Art Play

"Having a safe space to imagine and dream and (re)invent yourself is the first step to being happy and successful, whatever road you choose to pursue."  Ashley Bryan

I'm posting early today...it's a slow and easy travel day and we won't be home until later tonight.

Originally Paul and I were going to head back home on Tuesday...but it's supposed to be rainy most of the day....and the thoughts of getting our stuff on and off the boat in the rain didn't sound like much fun.  So we had a leisurely morning...got the parsonage cleaned up, the laundry done, and everything ready for the next visitors.  Our hope is to meet up with friends in Bar Harbour later in the afternoon...then head back to Portland this evening.

We've done so many wonderful island things....and our experience on Cranberry Island has been just a delight. I also enjoyed my safe space at the kitchen table for some art play.

This is the little pile I brought with me...which included the two lovely zippered bags from Lily and Ramona filled with supplies.

Sometimes the table was fairly tidy and easily cleaned up for dinner....

....and sometimes it wasn't.

Yes....I brought colorful catalogs with me.

I made a little cranberry thank you card for our friends Jim and Sam who helped make our island experience a delight with tours...and a great home cooked  dinner which included homemade ice cream.  I like the mix of watercolor and the catalog snippets....I'll have to play around with that more.

Early on I painted this swirly watercolor doodle.  Then.....

...inspired by an artist I met on Little Cranberry Island/Islesford 

I outlined everything in black pen....giving it a bit more interest.

We met Kate Savidge at the Storyteller Pavillion in Islesford....where Ashley Bryan's work was featured.  Kate was a wonderful host...giving us all kinds of information about Islesford and Ashley's life and work.  She was working on a tiny little oceanscape piece...that she said she was trying to "save" outlining the watercolor details in black pen. I told her how much I loved it.  Then...in another little gallery I was drawn to this puzzle....and low and behold it was Kate's.  I am thrilled to own this colorful piece of art...and even more thrilled that we had that wonderful interaction with the artist.  And how many puzzles do you know with 504 pieces!  That makes me smile.  

Here are a few photos from Islesford....AKA Little Cranberry.

Lobstermen sorting their catch. Maybe these were the guys 

that caught our dinner a few nights ago.

Some of Ashley Bryan's stained glass windows 

made from seaglass and paper mache. 

Ashley Bryan