Here is an overdue post. But perhaps with spring only 3 weeks away, thoughts of summer are now becoming more realistic. This was a wonderful painting event that I did in July of 2014, in a gorgeous town just a few hour drive from my home in Rockland, Maine.
Castine is quite an interesting place from a historic point of view. It’s actually one of the oldest towns in New England, predating the Plymouth Colony by seven years. Its Post Office, opened in 1814, is the oldest in continuous operation in the United States. There is a lot of history here, a lot of fighting, and the town has gone through control by the French, Dutch, and English (and of course Native Americans before them all), before becoming part of the U.S. I joked when I was there, though, that nothing had really happened here since the war of 1812. It’s also home to the Maine Maritime Academy. Now it’s a lovely vacation spot. The towns Wikipedia page gives a nice overview.
The plein air event was well-organized and I had absolutely wonderful host housing with the
Benjamin family. Unfortunately there wasn’t any substantial prize money, which as a full-time artist is always encouraging. I sold one painting, which was more than many of the artists, although a few people did well. It is a nice place to paint, as is the whole Blue Hill Peninsula, so I may apply again this year.
Stephan Giannini 