Aesthetic Work

Just returned from that vacation I wrote about a few weeks ago -- glorious time! So good to break away from the daily grind, to read, walk the beach, laze on the deck and stare at the trees and sky and clouds . . .

It is so damn difficult to empty the mind of nitty-gritty details, of the stuff that makes up everyday life, to expand and mentally drift, to open and empty all at the same time. Perhaps staying in a cottage that does not belong to one, no need to clean and tidy, no need to weed and mow -- that may be one of the keys. However, there is also something special about the Cape -- the light, the air, the smell of pine and ocean -- so conducive to wanting to pick up the paints and just play . . .

Small watercolor sketches from some days at the beach; others to follow. Some I need to finish, others are simply pencil sketches. Have you ever noticed how people at the beach, caught in a moment of respite, unaware of being watched, are just great for subject matter?

Storm rolling in

watercolor, 5" x 7"

 

 Long View

watercolor, 5" x 7"

I've never kept a sketching journal -- yes, plenty of sketches on loose scraps but never a journal.  Thought I would try to do this; even bought myself one of those tiny little watercolor travel things with the tiny pots and a collapsible brush (Winsor & Newton).  Quite fun, really!  

And this is just simply a lovely pic of a gorgeous hollyhock I came across while walking through the village of Chatham --

What a knock-out, uh?  Stopped me dead in my tracks as I've never seen a holly that particular shade of soft pink.

The other part of our time at the Cape I loved was finding all these lovely old cape houses nestled in tiny gardens and such --

 

This shot I altered once I got home, trying to capture a "vintage" look and feel.  The cottage itself was a soft, weathered beige and the spray on the door was a muted rose -- just wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!  

So, tomorrow is back to work.  But that's all right -- I've had my time to unwind and gather up the ragged edges, mentally and creatively.  I suppose that's what a summer vacation is all about, isn't it?  A small yet precious island of serenity that gives one's spirit a chance to replenish . . . 

“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, 

the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, 

and with as yet no sign to remind one 

that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.” 

Gertrude Jekyll