First Frost, Last Swim

A couple of sights you won't see until next summer. This is my last morning glory before the frost hit Saturday night and I took my last swim in the ocean Sunday morning (not here in Maine! I was in RI!).

Bliss...

An 80's Raphael...

Raphael's portrait Bindo Altoviti and two photographs of my cousin, Keith Knost, as a young man. I recently connected with Keith via facebook. He is also an artist, and lives out of state. We've never met, but it seems that we share many interests, besides art. I have never done portraits from photographs before, and have wanted to try. I am intrigued by these photos - Keith looks like he could have stepped out of the High Renaissance in that first picture. I'm always in search of my animus in my art, and to find a male relative with so many things in common is like finding a long lost brother, or happening upon a character from one of my dreams! Keith tells me that he has many more photographs that may interest me, many of which document his performance art, including participating in intertribal dances. He is in the process of getting a scanner, and then he'll send them my way. It may take a little while, but stay tuned!

Home

(the beginnings of a mail art project...)

So happy to be settling back into my home in Woolwich (I will continue to maintain my studio in downtown Portland). I've been busy nesting - cleaning, painting walls, de-cluttering, rearranging - pottering about with gray squirrel energy. Already I feel less scattered and more rooted. Fun as it was to have an apartment in town, I was constantly packing bags and moving between three places. I felt at times like the scarecrow from the Wizard of OZ, slayed open on the ground after being attacked by the flying monkeys...

"Some of me is over here! Some of me is over there! I'm all over the place!"

Right now two places feels like plenty.
Happy Autumnal Equinox, all!

Old Friend

I have spent the last week packing up my apartment in Portland, and cleaning, unpacking and painting walls and woodwork here at my home in Woolwich. Also I don't have my PC here (upon which I have my photoshop and do all my downloading of photos and editing) so I have not been blogging regularly. I'll probably be posting only once or twice a week during this transition period, so bear with me! While unpacking I found this photo of a portrait I did in 2002 (or was it 2001?) of my nephew, George Beauchemin. I have many pieces of work that have never been officially documented, and to happen upon this snapshot is like finding an old friend...

To bee, or not to bee?

(Or, should I say, to beat the bee, or not to beat the bee?)

Last weekend the Maine College of Art had their annual alumni party - here are some fun pics. Going along with the bee theme, there was an open flowing fountain of mead to add to the merrymaking. I'd never had mead before - it was quite tasty! Several people took turns trying to break open the bee pinata - Portland painter Tim Clorius had the last whack! Have a great weekend, everyone!

A Strong Foundation

an outdoor workstation...

Andrew

Andy and Garry

Andy, Garry, and Brey - the foundation with three generations - my son, husband, and grandson...

temporary lodgings - the studio and trailor...

inside the studio...

my 1997 portrait of my son Andrew

My son Andrew and his wife Oceanna are building a house on some land that we gifted to them on our property in Woolwich. Andy and Ocea and their two sons have been living in our house for the past few years while they've been working on clearing the land, making the foundation and the 600 foot long driveway through the woods. Andy also built an outbuilding, a studio which stands next to the foundation, and he and Ocea, Brey, and Wyeth have moved into the studio and a camper to finish the framing of their house. A huge project!! My husband and I will be moving back to our house full time now, giving up our apartment in the city. I am glad of this move. It's been a long while since we had our house to ourselves, and I feel more deeply connected to nature and Spirit when I am at my home in the woods. I will keep my studio in Portland, though, where I feel most connected to the art community!

Two Point Show

A buncho pics from my art opening at Two Point Gallery. We had crowds streaming through all night - the sidewalks were hopping for First friday Artwalk! I saw old friends and new friends, and some of the folks who had modeled for me in 2006 let me take their photos with their portraits of three years ago! A fun night!