years, played several rounds of “you look so familiar” and met many new folks. None of that was unusual.
The totally unexpected gift of the weekend was having children as customers. Two young girls, unrelated as far as I could tell, each picked out the same image of purple pink petals. They were immediate and unwavering about their selection and very much the decision makers in the transaction, knowing exactly where my image would live in their personal space. I had been prepared with my lines and stories for adults, but never before considered that children as young as seven would be art buyers. What a treat!
My photographs are all stories, tales of a world stopped for the fractional moment of a shutter click. They speak of mood, form, feeling, tone and color, but that is not all. Images are like book covers, an invitation to journey into another world, a journey that often leads to yet more words and images. I love sharing that journey and thanks to my iphone I was able to show each of these girls the backstory of their chosen image -- of the Mexican celebration of Carnaval and the women who make these beautiful paper flowers.
Was it the journalist in me, the teacher, or a latent grandparent need that took such great pleasure in watching their faces as they saw the story on my iphone? I don’t know the answer to the question, but I do know it was the most unexpected delight of the weekend and has set my mind wondering about education, class, privilege and the magic of art.
A friend of mine from Mexico sent me an email the other day - no posts since June 9th- unacceptable !! Guilty as charged. I have been consumed with fishy business. My garage is no longer a place for cars and garden equipment but is rather an aquarium full of 4-foot fanciful and very creative fish - this year's Art Drive School of Classic Cod. Happily, the fish are now all photographed, found their way onto the poster and soon will go to their display locations in Dartmouth, Westport, and New Bedford. For more details about their whereabouts and the auction where you can buy a Classic Cod check out www.the-Art-drive.com or go here and buy your very own!
In addition to all the fish stuff, I have been taking a class in Advanced Photoshop- Speed Painting. The work I did on Entangled made me want to learn more about using the brushes in Photoshop so when I saw this class advertised at RISD I thought it might be a place to start. I emailed the instructor and he assured me that it would, and the fact that I am not already a painter wouldn't be a problem. So with some trepidation, I took the plunge. Perhaps free fall off the 10 meter diving board is better description. For starters, I am at least 30 years older than everyone else in the class and the only person without a solid background in painting. But as promised, I am learning a huge amount and loving the challenge. In a few short weeks I am supposed create a whole world complete with different weather and lighting. ...whew.... Given the oceanic theme of my life these days, it is no surprise that my practice exercises on clean rendering, creating custom brushes from inkblots and masking techniques all have an underwater look.
Crabby inkblot babies
The high winds that have brought Alberta floods and lots of rain here off the coast, have also blown Portuguese Men of War ashore. Yesterday I found three of them at Cherry & Webb beach. To have them here so early in the summer is yet another sign of climate change. They are miserable to come in contact with, but they sure make for interesting looking beach blobs....
After the remainder of the season's first tropical storm blew through southern Maine, clouds linger in the early morning twilight.
A low tide walk across the tidal flats in Biddford, Maine yields treasure of all sorts from sand dollars to lost bouys....
South Wharf, Padanaram
Meet Entangled, my fish for this year's school of Classic Cod that will be part of the Art Drive Open Studio Tour in August. Each year participating artists create a school of fish that are used to promote this annual juried summer art tour in Dartmouth & Westport, MA. After the Art Drive, the fish are auctioned off with a portion of the proceeds going to our local environmental education center.
The selection of the Atlantic bearded cod for this year's fish was a timely one, as new fishing regulation go into effect this month. Although New Bedford is one of the biggest dollar yield ports for fish in the US, cod fishing will be severely curtailed going forward. The livelihood of fisherman and the ancillary industries they support are in question. While debates rage about the science behind the restrictions and the politics of enforcement, the harbor is filled with docked fishing boats of every type as owners struggle to survive with catch limits, rising fuel etc. It is a tangled mess.
Entangled is a digital composite made from the photo below of trawling gear and images of ocean waves, along with some digital painting. The trawling rope used for the beard was graciously provided by Reidar's Mfg - a local company owned by fishermen making gear for fishing boats.
In the salt marsh along the banks of the Connecticut River the evening mist is lit in a gentle warm glow.
When the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon it is the beginning of civil twilight. It is the time when shadows disappear. Combine it with pink tinged clouds and wind softened water and the ordinary becomes stunning.
North Harbor, Padanaram
This is the geometry of early spring. Sharp vertical tree trunk reflections, unfettered by the leaves still curled in their buds provide a sharp contrast to the lily pads round green forms. Or perhaps it is the first contingent of alien invaders in Giverny....
Shining like icicles, these "sap sicles" look like both ice and ancient amber.
In Mexico you have four guys and freezer. Here in Padanaram village at the start of sailing season, you have three guys and a 40 foot mast rolling down the street.