Painting on Clarke Island

Friday, September 5

We arrive in pairs at the Craignair Inn.  Some of us have driven for 9 hours from Vermont to get here.  As soon as we can settle and gather ourselves together we meet in the parlor for wine and cheese and a little slide presentation on painters who have painted in Maine...Winslow Homer, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, the Wyeths, Edward Hopper, Yvonne Jacquette, Childe Hassam...a way to show a variety of ways of seeing, a variety of techniques.  The group begins to see possibilities and excitement grows for being in the presence of the inspiration for such great painting.

Saturday, September 6

Seven women painting on Clarke Island, Maine gather in the morning fog.  Their task this first

day is to become familiar with this magical place...introduce themselves to the forest, meadows, bogs, quarry, and rocky coast that make this our chosen setting to paint for four days.  We break for lunch and then head out to the cove to start some exercises to help us

focus on what is here.  

Sunday, September 7

After a had rain last night the morning is clear, no fog, just gray clouds...time to go to the

cove and set up to paint...mostly with watercolors, one of us with water-soluble oils.

We work on color...getting to know the colors of grass, seaweed, rocks and sea.  Rain moves

in and we take a break for snack and a critique.  The sky clears and we return to the scene.

We put off going to the Farnsworth to see the artists so that we take advantage of the 

perfect painting weather.