Blog

Happy New Year Everyone! 

Elaine and I would like to wish all or friends a happy New Year! We will be going into the New Year with a lot of hope and encouragement that things will be turning around soon.

This is the last painting that I will be posting for the Super Sale/Auction on Ebay for the prices that I am currently listing them at. I chose this painting not only because it has never been listed before, but because the Call of the Gulls reminds me of the Call of a new year to make better connections and establish new relationships. Just as these gulls rely on each other, we must too in this season.

I hope everyone has been able to get their special painting and others have enjoyed seeing the work posted daily. If you bought a painting and you live out-of-state please hang in there, your painting will eventually arrive as the mail in your states returns to normal. Thank you everyone for supporting Elaine and I into the New Year.

Now it's time for me to write my book about my remote experiences in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. I intentionally gave it some time so I would not be influenced by the daily battle or injuries experienced. I am now well and almost fully restored, and Now I can go over my work 51 paintings and journal with fresh eyes.

I wish you all an amazing New Year of hope, good health and renewed direction!

Michael E. Vermette

"The Call of the Gulls, Monhegan Island, Maine" 
Michael E. Vermette captured this image on the rock jetty made of granite boulders near Fish Beach while observing the Herring and Black-Backed SeaGulls on Monhegan Island, Maine. Michael used three boxes of Saltine crackers to feed the gulls and get them close enough to make multiple sketchs on several 19 x 24 inch drawing pages. The gulls were drawn in numerous positions in flight en plein air and then later composed into this composition using tracing paper overlays, traditionally called the "Cartoon" method. Then Michael painted the rest from his notes and memory in his resident studio on Monhegan Island in 1999 at the "Pink House" also called the "Carina House". He used only herring seagulls for this composition using translucent and bold colored washes to create the sea birds in flight and feeding on the rocky shore near Fish Beach. Michael intentionally leaves out the use of a horizon line and uses the scale of the seagulls to create space as well as bright to dull color.There is a lot of movement suggested in this watercolor and yet the color of the light is outstanding in that it clearly depicts a foggy day with light burning through as on an island off the coast of Maine. The position of each seagull complements the other as their wings create a folding and twisting bend that repeats itself as a compositional shape in the painting, making a pattern that is more hormogous.

Michael says, "I was struck by how luminous these herring Gulls are when they take flight. The simplicity of the repetitive action the sea gulls in the shape of their wings in flight make for a very exciting composition that is alive with activity. This is a composition that I have developed from memory in my studio relying mostly on my gestural drawings I made while observing Gulls in Flight at Fish Beach and transferring them onto the watercolor paper in a composition that felt right to me. It took three boxes of Saltine Crackers to get what I needed not only for this painting but to use in others. This painting also speaks on another level of Maine's ultimate coastal bird that coexists with the hard work of the lobsterman." 

This is an watercolor painting made in the studio in Michael's pure and bold style of transparent washes. Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes lines of power, motion, and shape in describing the character of the the Herring Gulls in flight and while landing to feed, yet he paints with a subtlety that captures even the lightest veils of light upon the wings of the seagulls. He painted this study on a vintage Arnold English cold press handmade watercolor paper with a beautiful laid and ribbed texture. He used only pure Holbein watercolor and Daniel Smith mineral watercolor pigments to achieve the color and the textural grain that is most prized by watercolor painters who have painted on this amazing paper, specially designed and sized for the watercolor medium. He also wets the back of the paper to create a richer statement of color in his washes.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air." 

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

"Moxie Falls In Spring, Somerset County, Maine"

This is the first Moxie Falls watercolor ever made by Michael E. Vermette as he filmed his experience painting it en plein air on YouTube with his GoPro camera. Located on Lake Moxie Road in Moscow, Maine, Moxie waterfall has a vertical drop of over 90 feet into a pool about 17 feet deep. It is one of the highest falls in New England. The falls are a part of Moxie Stream which flows from Moxie Pond into the Kennebec River, about a mile downstream from the falls. Moxie Stream drains Moxie Pond approximately 5 miles upstream of the falls. There, a hiking trail to Moxie Falls is approximately 0.5 miles with a boardwalk for viewing the falls at the end. Michael uses this subject to feature modulated valued washes present in the flowing waters against the colorfully massive gorge-rock. He captures the full light and color of an afternoon day in August of 2020. This provides the perfect subject for a grade wash lesson where tones blend from one value into another and one color hue into another. The rock here is amongst the most beautiful gray-colored granite stone in the state and offers the painter a dazzling array of color transitions with gray contrasts. 
Michael says, "The beautifully gray-colored granite and the forceful massive falls is a splendid subject to pit yourself against as a painter. It not only holds a vast array of color with graded tonal twists and turns, but it is also a very powerful force of nature to behold. It is hard to paint the falls without full strength values and tones. The fall views are amazing from many different vantage points along the trail with a total drop of 90 feet with a 17 foot pool at its depths at the base. I love the rich but luminous colors and the play of afternoon light on the rock that reveals the very force of the falls carving its way through the gorge.
This is a watercolor painting made on location in Michael's pure and bold style of transparent washes. Michael uses descriptive lines that describe his graded washes, as lines of power, motion, and shape that distinquish Moxie Falls in early June. He painted this watercolor by first preparing a chalk ground that he layered his washes upon where ever there was water. He then left the other areas pure paper. This allowed the falls to burst forward visually. He also wets the back of the watercolor page to draw the paint into the paper to increase the lovely grain texture of the page.
Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, recognizable shapes or even emotional qualities such as the smell of wood smoke in the forested mountain crisp air ." 
Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"
Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

"Champlain Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine" 

Michael E. Vermette captured this image en plein air as seen in the late afternoon from the Schooner Hewad Road in Bar Harbor, Maine. Champlain Mountain is one of several mountains on Mount Desert Island, Maine in Acadia National Park. It's elevation is 1,058 feet above sea level. There bare a few hiking trails that lead to the summit and at its base is a beautiful mirroring pond. He is using an impressive range of color tones that are translucent and pure, yet boldly presented as the mountain itself when the light of the afternoon sculpts the surface of the monolith. The dark pond highlights lilly pads and other grasses that reflect and shoot out of the shallow pond.

Michael says, "This scene I have passed many times on my way to Schooner Head, Great Head and even the back trail to Sand Beach. But this day I intentionally went out to capture it in the early to late afternoon. I wanted to emphasize the color of the pinkish -orange rock of the mountainside and the warm olive green tree line and shrubs against the deep shadows of the afternoon. The passages of Light and shadow are so beautiful at this time of day that it can only be called stunning. It creates a clarity of the shape of the mountain that is usually flattened in any other time of day."

This is an watercolor painting made in the on location on a calm sunny day in the Fall and rendered in Michael's pure and bold range of transparent washes. Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes lines of power, motion, and shape in describing the character of Champlain Mountain and it's reflection, yet he paints with a subtlety that captures even the lightest veils of light upon the descending orange-pinkish granite. He painted this study on a handmade Twinrocker heavy weight watercolor paper. He uses only pure Holbein watercolor and Daniel Smith mineral watercolor pigments to achieve the color and the textural grain that is most prized by watercolor painters who have painted on this amazing paper, specially designed and sized for the watercolor medium. He also wets the back of the paper to create even more of a richer statement of color in his washes.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air."

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

"Lobster Point Surf, Monhegan Island, Maine"

Michael E. Vermette captured this fresh plein air oil sketch in July on Monhegan Island from Lobster Point where there is dramatic surf against beautifully iron and granite colored coast. This painting has an out-to-sea island atmosphere of the sea. Located near Lobster Cove, This painting was created during a high tide as the waves were crashing into the coast reaching heights of 20 feet.

Michael says, "I love to paint the rich colors of an overcast stormy sky with powerful waves and exploding foam and surf. The rocky coast of Lobster point on Monhegan Island is among the most beautiful in terms of color and shape I have ever seen. I could paint this view, and often do, every time I come to visit the island. And still, it would appear different each time. What an amazing place!"

This is an oil painted study made on location in Michael's impasto style of thick strokes of paint on a solid alabaster stone-coated birch cradled panel, as used by the Italian masters. These masters totally left out the use of turpentine and other solvents because it dulled their colors and eventually caused them to crack. They discovered that by Mixing black oil wax medium to their oil paint it not only improved the viscosity of the paint, but it increased its richness and offered an amazing velvety sheen in appearance that would never crack. Michael makes this medium himself and uses it in his impasto paintings just as the Italian master's did. It is extremely archival. He mixes it with his pure Williamsburg handmade painting pigments to the consistency of peanut better and it supports the integrity of every one of his expressive painterly marks that he doesn't try to hide in the painting. 

As with other great impasto painters from Titian to Van Goah, Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes lines of power, rhythm, motion, rich color and shape in describing the character of the surf at Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island. He paints in an impasto (thick) style using assorted palette knives and occasional thick loaded brush strokes and an Italian Black Oil Wax medium that he makes himself and that sets him apart from other artists. He adds this medium to the oil paint to not only increase the oil paint's viscosity but to actually preserve the character and luster of every stroke of the artist. It also improves the color to a brighter velvety semi-transparent glow. This painting is also painted on a highly prized Gypsum Gessoed (Alabaster Stone coated gesso formula) over a kiln dried birch panel that is cradled to never warp which he prepares himself. This painting does not come framed but is ready to set in beautifuly in a plein air or floater frame for a lifetime of enjoyment as a jewel on your wall.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air." 

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where has painted another 51 small studies. Michael has also been the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

"Fish Houses Of Sand Beach, Monhegan Island, Maine" 

Michael E. Vermette captured this painted watercolor en plein air from the back view of the fish houses above Fish Beach, Monhegan Island, Maine. Here he depicts the fish houses on an overcast day when the light is defused and devoid of strong shadows, thus giving it a more out-to-sea ole' salt feel. This painting has amazing textural qualities further enhanced by the artist's choice to use front lighting, that brings out the pattern of the image. Like many of the great painters who paint with a limited palette, Michael does the same while adding tension colors by way of the brightly colored fish barrels that act to set the painting off and bring out a whole range of colorfully toned grays.

Michael says, "I wanted to capture the mood and texture of these fish houses in a simplified way by making a watercolor without a lot of detail, but use instead the handmade paper and its grain to describe the surfaces of the subject. By allowing passages of light and shadow, no matter how subtle, to make up the design of the watercolor, rather than relying on excessive detail for detail sake. The painting is free to become so much more and alive. The truth of the subject in all it's salty reality is pealed back when you concentrate on pure design rather than overworking the image with every stroke seen on the surface. In this way, the artist makes the first discriminating choices, using his sense of rightness, than the viewer can relate to the painting by playing more of a role in personal interpretation. Spelling it all out leaves little room for the viewer to imagine anything more that stark reality, not necssarily the truth of it all."

This is an watercolor painting made on location on an overcast day and rendered in Michael's pure and bold range of beautiful transparent gray washes. Michael wet the back of the page before painting in order to draw the color into the page and create a brighter statement of wash and to improve its textural grain. He uses a descriptive stroke that describes lines of power, motion, and shape in describing the character of the fish houses on Fish Beach, yet he paints with a subtlety that captures even the lightest veils of light upon the weathered wooden buildings with hints of Manna Island peaking through in the distance. He painted this study on a handmade Twinrocker heavy weight watercolor paper. He uses only pure Holbein watercolor and Daniel Smith mineral watercolor pigments to achieve the color and the textural grain that is most prized by watercolor painters who have painted on this amazing paper, specially designed and sized for the watercolor medium. He also wets the back of the paper to create even more of a richer statement of color in his washes and to overstate the tones of the grays.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air."

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

"Surf At Schoodic Point, Acadia National Park,Maine Maine"

This watercolor seascape study is a beautifully executed painting sketch of a man surf watching. It was painted on location en plein air just after a storm the previous day. Painted at Schoodic Point, in Acadia National Park, Maine this study is a part of Michael's Acadia residency portfolio as a park artist when staying on the Schoodic peninsula. 
Michael says," I painted this small study of a large wave and surf crashing in just below a visitor who watches, giving the wave scale. This location is one of my favorite spots to return to after a storm. Painted by hundreds of painters in history, this place is not only stunning but also known to be a dangerous place to be with the occasional rogue wave sweeping unexacting visitors away when their backs are turned away from the sea. I have painted this subject many times, each completely different in atmosphere and light. The whole painting was made very spontaneously because there is little time to think about formula or painting process. That's what makes this watercolor so charming and fresh. The uniqueness of the location and the speed in which it was painted offering a spontaneous quality that captures the moment." Painted in plein air, Michael use of the medium is in keeping with the James Fitzgerald style that he has developed over the years. Michael paints on location to capture the light and the movement of the subject. He also believes that his paintings have a spiritual life of their own as he captures these moments in time. The painting study is rendered within a two hour block of time and it is painted using the highest quality pure pigments from Holbin, Daniel Smith and Old Holland hand ground paint. Michael also uses a traditional method of wetting the back of his sheet of paper to draw in the washes and creating a richer statement of color as the master's did.
This is an watercolor painted study made on location in Michael's pure and bold style of transparent washes. Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes luminosity, lines of power, motion, and shape in describing the character of the wave and surf against the dark magma dike stone, sandwiched between the pinkish orange granite. Yet, he paints with a subtlety that captures even the lightest veils of light. He painted this study on handmade Twinrocker heavy weight watercolor paper and was able to achieve the textural grain that is most prized by painters who have come to love this high quality paper.
Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air." 
Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"
Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

"The Beehive, Acadia National Park, Maine"
Michael E. Vermette captured this fresh plein air oil sketch in October at Acadia National Park of the Beehive in front of a beaver pond. At a respectable 520 feet to the sumit, the Beehive mountain rises above the tree line near Sand Beach on the eastern side of Mount Desret Island. When you arrive at the parking lot of Sand beach and look back towards the entrance you will see that the Beehive is the dominant geological feature that you see looming over the tree tops. From the parking lot there is the Great Head trail that passes by a beaver Dam pond where Michael painted this study en plein air as a part of his Artist-in-residency program in 2006. Michael painted 51 such studies in that residency and the Beehive is one of the oils that are still available. 

Michael says, "I actually looked for this location because I had painted it a few years earlier in watercolor. This painting I searched out because it has this wonderful dark reflective beaver pond in the foreground, an amazing tree line with fallen birch trees by the beaver, and the pinkish orange granite Beehive mountain rising up and interacting against the bright blue sky. Like so many painting locations, this one can be easily passed by since you have to hike into the woods and off the beaten path to get this view. It is one of my favorite views in the park."

This is an oil painted study made on location in Michael's impasto style of thick strokes of paint on a solid alabaster stone-coated birch cradled panel, as used by the Italian masters. He uses palette knives just as these masters did who totally left out the use of turpentine and other solvents because it dulled their colors and eventually caused them to crack. They discovered that by Mixing black oil wax medium to their oil paint it not only improved the viscosity of the paint, but it increased its richness and offered an amazing velvety sheen in appearance that would never crack. Michael makes this medium himself and uses it in his impasto paintings just as the Italian master's did. It is extremely archival. He mixes it with his pure Williamsburg handmade painting pigments to the consistency of peanut better and it supports the integrity of every one of his expressive painterly marks that he doesn't try to hide in the painting. 
As with other great impasto painters from Titian to Van Goah, Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes lines of rhythum, motion, and shape in describing the character of one of the Beehive mountain in Acadia National Park. He paints in an impasto (thick) style using assorted palette knives and occasional thick loaded brush strokes and an Italian Black Oil Wax medium that he makes himself and that sets him apart from other artists. He adds this medium to the oil paint to not only increase the oil paint's viscosity but to actually preserve the character and luster of every stroke of the artist. You might say that michael's sole is evident in his paint strokes. The Black Oil also improves the color to a brighter velvety semi-transparent glow. This painting is painted on a highly prized Gypsum Gessoed (Alabaster Stone coated gesso formula) over a kiln dried birch panel that is cradled to never warp which he prepares himself. This painting does not come framed but is ready to set in beautifuly in a plein air or floater frame for a lifetime of enjoyment as a jewel on your wall.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air." 

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he painted 51 small studies in just two weeks. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the former Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine.

"Small Falls Of Sandy River and Chandler Mill Stream, Rangeley, Maine"
This is the first Small Falls watercolor ever made by Michael E. Vermette as a host for the "Brushes With Nature" New England Watercolor Society's plein air paint-outs. This was the second of his demonstrations on the day that featured painting the modulated valued washes present in the flowing waters against the colorfully massive gorge-rock. He captures the full light and color of an afternoon day in August of 2019. It is painted on rare 1936 vintage handmade Whatman Watercolor paper that has yielded beautiful layers of transparent washes. Small Falls is located just off the Rangeley road at the Small Falls rest area about 15 minutes from downtown Rangeley, Maine. The rest area is a spectacular spot along the Sandy River where you will find a wooden bridge at the base of the falls. There are two falls with a chain link fence running up the steep hill to the head of Small Falls with equally incredible views. Michael painted this stunning watercolor from the vantage point of the wooden bridge as a signature member of the New England watercolor Society and instructor of the Rangeley Friends of The Arts who sponsored the workshop that followed the paint-out day that year. Michael chose this site because it actually offers a complex series of waterfall features that cascade through the gorges of the Sandy River, in township East, of West Franklin, Maine. The two Falls are both majestic totaling 54 feet in height, and consist of 12-foot slide/horsetail features, a 25-foot segmented waterfall, a 14-foot horsetail, and a 3-foot cascade, separated by wading pools. This provides the perfect subject for a grade wash lesson where tones blend from one value into another and one color hue into another. The rock here is amongst the most beautiful light-colored beige stone in the state and offers the painter a dazzling array of color transitions. This location is also one of the designated sites of the famed, "Artists Trail" that can be searched by going to the website of the Rangeley Friends of the Arts or by googling rangeleyarts.org.

Michael says, "The beautifully light-sand colored Small Falls is a splendid subject to pit yourself against as a painter. It holds a vast array of color with graded tonal twists and turns that create a magical sense of place. The full views are amazing from many different vantage points with a total drop of 54 feet with wading and swimming pools depths at the base. I love the rich but luminous colors and the play of afternoon light on the rock that reveals the face and figure of the wizard-like character of the falls.

This is a watercolor painted study made on location in Michael's pure and bold style of transparent washes. Michael uses descriptive lines that describe his graded washes,as lines of power, motion, and shape that distinquish Small Falls in August. He painted this study during one of his first watercolor paint-outs and his very first contact the falls as a guest artist of the Rangeley Friends Of The Arts. If you are still searching for the wizard-like figure in Michael's painting he is to the right of the falls complete with his magical staff.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, recognizable shapes or even emotional qualities such as the smell of wood smoke in the forested mountain crisp air ." 

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

Item specificsSeller Notes:"This watercolor is painted in bold and colorful transparent tones en plein air, on a rare vintage 1936 Whatman handmade Watercolor paper. Painted in August 2019 this painting represents the first Small Falls work in Michael's Rangeley Lakes Region Portfolio. He is using his masterly plein air methods and is painting with pure high quality Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolor pigment. The watercolor is not framed but will come ready to set into an acid free matt and watercolor frame, all of which increases its value immensely.

"Size: Medium (up to 36in.)Date of Creation: 2000-Now

Region of Origin: US Year: 2000-now

Artist: Michael E. Vermette Features: Signed

Style: Expressionism Width (Inches): 18 3/4 inches

Listed By: ArtistColor: Bold Transparent Watercolor

Quantity Type: Single-Piece Work Subject: LandscapePainting

Surface: Rare Vintage 1936 handmade Whatman Watercolor paper

Originality: Original Medium: Watercolor

Height (Inches): 25 inches

"View of Black Head from Pulpit Rock Meadow,

Monhegan Island, Maine"

Michael E. Vermette captured this fresh plein air watercolor painted study in the summer from the Pulpit Rock upper meadow of the backside of Black Head on Monhegan Island, Maine. Monhegan Island is located 10 miles off the coast of Port Clyde, Maine and is one of Maine most beautiful out-to-sea islands on the east coast. This view is one that is revised by many visitors to the island each year. Looking south west and including not only the famous shape of the craggy greenish granite coast, it also repeates the lines in the ocean that mimic the shape of the coast. This is a richer watercolor that holds that gothic feel of this towering headland and largest on the island, perhaps even the whole east coast.

Michael says, "I painted this study years ago and took it out and love it. I often put my work away for years and pull it to take another look. In that way I can appreciate the painting absent of the battle it took to create it. That memory has long passed and the painting can now be seen in its purest state. And this painting is one of those hidden gems. " 

This is an watercolor painted study made on location in Michael's pure and bold style of transparent washes. Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes luminosity, lines of power, motion, and shape in describing the character of Black Head, yet he paints with a subtlety that captures even the lightest veils of light. He painted this study on an Arches watercolor block of cold press 140 lb 100% cotton paper, specially sized for watercolor, and was able to achieve the textural grain that is most prized by painters who have come to love this high quality paper.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air." 

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

Michael E. Vermette double majored in Painting and Printmaking at the Maine College of Art, receiving his B.F.A Painting degree in 1980. He received his Certification in K-12 Art Education in 1986 through the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time artist and part-time art educator, Michael has been painting in oil, watercolor, and pastel for over fifty years and has won numerous awards for his work, including the Marilyn Sabin, Lauran Coleman and the Beverly Awards at the 12th,13th and 14th Biennial North American Open Shows of the New England Watercolor Society where he has been awarded signature membership. Most recently, Has been been awarded the honor of being the 1st Allagash Wilderness waterway artist-in-residency for the summer of 2020 where he expects to paint another 50 small studies. Michael is also the 2018 first place winner of the Castine Plein Air Festival, and a 2015-2017 winner as well. He won Best of Show in the Kennebunk River Club Art Exhibit and Sale for his watercolor, "Sea Dog". Michael leads several oil and watercolor plein air painting workshops in Maine and New Hampshire throughout the year. He is a Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellow and the 2011 Baxter State Park Artist-in-Residence in Maine. He was also an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park twice in 1999 and 2006. His watercolors, oils, and pastels are in private collections throughout the country and internationally. In Maine, his works have been shown at various galleries and is currently represented by the Frame and Art Gallery in Yarmouth, The Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, and the Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, all located in Maine. Because of the very high quality of the painting the starting price is set at 1/4 of the painting's worth. Because of this high quality and the confidence with quality custom shipping, I do not allow money back returns at this time.

Recovering A Dream of Adventure

For anyone who knew me when I was a young boy they would describe me as adventurous and very willing to take risks. So when I set up to paint a watercolor of upper Small Falls near Rangeley, Maine, this summer, little did I know that three courageous young boys, navigating around one of the horsetail water features, would invade my picture plane. I decided this would make a great painting composition and in content. It reminded me of myself and my friends from my youth, who were fearless and even a little audacious when on one of our many adventures. I proceeded to take several photos of these enterprising boys and soon after continued my watercolor en plein air without them, because they were soon on to better and more interesting exploits. Later I would combine the spontaneity of the plein air study with the photos to create the painting above. I have recently entered it into the New England Watercolor Society's Instructor's Show along with two of my Allagash Wildeness Waterway watercolors that I did back in August 2020.

And in this season of cover-19, I have been more and more interested in recovering a sense of that adventure, particularly when it comes to my secret dreams and the shame felt in my jealousies from not being able to attain my dreams. when my "I can'ts" have given me a sense of jealousy toward those who actually "Can" I often do feel less than great. For many of us artists though, counting our blessings as it were, is a necessary first step to entertaining creative luxury.

Here is an abbreviated version of what I wrote in my journal in 2009.

On my way home late one night from teaching a watercolor class, I noticed an artist's studio with lights on. The artist was working into the night as I would have liked to do. The community helped this artist out by building a new studio for him about the size of a single car garage. Jealousy immediately welled up in me of the studio I would love to build in the front of my house. I quickly thought, "this artist is not so great", actually feeling not so great myself. It started to make me think of the vision that I've really never had enough courage to build myself, yet I know it would all work out great in the end if I only took the risk. About 4 weeks earlier an elder from the church, actually prophesied a word of God over me, who was showing him that I had owned a storefront in downtown Bangor. It was about that same time that a small store front went up for rent and how I dreamed of what I would do if I had that space. It soon became a novelty shop and that dream was dashed. So, Maybe I'm suppose to build onto my house and now is the time to do it. I can't believe that I haven't built the studio out in front of my house yet. I'm beginning to think that if I do not move with my family off the island reservation where I live, than I would need to expand my current studio for my career as a painter to grow. It might be a luxury for my creativity but necessary for my paintings. If creative living requires the luxury of space, than I haven't treated myself to a new studio in over 20 years.

Twenty-nine years ago I walked through the stick-built walls of my house with my wife. When we finally moved in, my studio was located in the attic. It had no window, just artificial lighting, and freezing cold in the winter, sweltering hot in the summer. Next I moved into the garage and tried to heat it with a kerosene heater, which took over 6 hours. My family helped me to add windows and insulate the garage and that was a big improvement, but it really felt like a studio when I installed my first woodstove. My brother, who was a great carpenter, helped me with my garage, my deck and even gave me the courage to build a playhouse tower for my children. I even built 2 sheds for all of our stuff, but never a studio for myself.

I'd love to have one of the best studio's on Indian Island. I did for 5 weeks on Monhegan Island during my residency there in 1999 at "The Pink House," the Carina House. I'd like a large North Light window, like the one Rockwell Kent built for himself that later I knew as the James Fitzgerald studio. I have even taken pictures of that studio. One with large doors to transport my paintings and other creative projects. I would want something of the square footage of a two car garage so that I can also teach out of it. Retiring from public school teaching to become a full time artist and instructor would be more of a promotion. I'd love to have enough flat files to store all my watercolors and enough drying racks for all my oils. I would also love a large easel on wheels that would roll across a wooden floor as in the Fitzgerald studio on Monhegan Island. Also a rocking chair where I could sit for hours and just look at my art so that it could tell me what needs to be corrected. I would need a foundation but maybe more of a foundation on columns. I would also need a sink hookup and drainage connected.

It's a real dream and I know it would pay for itself in time. So why have I become so sensible? 

Recently, this December 2020, I have reread this page in my journal written back in 2009. And one way or another, I am planning on building this new studio next year. I share this with you because I wanted to not only reveal one of my dreams but inspire you to revisit one of yours. It's never too late. All we have to do is recover our sense of adventure, and be as audacious and bold as these boys we're as they took on upper Small Falls. We just need to make a move in that direction, do it with our friends and make a lifetime memory together.

My you revisit your dreams this month and gain the courage to see it through,

Michael E. Vermette

My 50/50 Holiday Sale

I currently have 26 paintings on eBay's Auction Style sale. They are medium and small size watercolors and oils with a starting price that is 1/3 their value. I will be posting each day a new painting through my newsletter each day until the end of December. That will make exactly 50 paintings. After December I will end the sale and focus on my own work for the winter. 

I realize that these days for so many could be a stressful time for your families and could be the darkest Holidays in our nation's history. So in an effort to brighten your day a little, I have posted the next 16 paintings in this newsletter for you to enjoy and add a new one every day for your enjoyment. These are some of my favorite places in Maine depicted at their best. Also if you would like to purchase a piece at an affordable starting bid price, I have made that available for you as well. Many you have a holiday season filled with light, Joy and happiness! Stay Safe,

Michael E. Vermette