Monday, June 18, 2012

Maine part III..... inspiring colors



















I know that the colors of Maine will somehow find their way into my work. How could they not?
There are so many shades of blue set on a backdrop of white, with splashes of yellow and red, and the chartreuse greens. Ahhhhh..... color!


 Sitting on the beach and painting showed me a new way of looking at things. I really looked at the colors most of all to see what I needed to mix and then shapes and forms came into view in a new way. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved sitting there mixing watercolors and trying to portray what I was seeing on a white piece of paper.
 Who needs diamonds and gold? I could sit in a pile of rocks and shells by the shore all day and just look at them. Gerry found lots of sea glass for me, he was a magnet for it. I love these colors.

Are you bored yet? I have more, I'll keep it brief :)  maybe a story or two......

12 comments:

Sleeping Village Pottery said...

Bored?... heck no. I can't say that I've ever been bored reading your blog ;) We are enjoying the trip!

Tracey Broome said...

awwww, thanks :) I like my family and photos, they don't seem boring to me, but just checking, haha!

Lori Buff said...

Your artist's eye is used in your photographs. We also get to take a vacation in Maine vicariously through you, how can we be bored.
I had an idea about adding colored sea glass to the gravel in my driveway just to make it more fun and interesting, I would have been collecting it with you all.

Susan Wells said...

Ok, you've got me crying in my coffee. I dunno even why really except that I reckon a piece of me is in Maine. Funny you went to Port Clyde, off the beaten track, my gram & gramp went there every summer. They died. Waaaahh Wahhh! We tossed their ashes up there.

So beautiful, so connected to the landscape.

Did you see Greg Mort's paintings while in Port Clyde? http://www.escapeintolife.com/painting/greg-mort-were-universes-come-together/

Michèle Hastings said...

Yes, inspirational! Bright colors mixed with the grays and washed out blues of rocks and weathered buildings.

I dabble in watercolor, and also don't really know what I am doing. At home I have tubes of paint and recently bought a tray of paints to take to the co-op when I work there. I have found the colors are a little "muddy". Do you use tray paints and if so, do you have a suggestion on brand?

cookingwithgas said...

Maine is great and beautiful but girl I love that house with spider web all over it! Just when you thought it was safe to go away your place has been taken over.
ALL my spiders will want a TB house now.
I love sea glass... dreamy.

Laura Farrow said...

the only thing that would make your posts even more enjoyable is buttered popcorn!

cindy shake said...

Lovely ...and inspiring...

Unknown said...

I agree with the others~ Love your posts and photos of Maine. There is something about that place...I just love it! Thanks for sharing your beautiful images.

Tracey Broome said...

Thanks everybody! Dang it, I like to reply individually but it's hard to keep up some days :)
Lori, I think my "artists eye" is part of it, but living with a professional photographer for 30 years helps a lot! I just love sea glass, but I had a hard time finding it. Like I said, it just sort of came to Gerry like a magnet.
Susan, I know.... I thought about you while in Maine, and the story of Port Clyde and your epic with the ashes, haha! Such a great story. I will Check out Greg Mort, don't know him.
Michele, I'm not the one to give water color advise, but I think Prang is good. I also picked up a very cheap $3 tiny tray of colors for packing, and it was fine for what I wanted, of course the colors ran out very quickly, especially the blue, and like you said a little muddy. But I don't think prang colors are muddy at all.
Hey Meredith, yeah, Gerry shot that photo the other day, the light was just right. being away for ten days produced piles of dog hair and cobwebs everywhere! Took me two days to clean!
Hey Laura, you're sweet, yes to the popcorn!!
Hey Cindy and Kathy, thanks so much!!! Maine is a magical place...... sigh......

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

Tracey am enjoying these Maine posts. Looks like you went to Olson house, and the Farnsworth. I love A Secret Life, its by my bedside and I read it once a year......Kim and I were at O. house in 98 and it had recently opened, I can say I did levitate around that property!
So glad you are having a super time~
xx
julie

Tracey Broome said...

Hi Julie we didn't make it to the Olson place, but did go to the Farnsworth, look for a post on that tomorrow. The Wyeth book is amazing, so full of wisdom, I got it from the library but need to order my own copy. I had the book so much in my head that I didn't want to see the Olson house in person, it's better in my mind for now :)
Glad you are enjoying the posts!