Friday, April 29, 2011

Spring Comes to Perkins Cove

It was a typical spring day on the coast.  A  huge fog bank drifted in over the land then moved out to sea along with the tide.
Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine is shifting gears from its quiet winter season...

...to the popular summer hot spot it has become.

Everywhere, boats were getting ready for the season.


I  was so busy sketching I didn't notice the name on this sail boat until Marcus pointed it out..."Quick Draw".  
This tiny protected harbor has a fleet of lobstermen who are active all year.

The boats were returning from their morning run. 


Traps were piled on the docks. Lobstermen were loading new traps onto their boats.

Freshly loaded and ready to go for tomorrow morning!


Perkins Cove was created by connecting a man-made trench from the Josias River to the sea.

I sat on a bench sketching on Fish Cove, the original harbor the fishermen used. 

Fishermen liked Perkins Cove, and so did artists. In the 1890's Charles Woodbury founded a popular summer art colony in Ogunquit. His great grand children still live near the cove. 

Perkins Cove used to be busy with fishermen and artists working and selling their art to summer visitors.  Now the former fish houses are little tourists shops.
Marginal Way. 6x6 watercolor, Rives BFK

This is my watercolor kit for the day. Two small color sets and a tiny water jar. I can carry everything in one hand and my pocket.

There are so many tourists in the summer that artists can only easily paint in the cove off season... the town limits the amount of time you can park here during the summer. 

Using my water-filled brush makes quick sketching easier.
Rocks, Perkins Cove. Lobstermen Parking
6x6 watercolor, Rives BFK.  

The S.S. Crusher is the town's ice breaker. What a face! It is used on cold winter mornings to open the harbor so the boats can go out. In winter the cove freezes overnight because there is so much fresh water flowing into it from the river.

The landing above the docks offered a great view of the cove.

Fred, the harbor master, built his own boat last winter. 
I quickly sketched a few boats. 

The cove has a pedestrian draw bridge. It is the only user operated drawbridge of its type in the US.

The sun came out for a couple of hours drying the watercolors nicely !

Moored in a row. 4x6 watercolor, Rives BFK 
Michelle V. 6x6 watercolor, Rives BFK.
Baby Jess. 6x6 watercolor, Rives BFK.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Lambs, Rams & Ewes

Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine was shearing their sheep this week.  In spring, the sheep get their warm wool coat removed before hot summer weather.

Pineland is an educational farm located on 5,000 acres of rolling fields and forest. Its a non profit with a mission to encourage farming in southern Maine.

When we arrived clouds were casting patterns of light and shadows across the high open meadows. 

Sketchbook, pen & watercolor  - 4x6 Rives BFK


It doesn't look like at all like a Maine farm with its white fences, it reminds me of horse farms in  Kentucky bluegrass country. 

The barns are all brand new. No crumbling antique barns on this spread.  

 We headed directly to the sheep pastures and barn. The stars of the moment are the new born lambs! 

A couple of moms had triplets. They spray paint a number on them to make sure everyone is getting enough milk.
New lambs are born daily. They stay with their moms in the barn.  

Its still too cold for them to be outside. We are having an unusually chilly spring.  Sketchbook 6x8 

This little freckle faced cutie was friendly and curious. She kept coming over to me while I was sketching. 


These new families will stay in the barn and until it gets warmer and the lambs are sturdy and strong.    

The sheep were all shorn this week. The sheep shearers are in great demand. They travel from farm to farm shearing the sheep.
I like the black faced sheep. They have lovely almond shaped hazel eyes. Sketchbook, 8x10.

Since this was our first visit to the farm I wanted to make sure we checked out everything so we went next to visit the cow barns.

Sketchbook, 4x6 Pen & watercolor on Rives BFK

Every barn has a sign in front of it.  

Most of the cows were in the barn laying down after lunch. A couple of big bruisers were out side.

Sketchbook, 6x8 Rives BFK

This silo is the only thing left from the original farm buildings on the property. 


It was cold. The wind was blowing about 40 mph so I stood in the shade and sketched . 
Sketch book 4x6  Rives BFK

A brand new tractor was parked in front of the hay barn.

The rolling meadows are trimmed with white fences. 

Sketchbook 6x6 Rives BFK

The clouds dropped a bit of rain for a few minutes then the sun came back out. 


It was so great to visit a place that is focused on supporting the farms of the future and locally grown  food.
Sketchbook, 6x6 Rives BFK.