color of peaks

 The Trefethen Evergreen Improvement Association, otherwise known as "the club", was the venue last Friday night for the sixth annual Color of Peaks art show. The TEIA is better known as the sailing and tennis spot, but once a year invites island artists to exhibit, while taking a portion of sales towards scholarships for island children to participate in club camps. The sight of the little sailboats bobbing about is a seasonal cue; summer has begun.

I worked on five new pastels for the show. This one, titled "Late Boat" went to a couple with fond memories of a child's exuberant leaps from the ferry dock.

And the one above went to another family of sailors...
This is a regular sight on my dog walks at low tide.


Not so common is seeing a heron wading in the fog, but I have seen this guy enough to
document him, lingering near what we've nicknamed Troll Rock.

As the event progressed, the fog settled over the dock much to the delight of those on the porch.

 
















You can't beat a sunset view from this location, even with fog......and take note of the heron perched
on the piling.

Can you get how this might be inspiring? There's really not enough time in the day to capture it all.
The crowd here is an affectionate audience to start with, of the island, of the club, of the community we share.

Here I am with Fran Houston, a comrade in the frontier of self-publishing. She's just launched a website she created for her book, For the Love of Peaks. Filled with love and respect for the oral stories of Peaks Island elders. A keeper.

The club was built in the early 1900's as a casino hall. Wall space is at a minimum for hanging work, but the resourceful Friends of the TEIA find ways to showcase a wide range of work, even over the window shades. It's classic architecture; it just feels good to be inside. Everything glows, and the breezes blow through.

We ran into friends who had come out for the evening. My ole RISD classmate, Bruce Hutchison, on the right,
is an amazing illustrator.

Also in the show was my pastel of a marsh backshore, titled "Sudden Shower."

I like to draw different moments of the day, the changing light and environment.

"Moondusk" may seem unreal, but it is as true to the serene magic I witness on a daily basis.

Alright, so I haven't actually seen a mermaid. But only because I haven't been at Table Rock at her favorite moment, when the tide pools are singing with periwinkles.

Some of these originals may show up at the Gem Gallery. For now, I am putting aside the pastels to work on another poster for Portland Stage Company.

Oh, and prepping for next week's History Comix Camp, which I'll be co-teaching with Patricia Erikson. We'll be learning rope-tying, singing shantys, and sketching at Fort Gorges, and creating a comic book about actual piracy in Casco Bay.

Avast, mateys!

happy fourth

I am working on pastels for next week's Color of Peaks show at the www.teiaclub.org, really the best spot on the island: wrap-around porch overlooking the bay dotted with boats.
Heavenly.























I wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July with lots of sunshine and the breeze at your back.

nature's way

Now that the steamy Solstice has come and gone, it's hard to believe that six months ago I was working on Ice Harbor Mittens for Down East, snug as a bug in my studio with icicles outside. Peter Ralston photographed me starting one of the illustrations for that book, due out this October. A mighty swell article came out of that, "Happily Ever After" appearing in the 2010 Island Journal, published by the Island Institute.

This is one of the photos that didn't get used, but you can see how I'm trying not to laugh at Peter, who needed me to smile.

And a day later, this drawing was complete, and serves as a spread in the book.

It looks cold here, but the scene was much hotter last Saturday during the Peaks Fest Dock Day.
Ellis Ducharme, who modeled for Ice Harbor Mittens, rocked out with his band, Totem, one dock away. Ellis is on the right in the illustration above, and on the left below.

The band came together at Maine Academy of Modern Music in Portland. They're awesome, but I'm partial...

Earlier, I was part of the Authors Day during which a slew of island authors and illustrators sold books, not all of which could fit on this table. Quite a bounty of creators we have on this little rock.

Here I am with Eleanor Morse and Annie O'Brien, two of my most revered mentors! They show me
what clarity and craft is all about.

The next day of Peaks Fest, my daughter and I went on the nature walk led by a member of the Peaks Island Land Preserve, looking for beavers.

It's pretty clear that beavers are at work, but they stay out of sight when folks come tromping through the woods. They are driven by the sound of running water, and keep making little dams.

The resulting pools are lovely to look at, but over time will waterlog the roots of trees, and they'll rot
from the bottom and collapse. Here's my illustration of a beaver lodge that appears in Nest, Nook & Cranny:

 In August, I'll be having a book celebration and nature walk. More details to come!

But first: there's a full moon on Saturday night, and the big deal is that there will also be a partial eclipse of the moon. Check it OUT!  According to those who watch the skies, it will be
a very significant event. Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter, and Saturn will move into a powerful square alignment.
Time to think peace, believe peace, and act in peace. And at the very least, get outside and behold
nature's way.

 This is my contribution to the 2011 Lunar Calendar. I made this piece during the last full moon, when the dandelions seemed to be popping out all over. I have a fondness for their ephemeral orbs, made for wishing.

So get out on Saturday night, maybe even with a telescope and your favorite people and critters, and look up!

pools and schools

School's out! Whoooohooooo! Now's the time to play in tide pools. This is my page for the Peaks Island Childrens' Workshop's 2010 Coloring Book, which will raise funds for it's fantastic program, where children play and learn to be stewards of nature. Like reaching into the shallow waters of a tide pool and finding their imaginations run deep. Cupping a hermit crab in their hand, but returning it gently to its habitat.

Of course, in my view, there's a mermaid sporting an anemone head dress...

Just before school got out, Marty and I took a short blast to the Atrium Art Gallery
at USM's Lewiston-Auburn College to see an exhibit, "Vernal Pools."

First, there was lunch at the Chick-a-Dee.

The gallery is lovely, and the show engaged all the senses, from poetry to sculpture, prints, books, to audible frog peeps.

Love this fairy shrimp sculpture by Tom Berger.












And here's a lively book by the esteemed Rebecca Goodale:

Having art as a destination for a motorcycle ride makes my day. And meeting a few beasts is always fun, too.

I went straight home and dove into the pastels. Made this for the Gem Gallery's June group show.
I'm always struck by the reflections of pools, no matter where they are.

steampunk chronicles

I'm a proud member of the Maine Illustrators Collective, a group of illustrators that call Maine home, or pretty darn close. This Friday we'll be showing our version of the theme Steampunk, a topic that seems to come up with increasing frequency. I happened to be thumbing through Maine Magazine and came across a sweet little ad for Portland Velocipede. Voila, my idea came to life.

Hence, my rough thumbnail of a speedy cyclist with gears flying...



Always in search of mo' better reference, I got Someone to pose on a bicycle with appropriate determination:



And because this coincided with our own motorcycles coming out of the barn after a winters' hibernation, my collection of vintage postcards added some inspiration.



My better half suggested some styling that would enhance the penny farthing handcrafting:



I grew up in the White Mountains, not far from the famous Clark's Trading Post where the familiar whistle of their steam engines punctuated every summer afternoon. Funny how life repeats: now I can hear the whistle of the Narrow Gauge Railway in Portland, across the bay.

So, a locomotive had to be part of the race. Here's the Vixen Velocipede!



The Steampunk Chronicles will open this Friday, June 4 at The Green Hand in Portland, from 5 - 8 PM. Hope to see you there, goggles optional.

comic connections

I am bleary but satiated by the weekend's big event: the Maine Comics Art Festival!
First, a big bow to Casablanca Comics, for getting this plush ball rolling, and making Portland a destination for comic creators.



I pass this sign on my way to the Portland Public Library, scene of a full-day of speakers on Saturday, as well as an exhibit of comic art in the new Lewis Gallery.



I caught the tail end of Jay Piscopo's presentation on drawing comics from basic shapes. He makes it look easy!



Next up was John Shableski, who Kirsten Cappy introduced as the Buffalo Bill of the graphic novel frontier. John's a sales manager for Diamond Book Distributors, and knows his stuff on both the comic and content side of the coin. He gave a witty and informative presentation on the history of comics, from the caves of Lascaux to web comics, demonstrating the universal language of imagery. He had a pile of books for browsing, and excellent handouts for educators.

Here's the lovely Kirsten showing off her current fave book series.



Next up was the dynamic duo of David Roman and Raina Telgemeier, who talked about genres of comics, styles of art, interpretations, and influences.



Here Dave has drawn Garfield, a character he copied as a kid, learning to draw. Similar features can still be found in his current work.



They elaborated on the focus on features, showing tons of great images from all genres,
simple vs. detailed illustration techniques, inking and linework. For instance, Raina admitted that she'd been very attached to her set of Micron pens, using different sizes for thick and thin lines, until an art professor urged her to use a brush. Now, she uses one brush that can yield a broader line variety.

They emphasized "there is no wrong way to draw!" Amen!

Dave and Raina showed examples of comic mash-ups, such as blends of superhero styles with manga, for the X-Men Misfits. They discussed storytelling and layout, expression and acting, and ended with Raina drawing comic responses to words thrown out by the audience: exasperation, boredom, confusion, and greed.

Here Raina demonstrates emonata (spelling, anybody?):



After this, Robin Chapman from the Center for Cartoon Studies led the crowd in a panel and composition workshop.

I had to draw her lithe proportions and groovy glasses:



At this point, I had to run for the ferry. Houseguests back on the island, of course!
Missed the Steampunk discussion, and the readings by creators. Shucks.

But a brisk ride back to Peaks Island on the top deck, chatting with John Shableski, renewed my energies for the big day on Sunday. I headed back through foggy seas to join Patricia Erikson at a table for our History Comix Camp, recruiting middle schoolers for a weeklong day camp adventure in the art and history of Casco Bay piracy.

Tricia got into the part!



She walked the history talk while I sketched a few panels.



We did get to leave our posts and check out the amazing crowd of creators. So many, so little wallet, but I encountered some cool folks.

Here's Joel Zain Rivers, local impressario of graphic novels with a historical flair. He's also a cohort in the Maine Illustrators Collective, which will exhibit together soon at the Green Hand.



Here's the adorable Jen Vaughn, whose Mermaid Hostel was irresistible.



I was happy to find my soon-to-be colleague at Maine College of Art working his table in a dandy manner, Mr. Michael Connor of Coelacanthus fame.



Michael will be teaching a Graphic Novel class this fall in the illustration department. Currently his exquisite originals are on view in the Lewis Gallery exhibit mentioned above.

Back at the table with Trisha, we met many interesting kids, parents, and fellow educators like the enthusiastic media teacher all the way from Machias, Ryan Zlomek. The good energy among the crowd was so palpable. Kapow!

Again, it was time to catch a boat before I could really take it all in. Seeing the Gateway Terminal in the fog conjurs a vision of a slimy sea monster emerging from the mist....



My daughter and I compared our loot back home. She spent a little cash, but favored the free stickers and buttons, but was VERY proud of her caricature by Braden Lamb.



My stash was smaller, but just as loaded.



Sigh. What a way to spend the weekend! Thanks to Casablanca Comics and to all the talent that traveled to our town, and to the pack of local talent that makes Portland such a great place.

Back to the drawing board!

culminating events

With the heady fragrance of lilacs in the air, the season of fruition is upon us. Everywhere, there are culminating events. I've been to several recently. Recognition is a wonderful thing, after lots of hard work.



At King Middle School, the Windsor 7 class made a powerful presentation on their expedition called Small Acts of Courage. They interviewed local citizens on their personal involvement in the Civil Rights era.

Each student delivered one piece of an amazing story about the struggle for equality with tremendous poise and clarity. Besides transcribing oral history, writing many, many drafts, and speaking publicly, students also worked in pairs on a collage poster. Gotta love that visual arts engagement! Here is the collaboration by Daisy and Dustin:



Across town by only a matter of blocks, Maine College of Art showed off the parting works by the class of 2010.

Here, Katie Long exhibits some senior projects during the recent First Friday show.



Down the hall, fellow ninja Stephan Mallette exhibited an animation project alongside this graphic mural.



I had the privilege of sharing a classroom with both of these graduating illustration majors. Shine on, Katie and Stephan!

Meanwhile, back on Peaks Island, Fran Houston celebrated the publication of her book,"For the Love of Peaks."



Marty did the layout and design for this wonderful collection of stories by lovies: those elders on the island who can tell it like it was. Fran will launch the book with an upcoming exhibit at Addison Woolley Gallery on June 12.



The beloved Doug MacVane, pictured above, makes an appearance in the picture book I have been working on for months. He's an islander gone but always fondly remembered for his stewardship of Peaks Island. I passed him many times on the beach, walking with his wooden staff, and a broad smile.

Here I am starting the illustration under the lens of Peter Ralston. Talk about pressure.



That was awhile ago, when I was about halfway through the project. Soon, soon...I can blab about the culmination of that. And the feeling of utter relief and accomplishment on the sustaining of vision over a long haul.

Deep exhale,everybody...Congratulations on the pursuit of your goals!

beneath the surface

I kinda fell off the blog rhythm, as I faced a perfect storm of tasks. This illustration from Nest, Nook, & Cranny is a good metaphor for feeling submerged.

Sure, it's field trip season at salmon hatcheries, but I've been way too busy with conflicting responsibilities, such as moving my 86-year-old mother into a local assisted living facility, wrapping up two classes, and completing a full-color picture book project. No wonder I am out of breath.

The good news is that my daughter, ever resourceful, keeps making her own discoveries.

While at the dock, eating ice cream with a friend, she noticed swarms of jellyfish.
The two pedaled madly back to our house to grab cameras.



If only I'd had this for reference when working on my piece for NPR awhile back.
In this detail from that illustration, my submerged mermaid was picking up signals, from jellyfish to seahorses.



It seems like only yesterday when Daisy was five, always inspiring me with her imaginative play. This piece appears in Seven Days of Daisy, where Ruby and Daisy have a tea party. They serve jellyfish sandwiches and seaweed soup.



No matter how frenetic life gets, there's always room for play, for looking beneath the surface.