Blog
THE PLEIN AIR CONNECTION NEWSLETTER June 9th, 2014
THE PLEIN AIR CONNECTION NEWSLETTER June 9th, 2014
" Becky, Kay, and Michael, I Love seeing your paintings this month. So inspired and colorful they are!"
- A Comment From fellow plein air painter and friend Michael Shyka
"Goodell Brook Falls, Monroe, Maine" an oil 12 x 16 inches on panel by Michael E.Vermette.
We started out on Tuesday, June 3rd, with very encouraging weather and the promise of clear skies in the 70's. Although many painters are heading to the coast at this time of year we chose a different direction. Our destination for our paint-out was inspired by the East-West Corridor Art Sale to help raise money and support the opposition of building an East West highway through our state between Calais to the East, Coburn Gore to the West, Bangor to the South, and Baxter State Park to the North. Our goal was to create paintings together as a group for a very special art show and fundraiser in Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island during high tourist season between August 13-19, 2014. We will be applying this week to the East-West Corridor Art Sale by this week with these and other paintings we've made throughout the year.
"Goodell Falls, Monson" an oil on panel 12 x 16 inches by Kay Carter.
Our paint-out also had a trip advisor by the name of Ron Dobra who lives with his wife in Shirley Mills, Maine. Ron is a friend of Kay Carter. She told me that Ron is a retired music teacher, having taught in the Greenville and Lincoln Schools. He is a volunteer for the Appalachian Trail Conference as manager of maintenance of the Appalachian Trail from Monson to Jo-Mary Lake. He is very familiar with Monson and the surrounding trails. He shared with us that painting at Goodell Brook Falls just north of Monson on route 15 would be just the falls for us to paint in Piscataquis County. One of Ron’s achievement's is completing thru hikes on all three major trails in this country including the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. So when such a hiker recommends a place to you such as Goodell Brook Falls, you tend to listen and we were glad we did. 
"Tumbling Goodell Falls, Monson" an oil 12 x 16 inches by Becky Whight.
We found that the falls were not far from the parking lot as we decided to scout out the area before choosing our painting sites. Then after discovering our locations we went back and got out our gear. We all slathered ourselves with insect repellant and headed out to face the black flies who were out in force waiting for us. Becky Whight painted further up on the brook with Nora West who found us on landscape later in the day. Then Kay Carter and Teddy Jan painted vertical canvases of perhaps the most popular view with only enough room for two painters. I decided to paint on a large rock further down in the river bed, with water rushing around be. I had the most problems with black flies because of where I was so close to the water. I wore a mosquito hat to shield my face because they were getting into my eyes. I wore the hat and was glad I did for most of the painting until afternoon when they let up a little. I also did a horizontal because, depending on where you stood, the composition for me was wider. Ron Dobra met us out there and stayed with us for quite a while, shaking our paint stained hands with a warm greeting. It was great to meet such a fellow artist and experienced thru hiker smartly dressed in hiking gear right down to his hiking poles.
"Goodell Falls, Monson" an oil on canvas 8x10 inches by Nora West.
We all completed our paintings at about 2:30 PM in the afternoon and were back to the car by 3:00 PM after breaking down and hiking back out on the trail along the brook. We than went to the greatly anticipated restaurant of Rebekah Anderson's Lakeshore House. LLC. Basically it's a very popular AT stop over and local pub that has been open since June of 2006. It is a very cozy, family friendly place on Lake Hebron where we decided to eat. They have a pristine outdoor seating as well as an intimate bar and dining area just steps from the lake. Their full service bar features unique beer and wine choices as well as a great selection of spirits, coffees, teas and frozen drinks! Their reasonably priced pub fare menu is largely homemade and very delicious.
We ate outside overlooking the lake and after we had our critique right in the pub. The discussion is different when you have painted with someone for a few hours than when you haven't. And so the critiques have become more of a supportive sharing of respected recommendations based on similar painting experiences. This has become very valuable to the participating painters in our group. Rebekah and a few others also viewed our works favorably and showed us her new addition of a dining room. She welcomed us to show our paintings some day. This would be a wonderful alternative exhibition space to display art for the many diversified client's that pass through there. So we welcomed her to view our paintings at the Art Walk This Friday June 13th at the Peace and Justice Center.
EXCLUSIVE PLEIN AIR PAINTING SALE AT THE PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER IN BANGOR FRIDAY JUNE 13 TH!
Four of us Plein Air Connection group artists, including Kay Carter, Becky Whight, Nora West and I, will be having an exclusive Art Sale of our paintings at the Peace and Justice of Eastern Maine Center 170 Park Street in Bangor, Maine. This is a fantastic opportunity to help out the causes of the Peace and Justice Center and help us out to continue to paint. As much as it is important for us to get out there to paint the images, it is just as important for the collectors to support us by purchasing our paintings. Both the artist and the collector have the responsibility to further the arts in our area. For this reason all of our paintings will be discounted 10% and we'll have over 40 framed works on the wall and a table of just as many pieces that are unframed paintings for a one-day sale price, starting at only $100.00 dollars. We will be there from 5PM until done, and the Art Walk marks the last day of the show. So please come out on this last chance to see our work in person, purchase many paintings and meet the artists who are about to engage in a rigorous Summer Plein Air painting schedule. We can't do what we do without your support! You are all invited!
PAINT-OUT THIS WEEK IS AT BLUE HILL PUBLIC WHARF!
We will be meeting to car-pool at the Dunkin Donuts on 71 US Route 1, Bucksport, ME by 8:30 to 8:45 am; then proceeding to the Blue Hill Public Wharf to paint for the day.
Directions to Bucksport, ME:
|
|
| Suggested routes from Bangor: |
| ME-15 S 19.3 mi - about 31 mins |
| US-1A E and ME-46 S 23.5 mi - about 38 mins |
| 291-297 Maine 100, Bangor, ME 04401, USA |
| 1. | Head east on Hammond Sttoward Union St |
56 ft
|
|
|
|
2. | Slight right onto Union St |
0.6 mi
|
| 3. | Continue onto Wilson St |
472 ft
|
|
|
|
4. | Turn right onto S Main St |
0.9 mi
|
| 5. | Continue onto ME-15 S/S Main St
Continue to follow ME-15 S
Destination will be on the left
|
17.7 mi
|
| 141-157 U.S. 1, Dunkin Donuts, Bucksport, ME 04416, USA |
Come out and support the fine arts this week,
Michael E. Vermette
Coordinator of The Plein Air Connection
Leave a Comment