Week One and the Fourth of July Weekend

Wow, Studio Day One has turned into Week Two of my Nantucket Painting course.
In some ways time has flow by. In others, it is like I have been here a lifetime. I feel as though I have yet to get started, and at the same time feel like I have already learned a lot. And not just about painting.

After last week, this is what I accomplished:

This one is done

not yet where I want it to be...

needs some more work on the grassy hill

Over the Fourth of July weekend we experienced the remnants of Hurricane Arthur. I had a friend in town and we spontaneously caught the free shuttle bus to Cisco Brewery, hoping to catch a pint or two before the rain set in, on Friday afternoon. I have to say, we were pretty lucky and left just before it started to rain and the crowds most likely ran to leave.

Ready for the storm!

We spent the evening streaming movies via the internet, playing Uno and cooking dinner before the power may have potentially gone out. Thankfully it never did, but it flickered! 

Saturday was clear and beautiful, even a bit on the cool side in the morning. We went in town to catch the water fight, part of the postponed Fourth of July festivities, and wound up hanging out in the bookstore for a good forty-five minutes or so, before having a bite to eat. The day warmed up too, so we jumped the bus and went to Surfside beach for a few hours. 

Surfside is aptly named, but with the storm now north of us, the rip tide was pretty strong. I did not try to get into the water. I was very content with my headphones, my hat and my book. (I can not put down The Beautiful American by Jeanne Mackin! I find myself daydreaming about the story while I am in the studio) 

Saturday night was the first time in a long time that I have stayed up well past midnight; 3:30 in the morning! We started with a late dinner at the Starlight Cafe again and finished just in time to catch the end of the 9 pm fireworks display (which seemed to run a half hour shorter than last year) From there we went to our favorite bar, Slip 14 and stayed until it got crowded. We met up with another classmate and our professor after that, for a drink at Town. When our professor retired for the evening, we attempted to go dancing, but the placed closed shortly after we arrived. We returned home unfazed and were very happy sitting out our picnic table, talking about art and family, culture and other crazy things until the wee hours of the morning.

All of that necessitated a lazy Sunday, especially before a new week of paintings. 

I grabbed breakfast in town before walking my friend to the ferry. I was very happy to spend time with her and that she was able to enjoy Nantucket, if not for the two week course, but for a long weekend.

On my wanderings home, I stopped at a Historical Association site called Greater Light. The photo above is from the lovely, yet eerie garden. I went needing some inspiration for the week's assignment and while it took me a while to digest what I came away with, I am very happy I visited....

I'll leave that story for another post.