I am having a solo exhibit of portraits and field sketches of birds of prey at the Gilslsand Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, Maine. There’s an opening reception Thurs May 21st from 5-7, and the show runs through June 26th. I’ll also be sketching live birds at LL Bean on Sat the 22nd at 1pm as part of their birding weekend.
News
Voices of the Wilderness- Glacier Bay!
I just learned I’ve been selected to be this year’s artist in residence at Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. I’ll be there for 2 weeks in late July/early August, working with research scientists to observe and record through my art how different species adapt to the shifting climate of Glacier Bay. This is an amazing honor and I’m humbled to be chosen for this opportunity. 22 years ago my wife Linda and I spent a week kayaking in Glacier Bay, where we got engaged.
Voices for the Wilderness program
Coyote Connections
I have 3 pieces in the group show Coyote Connections at the UNE Gallery in Portland.
It’s a great concept, having select artists work with a specific species to raise awareness and hope fully change attitudes. Nice write up in the Portland Press Herald:
http://mainetoday.com/maine_art/coyote-connections-exhibition-une-explores-world-coyotes/
UNE art show in celebration of the Art of Katahdin book
The University of New England Gallery is hosting a show of paintings featured in the new Art of Katahdin book. I have 2 paintings in the show, Sleeping Giant and Cloud Gatherer, hanging with the likes of Marsden Hartley, James Fitzgerald and Carl Sprinchorn. The show runs through Oct 27th, and has gotten a great review in the Sunday arts section: http://www.pressherald.com/life/audience/at-une-a-mountain-of-a-show_2013-08-11.html including very positive mentions of both my pieces!
The Art of Katahdin book
Downeast Books has just published Carl Little’s wonderful book on the history of art at Katahdin, which includes my painting ‘Sleeping Giant‘. It’s a great read with lots of inspired images of my favorite mountain.
the root of the problem…
More sketchbook images. I find myself drawn (literally) to the root system of trees; the crazy organic shapes and interconnectedness of the way trees attach themselves to the earth. And the way they decompose, the mosses. lichens and fungi that assist that process. It’s fascinating to think about trees shaping their roots around rocks and wedging those rocks apart over time. There are plenty of painting ideas in this theme (Entwined is a great example) and I’m looking forward to working these out as the snow flies…
- decaying stump ebony pencil sketch
VINS
Here are some recent sketches from the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in Quechee. It’s a wonderful place to draw raptors from life, lots of cooperative models. They are all rehab injured or otherwise un-releasable birds and are well taken care of in this beautiful facility. You’ll notice from the sketches that the resting birds are easiest to capture on paper. Owls have great shapes to draw, although it’s always tricky to figure out what’s going on under all those feathers.
VINS is well worth a visit if you’re in the area, just off Rt. 4 on the way to Woodstock in Vermont.
Show in Brunswick
My good friend and stalwart painting companion Jake Nicholson and I and having a two man show at Gallery Framing on Pleasant Street in Brunswick, from July 2nd to the 28th. We’re calling it ‘Onshore Offshore’, most of his paintings are from the Deck of his sailboat while most of mine are from island shores I kayaked to. It’s a rough life painting in Maine!
The gallery hours are M-F 9-5, Sat 10-2 and on July 13th it will be open 5-8 for the Brunswick 2nd Friday Art Walk.
Wildnotes
I was just informed that 3 of my paintings of Baxter State Park made it into the Wildnotes park info paper they hand out to every visitor through the gates. Helpful information and some cool visuals! It’s good feeling when your artwork is used to help foster appreciation for a landscape as amazing as Baxter.
I’m also gearing up for my residency at Acadia National Park, which begins Sunday July 1st. I’ll be based at the Schoodic Education & Research center in Winter Harbor (Schoodic Point) which was one of my favorite places growing up. There’s great geological formations (cool rocks), some nice islands and crashing surf; plenty of inspiration. I’m really looking forward to washing the dust of winter off my kayak.
World Turtle Day
In honor of world turtle day I thought I’d post a recent page from my sketchbook.
These two eastern painted turtles showed up on our dead end street and got to pose for a few hours before being sent safely on their way.
Pretty sure these are the same turtles we’ve seen for several years in a row, been taking measurements and think I’ve got enough detail in the sketch to identify the patterns for next year. While they didn’t show on Turtle Day proper (May 23rd) they were close enough.
Our friend Lori had a big snapping turtle laying eggs on the actual day (although I didn’t make it over to sketch her).
