This is the archive for the ‘photography’ Category

Maine 2023

October 1st, 2023

We went to Maine this September – Down East – about a mile down a dirt road and over a small bridge, the Atlantic straight ahead. It was wonderful!

Image of Sunset.
View from our Deck

We walked the sandy beach, clambered over stones with their glacier markings, loved the wrack weed, and wonderful sea drawings left when the tides recedes. We woke to the sound of lobster boats checking their traps.

Image of Jorden Cove. Image of Wrack Weed Image of Sand Drawings
Jordens Cove, Wrack Weed and Sand Drawings

We sketched and photographed, relaxed and just were. The skies were wonderful.
And then there was fog. Islands came and went, a misty magic descended on the world

Image of Fog. Image of Boat in fog
Fog

However, we were right where hurricane Lee/Tropical Storm was expected to hit. Not as bad as it could have been but still lots and lots of rain and wind – main damage trees down!. The ocean turned a peachy tan color .

Image Peach Colored Ocean.
Peachy Sea

We had a cozy cottage, good food and wine, had our art/photography supplies, so we were happy. But the plan had been to work outside most of the time.

Plan B… enjoy the adventure!
We did get a day at Quoddy Head to sketch and one down to Schoodic to see crazy waves.

Image of Fog. Image of Waves
Quoddy Head Point and Waves at Scoodic

Between rainy spells we could get through the woods, down steps the sandy cove to work.
The last evening skies began to clear and in the morning the view from our window was beautiful.

Image of Evening. Image of Sunrise
Things Clear up as we leave

We woke up to the sound of chain saws clearing the road so we could get out. We had breakfast, walked on the beach, then headed south.

We also got to visit friends and family and a visit to the Farnsworth! So now home and time to work with my sketches, photographs, and memories!!!

Taking a Break

January 29th, 2023

As a break from my current printing project, I’ve working with some of my photographs. Such a break allows me to step back and bring new insight to my original work.

Two of these images result from a trip to Odessa, an historic village in Delaware, while the third is from a trip to Maine just before the pandemic began. With the Odessa images I was exploring my experience of its autumn quietness and historic background.

The Maine photograph captures the vividness of the evening light. We were driving back to our vacation cabin after a busy day and it took my breath away.

Image of a marsh
“Odessa Marsh”

Image of a Barn Latch
“Odessa Barn Hinge”

Image of evening light
“Evening Light”

“Page 22”

April 19th, 2022

“Page 22” is a Mixed Media work created for a group exhibition “Artists in Solidarity with Ukraine” at the Germantown Espresso Bar near my home.

Mixed Media piece on Ukraine
“Page 22”

It began as a spread in a journal of paintings begun as a daily exercise.

After days representing my daily feelings, suddenly there were these pages representing the war in Ukraine. Too often all seems normal then one day things turn horrible beyond belief. Once this has passed things tend to return back to normal (what ever that is) until the next catastrophic event. We don’t learn.

The name “Page 22” represents the page in the book with the original image.

Haven

February 25th, 2020

Been super busy getting ready for my exhibition in April—paintings to frame, fiber work to be mounted, getting work photographed for catalog, mailers…….. and ideas for a few more pieces…….
Then Imperfect Gallery announced they were having an open call for a photo show and at first I was just too busy—but then I do like to support them so yesterday at the last minute I entered a piece I had hanging on the wall.

B&W photo of three rocks
Haven

Photographed back in the day before digital photography, on 2 1/4 film, “Haven” deals with family, security, love, and protection and is a silver gelatin print. Sometimes I miss the sound of running water and the smell of chemicals (which couldn’t have been good for me), as I printed. Spent a lot of time in our darkrooms.

This was originally part of my series of six photographs exhibited at the Morani Art Gallery of the Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1991.

Imperfect’s show runs from Feb 29, to March 21st.

Scotland

September 20th, 2019

It was a whirl wind tour of Scotland. Starting in Queesnferry so Bob could finally see one of his favorite bridges, the Forth Bridge, and a bus into Edinburgh to visit Dovecot Studio.

Image of Forth Bridge Image of Dovecot Tapestry Studio
Visit for each of us!

Then Skye—staying in Elgol for a boat trip and small hike to Loch Coruisk in the Cuillin Hills and in Dunvegan with hikes at Quiraing, and Neist Point.

Image of Quiraing Image of Neist Point
Hikes in Skye

After Skye, up the west coast staying at Inverkirkaig—hiked a bit—very windy—and found the most wonderful bookstore/cafe, then across the top to the ferry to Orkney.

Orkney: Ring of Brodgar at dusk, Skara Brae, the sun came out as we bought our tickets, sheep, wool and dye sheds, a tapestry gallery, a scotch distillery, and more wind. I love wind, but this wind could, under certain circumstances, drive one mad. For us, in our short time, it was part of the adventure.

Image of The Ring of Brodgar Image of Skara Brae
5000 year old Neolithic sites.

Ferry back and down the east coast and into Glendevon for a great dinner, another short hike and then the plane from Edinburgh. All I can say is WOW! Around every corner—more beautiful than the last—WOW, food and people—WOW, history, geology—WOW!

Image of Scottish Mountains Image of Heather
Beauty whether you look up or down

We had never been to Scotland and wanted to get an overview, seeing as much as possible in the two weeks we had. Bob did wonderfully driving on a different side of the road and on the many two way but one lane roads—with sheep on them! (There were signs.) He also researched and booked all our accommodations and to a one they were great! Three hotels and the rest B&Bs.

Image of Black Sheep Image of sign for sheep in road
Cattle grids in the roads kept the sheep in their area but not off the roads.
Some were very cheeky and would play “I dare you”…

We didn’t seek out castles but they were everywhere.

Image of Castle
Had to take at least one castle picture!

Didn’t hear a bagpipe but saw several guys in kilts. Stayed away from tourist sites as much as possible. Scotland is a very contemporary country and while I did want to see the Neolithic sites in Orkney I also wanted to experience Scotland today as much as possible in our short time.

Some how as I planned out our trip with post-its of where we would stay and what we wanted to see, I still thought we’d have time to hike every day and sit and sketch, and just feel where we were. Time doesn’t stretch that way so only a couple of quick sketches (one done in the car) and a few rather short hikes, but lots and lots of images and now that I’m home I wake up at 4:30-5:00 and hit the studio—so excited to download my brain into studies and paintings and spin the wool that I bought and just digest.

Maine Painting Retreat

August 19th, 2019

Just came back from a wonderful week long painting retreat with Michael Chesley Johnson in Maine—way Downeast in Lubec Maine and in Campobello Island in Canada. I took a workshop with Michael years ago. It was good to see him again!

Image of Michael Chesley Johnson Image of Painting setup in Maine
Michael Chesley Johnson demo and Quoddy Head State Park

Finally unpacked, wash is done, house reclaimed and grass is cut. Now to think about all that happened. On the way north we spent two days on Monhegan Island with Holly and Stig—one takes the ferry—no cars—lots of hiking—lots and lots of hiking—beautiful forest and coast line—good food and beautiful music by a woman composer (whose name I’m sorry I didn’t get). She practices on the piano in the little church next to our hotel.

Image of Monhegan Island Image of Sea Gull
Monhegan Island—view from hike and a new friend

Then Sunday, back to rt 1 and north. We stayed at West Quoddy Station in a little cabin called “the Camp”. West Quoddy Station is a repurposed life guard station that is now lodging in one of the most beautiful locations in Maine. About a mile from there is the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and Quoddy Head State Park which pride them selves as being the most eastern point in the US—the sun does rise early! We met Sunday evening with Michael and the other artists for orientation. Our plan was for me to paint as part of the retreat and Bob would go off and photograph—both happy!

Image of West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Image of Camp at West Quoddy Station
Light house and our home away from home!

Michael mainly is a plain air painter as were most of the others but as this was a “retreat” as opposed to a workshop or class we were free to pursue our own directions. People worked in oils, watercolors or pastels. They came from all over the US and Canada. Days began with a sharing/critique of the previous days work and then we all headed to a specified location to paint. Some days Michael demoed and others he painted with us. Quoddy Head State Park, the fishing village of Lubec and Campobello Island all offered a wealth of locations—the weather was perfect—perhaps too perfect—post card days. Afternoons were free to continue painting, visit other locations, hike or just veg and soak up everything. Many peopled worked as long as there was light! On the third day I just sketched and photographed and took it all in.

Image of Quoddy Head State Park
Something around every turn!

I realize that I’m not a plein air painter but rather a painter who enjoys plein air painting as a resource for studio work. It was hot in the sun and working with warm oils was a relatively new experience—didn’t master that this week but I learned a lot. But I did bring back lots to work on and think about during cold winter days in PA.

Image of Quoddy State Park Painting Image of Campebello painting
Two of my quick plein air paintings.

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