Blog

Summer Adventures and Changes

 Welcome to all you new subscribers to my newsletter. It's been a whirlwind of a Summer and great meeting you on the painting trail.

I thought I would share some of the great things that has happened to me this summer and some changes. Lets begin with an unexpected change. After 15 years of being represented by the North Light Gallery in Millinocket, Maine, my paintings are no longer in that gallery due to unreconcilable differences with its owner Marsha Donahue. So please do not look for my Katahdin work there since I am not represented by Marsha anymore, although we parted on friendly terms.

The good news is that all 35 plus works have been cleaned up, reframed and are currently on display at the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, where they are hosting a special Katahdin Show of many of my watercolors and oils of that region! Patrons are delighted to see these works for the very first time and have responded favorably including guest speakers who have given lectures at the gallery. I hope you will be able to take the time to see the show that has been in my portfolio for years. Personally, It is so nice to see the pieces out on display, all together and as a body of work. Many of them have been reframed so beautifully by Christine Buckley's Framing in Damariscotta, Maine and I am so thankful for her expertise. Her website is at: http://christinesgallery.com.

The Kennebunk River Club Art Show

"Sea Dog" my watercolor pictured above was awarded Best -In-Show at the Kennebunk River Club's Annual Show this year. The painting sold and there was a handsome stipend for the award. I'm told that the 3 jurors made their decisions independently not knowing how each one judged. The exciting part is that I wrote a story about the painting that Portland Museum of Art might include in their next newsletter. This is the story that I wrote.

Sea Dog

"Sea Dog" was the actual dog on a trawler in Bar Harbor, Maine. I never knew his name, nor the name of the trawler, but I did know the former sea captain Tom French, who was a 3rd generation fisherman out of Bar Harbor, Maine that I painted in several watercolors and oil paintings.

The Sea Dog is appropriately depicted amongst the trawler's gear and particularly the netting because his master was known all over the region as an excellent net mender. In fact Tom was called upon to tye dredges and mend scallop and fish nets for other fisherman from all over the region including Southwest Harbor where I once captured him there. Sadly, Tom died on his trawler a few years back, but his legacy and his dog live on in this painting and in my memory.

As an artist, I might have been the only one to have captured Tom French. In this painting, his dog on their trawler, was particularly striking in color and is perched on the very netting that Tom would fish with and mend. In fact Tom was mending a hole in a huge net, just off to the left, when I captured this image. The painting image was taken from the Town Wharf of Bar Harbor, Maine. It depicts the complexity of the netting and the loyality of the dog amidst the busy fishing gear on Tom French's trawler moored to the dock. The dog is attentive and calm with a sharp eye on Tom as he had a habit to do. The viewer gets the feeling that if you were to step upon Tom's ship uninvited, this sea dog would immediately be upon you to take a bit out of your thigh. He was the ship's primary guard and first mate. Even in the end when Tom was found on his boat unexpectedly deceased, one can imagine his loyal sea dog friend lying faithfully by his side.

Paint The Town, Waldoboro, Maine

The Waldoboro Paint The Town wet paint art auction was amazing again this year. Natalie hosted it at her house again and the event took place during the Rockland Lobster Festival. But this event really rivaled the event in Rockland for artists and collectors alike. They had all their bases covered with delicious food and more lobster than the auction crowd could eat.The post and beam barn is perfect for exhibiting art for previewing and the live entertainment under the tent was excellent. Even the auctioneer who was the fire chief of the Waldoboro Fire department was very entertaining and seems to be getting better at his auction skills.

Since you could bring one finished painting to the auction, I decided to bring my oil of "Friendship Lobsterboat Fleet" that was painted in my studio for this auction just weeks before the event. It was an image I have been wanting to paint because of the three lobster boats that were either tied up at the dock, loading or heading out to sea.

The second painting I entered into the auction was painted en plein air of Medomick River Falls that seems to run through the town of waldoboro. I love the movement of the water as it cascades over and around huge car-sized rock and the evidence of a stone wall to add a touch of nostalgia.

Selling into the thousands, I was the highest selling artist again this year in the auction which seems to be growing in providence and with quality paintings, well known artists, and collectors in attendance.

My wife and I stayed the night before in our first Air B&B. It quite an adventure to say the least. Although it was a beautiful, quaint, clean post and beam in the woods that was completely off the grid and only 20 minutes from the auction site, it had an outhouse and no running water. My wife was not happy. Personally, it was the Ritz compared to the Katahdin Lake Wilderness Camps and I thought that the building would make an excellent art studio that I am wanting to build in front of my house within a few years. At any rate, we both agreed it was Quite a difference from the noisy Inn that we stayed at last year that keep us up all night with an endless barking dog and the rowdy bowery at the pub below. All and all the auction was a complete success, and an exciting event that I hope to do again next year.

MOJAS Maine Open Juried Art Show 2019

Common Street Arts, and the Waterville Area Art Society (WAAS) are currently hosting the 2019 Maine Open Juried Art Show (MOJAS) at the Common Street Arts Gallery from August 12 through September 7. An opening reception and awards ceremony was held on Thursday, August 15th from 5:00-7:00 pm. I learned that the judges awarded my watercolor "Mohegan Sternman Stacking Traps" second place award in watercolor in the show. Both of my paintings that I entered were painted in my studio.

Now entering its 28th year, the MOJAS exhibit attracted artists from across the state and represented a variety of media. A closing reception and awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 7th from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the newly renovated mill at Common Street Arts on 10 Water Street in Waterville, Maine.

Castine Plein Air Festival

There were a lot of changes for my wife and I at the Castine Plein Air Festival this year. Janet and Verge Forbes sold their beautiful house and moved to Blue Hill. So we had to find another couple to host us. We couldn't have found a better couple than Bill and Sylvia Carter at their spacious newly restored Spanish villa. There were many rooms, enough for even another painter from Milford, Maine, Anthony Watkins who roomed down the hall upstairs.

We were very grateful for Bill and Sylvia because they were not only excellent hosts, but they directly impacted our ability to paint the images we were able to do. Just like the famous artist Robert Henri, I too can paint better if my wife is present. Because of this generosity and kindness to us this is the reason why it is a tradition to gift the house you are staying at with a painting. We decided to give them "Afternoon At The British Canal" since Sylvia is English.

sThere was a husband and wife who died within a week of each other who were long standing pillars in Castine's society. Many of the Castine locals attended their funeral that was scheduled at the same time as the sale. As a result, after about an hour the crowd was cut to half when compared to former years. So I was grateful that I sold 4 of my paintings at the sale. This year I tried to depict some of my favorite subjects at different times of the day. "The Bowdoin at Dawn" and "Early Morning At Eaton's Boathouse" were both painting in that beautiful cool crisp light of the early morning. "Afternoon At The British Canal" and "Sunset At Wadsworth Cove" were both painted on two separate afternoons in a warmer front and abstract/back lit light source near the time of sunset. "The Bowdin At High Tide" was painted at high tide but also at high noon when the sun is desending down upon the subject. And in my last painting and perhaps the most difficult due to the bugs that came at dusk, I painted a nocturne of the "Castine Tugboat At Night".

The Festival days were bright and sunny for the entire three day festival. Thirty-three juried artists arrived in Castine on Wednesday July 24th and enjoyed a reception at the Castine Inn with sponsors, hosts and volunteers. Over 180 paintings were produced over the next three days. The Artist's Reception and Art Sale returned to the Maine Maritime Academy's Alfond Student Center. The reception was preceded by an awards ceremony. Prizes were awarded that were juried by artists Jerry Rose and Adele Ursone.

A special "Castine Captured" award was presented to the artist whose painting best depicted something of special essence in Castine.

The judge for the Castine Captured award was CAA board member Lisa Tyson Ennis. Although I didn't win an award personally I celebrated those that did. This time around I was reminded by a committee member that I was probably the most winning artist in the history of the festival. It never dawned on me, but he's probably right, although I wouldn't mind getting the "Castine Captured" award.

The festival is the annual fundraiser for the Castine Arts Association which promotes literary, visual, music and performing arts in Castine. Thank you to all who have made this festival possible. i hope to be back next year.

Summer Workshop Highlights

I taught three watercolor painting workshops this last Summer sponsored by the Friends of Acadia National Park, The Friends of Baxter State Park and The Rangeley Friends of the Arts.

Acadia National Park

I began teaching for the very first time the Acadia Youth Conservation Corps students AYCC a one-day plein air workshop at Sand Beach and atop Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.

We arrived at Sand Beach early in the morning at about 7am before many of the tourists filled the beach. We had a sun-filled morning and the tide was out and coming in as we painted a quick study in watercolor of the beach. This beach is mostly made of crushed shell which gives it its special color. Frederick Church painted this same view and we wanted to stand in his footsteps. As the tourist filled the beach, many came over to see what we were doing. One of them thought we were conducting a scientific experiment because of all the silver umbrellas set up on the beach so evenly spaced.

Next we went to Cadillac Mountain where I demonstrated and the AYCC students had a longer painting session. The wind made it too difficult for the umbrellas atop the mountain, so we didn't use them. By the time we got to Cadillac mountain in the afternoon the place was mobbed with tourist all wanting to check out the view and what the student's versions of the vista were. But it didn't bother them at all. They were completely respectful, engaged in their plein air painting activity and created beautiful watercolors.

We had three Acadia Team leaders who also painted with the students making our group 15 strong. We painted together in both places and the group really had an effect on each location like a painter's flash mob. The same can be said about these spectacular places having a profound effect on these students who got a chance to look a little closer at the nature they were working so hard to preserve in Acadia National Park.

Baxter State Park

The second workshop I taught was a 1-day plein air paint-out with the Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Students in Baxter State Park. We had to be flexible this year due to the washing out of the bridge at the Katahdin Lake trail and the closing of the Katahdin LakeWilderness Camps. So we decided to paint at Daicey Pond instead on the west side of the park.

The morning started out foggy with a lot of low lying clouds socking in Katahdin. We hiked a mile into the woods on the Little and Big Niagra Trail.This trail is also a part of the AT trail. When we arrived at Little Niagra all the students were excited to begin. I demonstrated how to make a quick sketch without using a pencil, relying more on the brush as the drawing tool. Nearer to the end of my demonstration it began to lightly rain, but the students were not daunted at all. They quickly set their easels up and painted through the rain using their umbrellas until the end of the session when the sun finaly came out. They were real troopers and were use to working with nature to get things done. I was impressed with how well they pressed on and completed their paintings despite adversity.

With the equipment still wet and drying off, we took refuge and lunch at the Daicey Pond Camp's Library. There we decided to paint the beautiful unfolding of the landscape that became visible even as the clouds drew back like curtains revealing Kathdin. We were not able to see the mountain at all when they arrived in the morning, and now it was before them in all its glory. So they decided to spend their afternoon session there and they painted until 6pm in the afternoon.

I want to thank the staff at the Friends of Baxter State Park, The Friends of Acadia National Park, Jack Richeson, Judson's outfitters, Blick Artist Supplies and my patron Adrienne and Paul for making these workshops for potential teens wilderness leaders possible. I fully appreciate all the extra care and work you do to ensure the success of these types of outdoor plein air experiences. Because of you 25 participants had their "Brush" with nature as plein air painters who were perfectly equipped to capture their muse.

Rangeley Lake Plein Air Watercolor Workshop

My watercolor class at Rangeley Lake was a rousing success. It was sponsored by the Rangeley Friends of the Arts and the Rangeley Inn who accommodated us in every way. We had a challenging schedule that we mostly followed and we started and ended on time each day.

On the first day we painted quick sketches at Lakeside Park which was a perfect choice for the assignment. People were swimming, fishing, boating, picnicking and even landing float planes as we painted two paintings of them and the landscape.

Then we moved to the pond behind the wrangle Inn called Haley Pond. This location was amazing because it offered a more private solitude for the painters as the day settled down to a serene afternoon. The painters painted their third and even a fourth image after I demonstrated at both locations.

After each session we had our encouraging group critiques in the conference room of the Rangeley Inn. That Inn is such a part of the historical fabric of Rangeley filled with nostalgic memorabilia. Participants found it convenient and a perfect place to stay for the workshop.

The second day in the morning we painted at the Height of Land and in the afternoon at Quill Hill. Both of these places offered spectacular panoramic views that encompassed several possibilities for plein air painting. I demonstrated how to achieve depth and perspective in their plein air paintings.

On the third day we looked back at Rangeley from the breathtaking view of the Shelton Noyes Overlook. After this session the class broke for lunch as we did every day and went to Smalls Falls for the afternoon session. We discovered that Smalls Falls needed more than a session to paint since there seemed to be an endless supply of subjects involving moving water contrasted against solid multicolored rock.

We ended the workshop with a farewell group critique of all our work produced in the workshop. It was an impressive body of work that was made in just three days. This workshop was my first in this region and we are already talking about doing another one next year. Rangeley offers such striking beauty, especially along the new Artists Trail and all the places mentioned above are on this trail plus many more.

I'd like to thank Nora West who agreed to be my workshop monitor. She was amazing and served to help to make the paint-outs go smoothly being there for the student's needs and my own. She is such a people person and makes me laugh taking the lighter side of all issues. I also want to thank the staff of the Rangeley Friends of the Arts and Val and Jeff Zapolsky who are the directors of the RFA's, for talking us into their home and putting us up for these four days. As per tradition, I gifted them with one of my studies of Haley Pond as a thank you.

End of Summer E-Bay Auction Paintings

To celebrate the end of summer I am auctioning off two small oils that were what I brought home from Mohegan Island and the Castine Plein Air Festival. Seriously, all I brought home after doing all that work at both of these places was a single painting from both places. The Lupine gallery has most of the pieces on Mohegan Island and since I gave a painting away and sold four at the Castine Plein Air Festival I only brought one home from that event after doing all that pleasurable work. I'm reminded of the quote, "Don't just seek happiness, Create it!" And when you do it will be quickly and unexpectedly consumed as a blessing that follows you. But when that happens remember to also take some time out for you.

So now I am offering these two at a very reasonable starting auction price to celebrate all that I have accomplished. They are both 11 x 14 inches and were done en plein air. They are also both framed in a plein air gold leaf frame and will come ready to hang on your wall. Enjoy!

I am Teaching Two art Course in September at Bangor High School. 

I will be teaching two ten week courses through the Bangor Adult and Community Education Department at the Bangor High School. These courses all come with lesson handouts and are very structure to demonstrate the areas I am known for as a professional painter. We had a wonderful success with student outcomes last year and they are back due to popular demand. The classes begin the week of Wednesday, September 11th and Thursday September 12th. 2019. Hope to see you there!

Bold and Free Watercolor Figures

with  Michael Vermette

SEP11

September 11th to November 13th, 2019

$89 

More Info

Join Michael E. Vermette for a painting journey that explores the human figure using new skills and techniques in watercolor that depict boldly the figure in the landscape. Michael will demonstrate his method of painting in sheer enjoyment of the figure in the landscape and through portraiture; a place, he describes, where you can let yourself go, have fun, yet still be in control of the medium. From painting lost and found edges, to floating washes wildly to create interesting treatment, watercolor is perfectly approachable especially for the beginner. No previous experience is needed for this class and experienced artists will benefit as well with Michael's friendly and open style of teaching. You will love how much this inspiring course will teach you about painting the active figure in watercolor.

Impasto Oil Painting

with  Michael Vermette

SEP12

September 12th to November 14th, 2019

$89

More Info

Have you ever wanted to paint a thick oil painting that revealed textural expressive strokes that laid down like frosting on a cake? This fun-filled oil painting class takes you beyond the guilty pleasure of painting thick to a place where you will get quality results technically and compositionally. Using the oil painting methods of the Venetian and Italian painters, Michael Vermette will show you how to use mediums to make the paint brighter, adding a luster appearance; and improve the viscosity of the paint, that spreads on the substrate like butter. For the beginner or experienced artist, alike, participants will learn how to use different size and types of palette knives and brushes and how to load them with paint. Michael will demonstrate and put you at ease with his approachable teaching style as he reveals the painters in history who painted using the impasto oil painting method. This course inspires students to participate through in-class painting assignments that are meant to innovate, demystify and clarify the impasto oil processes. Artists will also be encouraged to participate in out-of-class assignments that give opportunities to reinterpret what was learned in class and apply those skills to personal painting ideas at home. Group critiques will be featured to offer constructive suggestions and provide the artist with a supportive opportunity to develop their powers to represent their work. Participants may choose instructor resources or their own subjects from drawings, experiences from memory, photographs or from direct observation to develop their own painting themes. The course gives technical insight through visual aid presentations of oil painting movements and artist trends that define modern impasto oil painting today. This course will give the artist a solid base from which to build oil painting experiences upon and will include at least one plein air (paint-out) field trip near the end of the course. Come and experience a new course that develops in you a new appreciation for this versatile medium.

Have enjoyable end of your creative Summer muse,Hope to see you in the Fall,

Michael E. Vermette