Nantucket Adventure: Finally Painting

I found out that I would be taking this course in maybe February or March. Since then I have been somewhat secretly panicked that it has been so long since I have created anything, that I would be totally out of practice and make a fool of myself. Not to mention I have NEVER taken a painting course. And while I have dabbled in acrylics, oils seem totally foreign. Needless to say, I have been anxious to get to the "studio" and attempt something... anything...


I managed to sleep the entire second night through. I wrapped myself up in what my boyfriend affectionately calls a "Sarah burrito" complete with a sweatshirt, and slept until about 6:30. I was bummed. I totally thought it was at least past seven a.m.! Oh well. I opened my door to find a note (written in a sketchbook) from my roommate who arrived yesterday. She was on a run and grabbing breakfast. Turns out she didn't grab breakfast and invited me in town, upon her return, for a bite to eat.

We walked the fifteen to twenty minutes into town and got to know each other over eggs and toast. She is an elementary school art teacher who fell in love with this course three summers ago as a student working on her Master's from Lesley. Originally from upstate New York, she is making it work in the Boston "social scene," living on Beacon Street with roommates working on their PhD s.

After stopping at Stop N Shop (round 2, for those of you keeping track at home) we walked back to our condo. I got myself together and waited for the van to leave for the field station. Our professor has a show next week on island and needed to use the more reliable wireless internet available there.

I am so glad I took advantage of working on the weekend. The two other girls who went and I, walked around for about forty minutes, taking pictures and soaking in the scenery. We then worked inside and have a pretty good start on our first (of about ten) painting for the two weeks.

With all this fog, I knew I wanted to start something that involved atmospheric perspective. I love how the trees close to the edge seem to bend in the wind, that is not always there.

I am currently working on an image similar to this. The layers of trees really hit what I want to attempt. More defined in the foreground to hazy in the back. Our Professor checked in a couple of times in between his work and this is where I am after two hours.

I am attempting to layer color, which is something I have never done. Much of the blue will turn grey and the oranges will turn green. It might be beginner's luck, but I am pretty proud of my happy little trees so far. And even more eerie, the brushstrokes look just like my grandmother's. Thankfully though, she learned from Bob Ross videos. I can't wait to get back in there tomorrow.

The afternoon/ evening was spent in town, poking in shops. I now have a Nantucket sweatshirt, mostly out of necessity, and splurged on a Nantucket Alex and Ani bracelet. I now own two all bracelets all together. Nothing compared to other women out there, but like my Pandora bracelet, I want things that are meaningful to me.

Nantucket, so far, is an amazing, unique destination.
I look forward to learning more and finding my way across the island and beyond.