That’s the slogan on the welcome sign along the highway where you enter Maine on the coastal route, and I think it speaks to the feelings of most people vacationing in Maine. Wintertime may be challenging here, but summer is magical!
I love coming in June. The weather may be unpredictable, but the lupines are always in bloom then, which, in my mind, justifies the risk of a few cool and rainy days. When I come around a bend in the road and see a field of those periwinkle blue, pink, and violet flowers, my heart does a fluttery little happy dance.
This year I once again stayed at Crescent Beach in Owls Head, Maine, and was joined by my mother, Saundra, and five students who were all eager to sketch the inspiring scenery of mid-coast Maine.
Our home for the week was Primrose Cottage, a beautiful, roomy, quirky old place that’s been added to and renovated over the years. It suits us perfectly, with plenty of bedrooms, common areas, and private nooks. We all loved it so much that everyone included sketches of the house’s interior and exterior in their sketchbooks. (I’ll be sharing my Maine sketches with you later, after I’ve had a chance to get home and scan them.)
Here’s the gang having class on the oceanside deck…
Isn’t this place a gem?
Just imagine how pretty it will be when these climbing roses are in bloom…
I taught lessons on painting rocks, beaches, flowers, and water so the students would have the tools they needed to paint onsite during day trips to nearby parks, beaches, and towns. They look so serious and dedicated in the photo below, don’t they? Hard at work, nose to the grindstone…
But this is more typical of our times painting together…
Day trips included Birch Point Beach State Park…
the village of Camden…
Owls Head Light…
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| View of Mt. Battie from the beach at Owls Head Light |
and Rockport harbor…
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| The ladies and I with a granite statue of Andre the Seal in Rockport harbor |
This is only a small part of what we did during our week at Owls Head, but to keep the size of this post manageable, I’ll continue it tomorrow. I have so much more to share with you!
7 Comments
Looks like a wonderful experience. I think I am going to pay attention when you advertise this and see if I can possible join you next year.
I may be doing the Maine workshop in September of 2017 rather than June, since I'll be in Provence June 25-July 2. I'll be announcing it here when I firm up the dates.
What a beautiful place!
This looks like the most wonderful place for sketching. I hope I can join you there sometime! Love all of the photos! Thanks for sharing!
I'd love to have you come along next time!
I always look forward to your photos from Maine and, even more so, your sketches. Can't wait to see them! It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Did your mom sketch? Isn't that her at the head of the table, holding up a sketchbook?
No, my mom doesn't sketch. She was joking around in that picture and pretending she was the teacher. That's my sketchbook she's holding up. 🙂