For my photographer friends

For those of you who enjoy incredible photographic images and history as much as I do (especially public domain items), here are three fabulously rich sites that I've been spending a lot of time browsing lately:

The LIFE photographic archives

Shorpy

Library of Congress photographic catalogue

Salisbury Zoo field trip

Here was our wandering path around the little Salisbury Zoo today, which you may recall us visiting last summer:

That was after the long bus trip to the zoo, during which (it was said) that Elisabeth pulled the emergency exit latch, causing the bus driver to have to stop to correct it. Although it was rumored that Catherine actually did it and blamed it on Elisabeth. Otherwise I understand the trip was uneventful. But Elisabeth was very, very disappointed to learn she was returning in Mom's car.

Anyway. . . . much later: This would have been great if it were a real fawn, but it was bronze:



After strolling around the zoo and eating lunch, the two kindergarten classes and the morning and afternoon pre-K classes took over the entire large playground like a horde of miniature pirates.

Catherine got a flamingo-shaped pen in the gift shop, which naturally broke in the car on the way home. Elisabeth selected a little plastic bobcat and kissed it several times. There was a cage of two very cute bobcats but those photos were blurry.

Fun times! We'll be back next year after we've graduated to kindergarten!

On the way back I dropped off my landscape entry in the Eagleman Art Show at the Dorchester Arts Center. I wasn't able to get the cycling painting done on time, but maybe next year. Starting in September I'm looking forward to SEVEN uninterrupted kidfree hours on most weekdays in which to get my workouts done and work on my paintings (and probably overseeing some house renovations or an addition as well).

Which should I paint?

I'm scoping out a few local sights in town in the designated area for the "Paint the Town" event in June. I want to plan a couple good options so, depending on the light, wind, and weather - I can make a final selection or two on the morning of the event. The image has to be fairly uncomplicated and eye-catching so that I can capture it in about a 3-hour painting session.

Which would you recommend? These are some starting options - I'll have a few more to run past you by contest day. Keep in mind the sun, sky, and foliage are going to look much different in mid-June too - and I can omit annoying details (like the red flowerpot in #2).

Place your vote in the comments (I don't have a voting box option, sorry!). I may also have you look at a couple value studies of a few of the options once we narrow it down.

1. Workboat

2. Churchyard gate
3. Vine house
4. Red door
5. Steeple

6. Lighthouse (the iconic symbol of the town - but I'd have to paint it from a different view, from the land side - this is the only photo I had handy, taken from a boat)

Today's painting

OK, I'm WAY out of practice -- it was my first painting venture in over five years. But it's fun to get absorbed in the process, almost regardless of the results.

There were about 20 people "painting the town" today. Most of the others had the good sense to pick a simpler scene and use a smaller canvas! Mine was 16" x 20". We had a total of 7 hours to complete our work, but I only can concentrate on painting for about 3 hours, so that's as long as I painted.

The scene (about a block and a half from my front door):

Here is my artistic interpretation, in oils:

Now I'm ready to paint it again tomorrow and fix the things I don't like about the first attempt. (I'd really like more intensity and drama in the sky and water, and the fence is cartoonishly rendered.) But this is what it is, and it will be on display at the St. Michaels Library for the month of July along with the other artworks from Painting the Town.

I'm painting the town tomorrow

No, no alcohol will be involved, and neither will any triathlon training!

It's a one-day plein air art festival "wherein all members of the community, residents and guests, are invited to paint and draw any subject that depicts and celebrates the Town of St. Michaels." It gets followed up with a show at the town library in two weeks.

I'll take photos too if I remember! It should be fun. I used to do a lot of painting, but haven't been able to do much for about the last five years - like about the time I got pregnant and couldn't be around lead paint and turpentine!