Summer Studio

This past week, our family traveled to Maine so that we could attend our very first opening reception at Portland Art Gallery, where my art has recently become represented.

The opening was bustling with art lovers and artists. The energy and conversation was flowing. This community has a strong connection to art and I felt so wrapped-up in support and inspiration during the event.

Local snacks and drinks were served, artists spoke with a mic on a platform and musicians from the community performed. It was such an unforgettable evening.

Oh, and I should rewind to the moment when our family was walking-up the sidewalk to the gallery together for the very first time. The many front windows to the gallery are large, tall and arching. I recognized my own painting, ‘SOWA Sunday’ hanging in the beautiful sunshine through one of those gorgeous windows and, it honestly took my breath away! I had no idea my work would be in the front window this month and I was over-the-moon to be standing there with my family beside me in that moment.

I started to get my camera ready to take some photos from the outside and Kevin, the gallery owner, walked-up, shook hands with my family and took our photo together. What an introduction!

After the opening, we checked-in to our modern campground cabin at The Desert of Maine, a new location for us. This cabin was absolute luxury for our forest and campfire-loving family! Here are some highlights of our two days there:

After our two nights in the forest and desert, we headed to the coast for surfing! But…with some rain came some very calm seas. Not exactly perfect conditions for surfing, but it was perfect for a family day of puzzles and catching-up on the Olympics.

Once, I’d had my fill of the indoors, I headed outside to add some more layers to my painting:

So, the painting did finally dry in the sunshine the next day and is now back in my studio, still in progress. But, just as I’ve been aspiring to do…we have stretched it ourselves on beautiful, heavy-duty wood stretcher bars! This is going to be a complete game-changer for my future work. I love to begin my paintings outdoors on raw canvas and then work on them stretched for the final touches. No more taking my canvases to the framer and now, I’ll have full control over the finish of my work, hooray!!

I’ll share updates with this painting soon.