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Painting Residency and Workshop at Crawford Notch, New Hampshire.

The watercolor artist and residency program at the AMC Highland Center located in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire was a fantastic adventure. Although the leaves were behind a week in turning to their beautiful Fall foliage, I still was able to witness some color and discovered many amazing sites to paint. I taught on the average of 3 to 4 students within the four day watercolor workshop that I offered and completed 12 watercolors en plain air 18 x 24 inches in size. I also gave two presentations of works by famous artists in history who painted mountains that I called "Chasing The Light" and my own presentation of my works painted as an artist in residence. I was honored to be one of the first artist-in-residence at the AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch and hope that many wonderful artists will follow and be inspired by the stunning beauty of this place. Vincent Van Goah described best how I approached this residency.

"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart."

- Vincent van Gogh

There are plans underway for a plain air oil painting workshop that I hope to offer through the AMC at Crawford Notch in the Winter of 2016. More information will follow as this develops. I would like to thank all the staff at the AMC Highland Center who made my stay such a great experience for my wife and I. Also a special thanks to Nancy Ritger who coordinated the residency with her educational programing staff. To view the images I painted at the Crawford Notch State Park simply click on the link below.

Highlight Paint Bangor Paint Out Event and Bangor Art Society Coloring Book!

Only a day after returning from my residency at Crawford Notch in New Hampshire, I was on the Kenduskeag Stream painting the Fall colors at "Lover's Leap" a dramatic bend in the stream that features quick waters and a huge bluff that emerges from the trees. The story of this place is that a native American maiden and none-native englishman fell in love with each other but were forbidden to marry. The story goes on to describe the leap they both made off the top of this rock to end their lives, because they could not bare to face a life without each other. I could imagine them holding hands as the leapt into eternity. What I chose to paint for this year's Paint Bangor Paint-Out Event was this place, because like these two, my Penobscot wife and I are more in love than ever. So even though I do not choose to celebrate Columbus discovering America on this day, I am thankful of just how far we have come in this country that a love like ours can exist and bless so many people. This painting commemorates the injustice of two people in love from very opposing cultures and the very deep appreciation of my own personal love relationship I have for my wonderful Penobscot wife in my favorite time of year. 

This painting will be going up for live auction on Thursday, October 15th at 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM at the Gracie Theater at Husson University. Danny Williams, Director of the University of Maine's Collin's Center will be the auctioneer. Fine wine and refreshments will be available. I Hope to see as many of you who can make it to this fun event at the Gracie!

Northeast Reprographics produced the first coloring book of drawings by members of the Bangor Art Society. The books are available for purchase at every B.A.S. event for $20.00. They include 36 wonderful images printed on thick paper and spiral bound to allow watercolor enthusiasts to paint! My entry into this book was taken from one of my cartoon tracings of the watercolor painting I did of "Full Moon at Katahdin Lake". These books will be available for sale at each BAS event.

Katahdin Plein Air Paint-Out

The Katahdin Plein Air Paint-Out was a lot of fun to participate in this year. I was able to meet and paint with 12 other painters around the state who created amazing work between September 24th to September 27th, the weekend of the Super Blood Moon. I painted at Martin Pond, Sandy Stream Pond and The Crib Works, all spectacular views with Katahdin in the background. Although the Fall colors were still weeks away, it was still amazing to capture the slower transition this year from an array of greens to bright rich colors of the Fall. My favorite experience was hiking a few miles into the Martin Pond camp via the Katahdin Lake trail in Baxter State Park. It felt good to sit and paint after hiking and relaxing my eyes to witness the superb color on this bright day. A couple who I met in Yarmouth at another festival this year came across me painting and took my picture. They almost bought the painting but didn't and so the painting is still available as well as the other two. Originally I was going to change some things in the painting, but now, after looking at it for a while, I have decided it is perfect just the way it is.

Four- Day Yarmouth Art Festival 2015

My painting I did recently on Swan's Island in the Spring of this year has been recently accepted into the juried Yarmouth Art Festival held October 21st to 24th, at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church at 396 Gilman Road in Yarmouth, Maine. This is one of my favorite images that I have painted twice. The painting is framed in a gold leaf plain air frame and is small enough to add to anyone's decore without breaking the budget. In fact this is an excellent place to pick up affordable at of high quality and the festival. To view all the extraordinary work for sale at this festival just click on the button below.

50 Works In 50 Days

In the next 50 days or so I will be posting in a 10-day auction per painting 50 works of art on eBay. I do this every year to share my work and make smaller pieces affordable for everyone. So please check out the works and bid high and often. If you like a painting and want to pursue the piece in auction, just click on the botton below each painting. Happy Holidays everyone! I'll try to put on a painting each day.

In every artist's life there comes a time of reflection that challenges one's purpose to make room for the best works to come. I am in that season and it is a very exciting place to be in. I hope you will all get out and participate in this Fall explosion of color happening all around us!

Many you have a great Fall Season and Paint many colorful jewels!

Michael E. Vermette