Summer Skies

Castles and Blueberries - oil on panel, 18" x 31" (and a detail shot)

The above is a typical summer's day on Cameron Mountain which is on the back side of the Camden Hills State Park. Fittingly, this piece resides in a home on Mountain Street in Camden, just a few blocks from one of the park's trails. You'll notice the similarity to the painting in my heading, "Sheeta's Tree." That's because it's the same place, just a different angle. I did two separate studies for this blueberry field, and "Castles" was the one to get the larger treatment. I wish I had a picture of the study for this one, but I don't. It was sold way before I finished this large version. "Sheeta's Tree" was sold, as well, but I didn't end up enlarging it. Both studies were small, maybe 6" x 11" or something like that.

The opening went as well as one would expect when 50,000 people (did the Press Herald get that figure right?) were on the other end of town watching fireworks. I sold a print, had about a half dozen visitors, and polished off a bottle of wine with my friend Chris. It's fine - there will be a lot more First Fridays. And I really should have some kind of official "opening party," but perhaps that's unnecessarily grandiose.

I've been blogging less of late because, well - it's summer, and I'm outside a lot. I'm playing a lot of tennis (the team got a wild card to Districts in August, so I have to practice). I'm trying to get some painting done en plein air, though I got rained out three times! And I must mention, I'm spending time outdoors with the kids, who just thrive this time of year. Here in Maine, we must take advantage of these short but excellent summer months.

I will be taking another vacation soon (thank God - work is more teeth-grindingly tedious as of late), and part of any vacation of mine includes painting. The family and I will ferry out into Casco Bay to Long Island for a week. We're renting a lovely little house on the Harbor of Grace. I plan on gleaning three to four paintings from this trip. We'll be totally unplugged: no car, no computer, no shopping - just a beach on a quiet, vehicle-free island. This is certainly not as extreme or dramatic as the Utah trip, but I'm totally into this kind of getting away, too.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!