Friday, September 6, 2013
Alex Tyng and I are heading to Rockland with our husbands for her opening at Dowling Walsh Gallery. If you are in Rockland it will be on until September 30th. This is a bit of a new path for Alex. I like to think it started with the painting she did of me called "Year at Sea". I was a familiar subject as she first painted me when I was about 18. In the painting she brought out my many sides and complexities. In her new series she is exploring the relationships with her siblings, all children of the famed architect Louis Kahn. As Nathaniel, his son, explored his relationship with his father in the academy award winning documentary "My Architect," Alex is searching for the meaning and universal themes in her family relationships. Aspects of all these painting could relate to the viewer in their own personal lives and relationships.
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| Alexandra Tyng's Gallery opening at Dowling Walsh in Rockland |
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| Diana Ansley and Harriet Pattison - Pictured behind are "New World" and "The Letter A" |
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| Alexandra Tyng and Gary Ansley view "Royalty" |
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| Louis Kahn, Nathaniel Kahn, and Harriet Pattison in Alexandra Tyng's "Knight" |
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Headed to Monhegan today with our husbands!! We hiked to Gull Cove and up to Whitehead to show Alex's husband the Monhegan headlands. Dinner at the Monhegan House was really top notch. Their chef is really wonderful and we were not disappointed. The rooms on the third floor were very sweet with lovely views. The bathrooms and showers which were down the hallway were clean, fresh, and pretty! The halls were teeming with artists and paintings drying in every corner. If you want to come alone to paint on Monhegan this is a good stop.
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| Above Gull Cove looking at Gull Rock |
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| Picnic at Gull cove |
Monhegan House
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Alex and I moved to Horn Hill as our husbands have headed off island. We have been crazy to get out and paint. Gull Cove had some lovely dead firs which I painted and Alex painted the view to Gull Rock. The light was lovely as we left and we took several pictures. As we headed home Alex realized she left her painting. She headed back, but it had disappeared. Phoebe Peterson and Sue Braswell have joined us for a week of painting.
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| Whitehead |
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| Maine Landscape Guilders |
Jillian, Phoebe Petersen, Alexandra Tyng, Aida and Kevin Garrity , Greer Jennison, Kim, and Susan
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| Maine Landscape Guilders Diana Ansley, Sue Braswell, Judy Carducci, Jean and Mike and Terry Spinner |
This was our view as we came home from dinner.
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Moonlight Night
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Monday, September 9, 2013
We were all disappointed to find the Monhegan Lighthouse was dark last night. We heard that one of the storms knocked out the light and they are waiting for the Coast Guard to fix the light. It will be strange not to have it revolving outside my window.
It is a gorgeous morning and we were off to the lighthouse painting it from all sides. Lighthouse hill was a challenge as my palette flipped over on the way up and a gust came from nowhere and my solvent and easel went over! Phoebe painted a view of the Red House.
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| Monhegan Lighthouse |
We bought swordfish at the Fish Market and Diana made Ina Garten's Sicilian Swordfish with mozzarella caprese.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
It has been cloudy all day, but we blocked in paintings in hopes of better weather! Alex painted foggy trees on Horn Hill and Sue painted the view from Horn Hill. Phoebe painted the view up the main road toward Carina's. Today Alex's painting mysteriously appeared probably saved by one of our Maine Landscape Guilders.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Alex was up early painting before the light left. There is a movie crew here filming a movie called "Catatonk Blues". Treat Williams is starring as Charlie Winship a successful congressman who is recently divorced. They are looking for someone to play the role of Rita Bracket age 100+. The specs for Rita's part say "The juices are still flowing in this ancient lady" Searchable talent specs – age 75 to 120!!!! I was hoping to get the part, but I have missed the August 1st deadline.
Charming Apron in our charming kitchen- perfect for the part!!
Island Inn for Dinner -
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| View of Manana from the dining room |
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Horn Hill seemed suspended in time last night. The wind began to whistle through the
windows and soon thunder followed until the island was enveloped by a massive
storm. A dark cloud behind Manana
seemed to barricade the island from freeing itself of bolts slicing from all
directions.
At one point lighting seemed to strike the cupola of the Inn and the Lighthouse Hill.
A low light was burning in the lighthouse and we afraid it had been hit. Soon we saw it was some diligent soul with flashlight in hand making sure the museum was safe. There was chaos in the house as we ran from window to window watching the storm in awe. Torrents of rain and wind pummeled the house. It was the hot topic in town today.
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| Lightening over Manana |
At one point lighting seemed to strike the cupola of the Inn and the Lighthouse Hill.
A low light was burning in the lighthouse and we afraid it had been hit. Soon we saw it was some diligent soul with flashlight in hand making sure the museum was safe. There was chaos in the house as we ran from window to window watching the storm in awe. Torrents of rain and wind pummeled the house. It was the hot topic in town today.
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| Film crews |
Filming continues for Catatonk Blues. They filmed near the library today and we laughed as we saw the Monhegan School was now the Catatonk School. The hens appeared confused.
We moved slowly today after watching the storm. We went to the Barnacle for coffee and croissants. Their pastry is really flaky and delicious and rivals some I have had in Paris!!!
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| Sue Braswell on the way to the Barnacle |
We left to paint at Locomotive Rock out trail #18. Take the Burnt Hill trail and turn on left #17. Continue on until you see a tall wall of rocks and a mossy hill to the right. If you look carefully you will see a maker for trail #18 that leads to Pulpit Rock. We detoured through Catherdral Woods to see the Fairy Houses.
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| House available view of Monhegan Woods! |
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| Mushrooms |
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| Sue and Diana consulting the map |
It was foggy, but we decided to paint Locomotive Rock inspired by Abraham Bogdanove.
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| Sue and Diana painting Locomotive Rock |
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| Blackhead |
Four artists were already there nestled into the gorge sketching. We had a nice start and then the sun came through and all in a moment dark clouds began to waft towards us. Thunder was in the distance so we headed back to town.
Alex did an ethereal painting in the fog of the house next door-very lovely.
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| Alex Painting - Island Inn in the Background |
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| Uh-oh!! |
Friday, September 13, 2013
We are socked in fog. We spent the morning visiting Winter Works, the Gallery and other shops. Fog started to break around four.
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| Winter's Work |
Saturday, September 14, 2013
It started out with clouds this morning, but there were a few breaks.
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| Dawn on Horn Hill |
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| Dawn on Horn Hill |
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| Alex capturing the early light |
Alex worked on her view from the road on Horn Hill. Then it swiftly cleared. We all headed for the lighthouse and began a painting. The clouds were gorgeous and it was a stunning day.
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| View from inside the top of the lighthouse to Manana |
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| Sue Braswell painting below the lighthouse |
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| Inside the Lighthouse |
Today the lighthouse was open and a tour is an absolute must!! The lighthouse was built in 1850 and has had a $150,0000 renovation. They repointed all the granite and brick. They stripped the steps to the top that were so thickly covered in paint you could not see the design. Originally the light was powered by whale oil, but was then switched to kerosene. Today it is powered by solar energy.
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| Lighthouse steps |
We painted from 10 to 3 as we were desperate to paint!! Lighthouse hill was full of people to tour the lighthouse.
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| Diana setup painting the view from Lighthouse Hill |
The movie crew is filming near Lobster Cove and there is a helicopter buzzing between Manana and the cove. There is a family wedding at the Monhegan House and the helicopter has been hovering over the ceremony. I don't think the wedding is connected to the Catatonk Blues movie, but I guess they thought it was of interest!!!
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| Sweet garden and house at the bottom of Lighthouse hill |
We are all exhausted. Sue is flattened into the couch with wet paper towels nursing her sunburn. We are racked and ravaged by the elements of Monhegan and every bone hurts!! When we paint...somehow we get the energy so we were off to catch the light in Gull Cove, on to the headlands, and then back to Lighthouse hill.
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| Gull Cove |
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| Gull Cove from Whitehead |
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| View from Whitehead to Blackhead |
We headed up to lighthouse to catch the sunset. Just as we arrived the film crew from "Catatonk Blues" was filming a scene in the sunset.
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| Treat Williams and Film Crew on Lighthouse Hill |
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| Film Crews |
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| Sun setting from Lighthouse Hill |
We were right in the middle of the action as we had to be quiet. We descended the hill and could see after the sunset that Lighthouse hill was aglow with lights illuminating the final shots for the night. We met one of the crew the next day and he told us that they do the wide shots as the sun is going down and then use lighting to recreate the sunset on the actors after sunset!!
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| Sue and Alex at the Island Inn for Dinner |
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| Black and White Goats on Manana |
As we left the bride and groom were sending off their wedding guests on the ferry. Flowers were tossed, a young man heroically jumped off the dock to mark the departure of the guests. The skipper gave us the grand tour around the back of the island between Lobster Cove and Green Point. We had porpoises on the port side and even a banjo player entertained us for the crossing.
A magical end to another special week on Monhegan.
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| View of Monhegan and Manana in the distance |
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