Maine Visit - Day 1

Last week I picked up my sister, Michelle in NJ and we drove up to Maine to visit our sister, Chris & her family. Michelle hasn't been up to Maine for quite a few years, so we decided to visit a few places near Tina that are special. The first day we drove down to Pemaquid Point where the Pemaquid Lighthouse is located. The landscape changed a lot after the strong storms that hit the Maine coast back in January. Huge boulders were knocked off the rocky ledge, smaller boulders moved up near the lighthouse, and the bell house was damaged. Luckily the lighthouse itself wasn't affected.

Both Michelle and Chris sketch, but not to the same extent as I do. They both sat and did one sketch, and left me alone while they explored and chatted a bit while I did two.

This sketch is of some of the trees and rocks between the lighthouse and the rocky ledge.

I also did a small painting of the Pemaquid Lighthouse.

Here is a photo of the three of us...left to right are Chris, myself and Michelle.

Inktober 2018 - Day 8

Today the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta took place. Down along the river behind the shopping area is the town dock and that is where all the pumpkin races are held. I don't know who hollows out the pumpkins...or how, but somehow they are turned into pumpkin boats that do actually float. Some are very tippy but that adds to the fun and the challenge of the race. There are solo paddle races, two-person relay paddle races, and motored pumpkin races. People get to the dock really early so they can get a good spot to view the race. My concern is always to find a new spot to sketch the event from. 

This year I was able to get pretty close to the dock so I started sketching as the contestants started arriving. There was a guy dressed as a Viking and one dressed as a Gnome who were there long before their races were starting...in other words perfect models who would be there for a while.

I used the original ink sketch for my Day 8 Inktober  sketch.

Here are a few photos from some of the races. There were several boats that capsized and had to be brought back to the dock to be bailed out for the next race. 

Once I took a photo of the sketch above I decided it needed some color, so I finished it with my watercolors.

Yesterday after I finished the Inktober sketch I posted, I headed over to the gift shop that is near the lighthouse. I sat near the edge of the cliff where it overlooks some of the rocks. In my younger days I would have climbed down on the rocks either by the gift shop or by the lighthouse itself, but I know nowadays I would have some difficulty getting down to the rocks and back up so I did it the easy way. Instead of using my watercolors I did what is probably about a 5 x 7 gouache painting.

More Maine Scenes

Last Monday morning in Maine it wasn't raining....yet. So I drove down to Round Pond, this sleepy little village that has a general store, a few houses and churches, and a lobster wharf. I sat in the car to sketch this since the sky looked like it might rain any minute...besides it was cold out. lol

In the afternoon I drove down the peninsula to Pemaquid Point, one of my favorite locations to visit when I go to my sister's house. I love the lighthouse there. I didn't want to be up close to the lighthouse so I didn't actually go to the lighthouse park. I went along the beach road and found a spot to sit where I could see a tiny bit of the lighthouse and the wonderful flat rocks that are always an adventure to climb down on. I stayed in the car to paint and it kept drizzling on and off.

#inktober #inktober2015 - Day 15 & Cape Cod Part 1

I spent most of today driving home from Maine back to NY, so I didn't have time to do a plein air sketch. I did want to do something for the Inktober challenge so tonight I did a quick sketch from one of my photos that I took of the Pemaquid Lighthouse in Maine this weekend.

I'm going to backtrack a bit. Before I went up to Maine I was in Cape Cod, Massachusettes for a few days on vacation. Our first stop was Hyannis and I did a sketch of on of the fishing boats in the harbor.

The following morning after a long walk and breakfast I sat on the beach in front of our hotel and painted the dunes.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 6 - Lighthouse Blues

This painting was done for Leslie Saeta's, 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.

This was done from a photo I had taken of my favorite lighthouse in Maine, the Pemaquid Lighthouse. I try to go for a visit whenever I'm up there, and missed it this past trip after Christmas. I just have to visit this way instead. 

Pemaquid Blues by Joan Tavolott

Here are the portraits I did when the NYC Urban Sketchers met on Saturday.

Jim by Joan Tavolott

 These last two were done in a very dim bar and I really couldn't tell how they looked. I didn't retouch either of them. I used pencil, watercolor pencil and regular watercolors on all of these.

Alyssa by Joan Tavolott

Mark by Joan Tavolott

Travels in Maine

My sister, Mickey and I took a ride up to Maine to visit my sister, Tina and her family.

Of course my paints came along on the trip. This morning we went walking for exercise.

I brought along my camera because I knew I wanted to take some photos of the decorated 

pumpkins along the street that are still on display from the Pumpkinfest two weeks ago. The pumpkins each weigh between 200-500 pounds.

I'll show you a few.

Does this one make you want a burger and fries? lol

Or a swim in the ocean?

This one looks like he needs to eat a little more.

And here's a public service announcement.

Later in the morning I went out for a while to paint in town.

This is Nash House just down from the only traffic light in town.

It has several businesses inside.

The red tree was just calling to be painted and this is 5 x 7.

By the time I was finished I was wearing my fingerless gloves and shaking.

The temperature up here is a bit on the cold side.

After lunch Mickey and I rode down to Pemaquid Point...my all-time favorite spot in this area. It is not a trip to Maine without seeing the Pemaquid Lighthouse. It was cold and windy down there so I was wearing a sweater, a winter jacket, and a very heavy sweatshirt with a hood over everything.

I guess I was warm enough for a while because I painted without wearing my gloves.

Here I am on the rocks where I sat to paint.

Here is the painting in my sketchbook...about 5 x 7.

Mickey was bundled up too.

For our next sketch location we headed over to Colonial Pemaquid and did a view of the water while sitting in the warm car.

Pemaquid Point

We always have to visit Pemaquid Point. I usually paint the lighthouse but we didn't have much time so I did a view of this small building and the rocks. Three ladies were nice enough to sit and pose too.

Pemaquid Lighthouse

I think Pemaquid Lighthouse is my favorite lighthouse. I have some emotional attachment to that place. It is about 20 minutes from my sister's house, so I make a point of getting there every time I visit Tina. Usually I paint it as a vertical composition so I get more of the dramatic rocks in front of the lighthouse, but I decided to do a different view this time. This is about 4 x 10.