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| Liberty Point and the "Frog Rock" |
Yesterday marked the seventh annual paintout for the Plein Air Painters of the Bay of Fundy. In case you're not familiar with us, we are an international group with members from both Canada and the US. We paint along the Bay of Fundy, anywhere from Nova Scotia and down the coast of New Brunswick and on into Downeast Maine. Each year, we alternate our paintouts between the two countries. This year, members from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine and even Florida painted on Campobello Island in Canada.
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| Mary Ann Archibald of Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Although some painters arrived on Friday, nine of us, with an assortment of spouses and friends, drove out Saturday to Liberty Point in the
Roosevelt-Campobello International Park to paint the scenery. Another goal was to escape the heat! With temps hitting a very humid 85 degrees (29 °C) elsewhere on the island, it was a cool 59 degrees (15 °C) at the point. Fog, densely blanketing the Grand Manan Channel, drifted in and out, but it wasn't long before the sun came out. Later in the day, clouds gathered and a few raindrops sprinkled down, but nothing serious.
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| Theresa MacKnight of St Andrews, New Brunswick |
At Liberty Point, there is a wealth of subject matter for the outdoor painter. I like to call it a "rich" painting spot, since you can almost pick a place to set up your easel and have a 360-degree panorama to choose from. Views of Sugar Loaf Rock (called by the locals "Frog Rock"), Ragged Point, West Quoddy Head over in Maine and an assortment of cliffs, storm-beaten spruces and jagged rocks provide lots of opportunities.
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| Evelyn Dunphy of Bath, Maine |
I chose to wander out on a trail toward Ragged Point for one of my paintings and was visited by a family of four weasels. Bright-eyed and sharp-toothed, they watched for a few moments before hissing a warming at me and then scurried off. Others at the point were treated to views of a bald eagle, the sounds of a loon, visits from inquisitive seals and even a tourist or two.
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| Bruce Newman of Fredericton, New Brunswick |
Later that evening, we all gathered for a tour of
Friar's Bay Studio Gallery followed by a barbecue. It was great to have everyone together and to talk about painting. Next year, we'll do it again, this time over in the US.
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| Caren-Marie Michel of Portland, Maine |
By August 1, I will have posted paintings from the group's efforts at our website,
www.PleinAirFundy.org. I'll send out a note when the online gallery is open for business. Stay tuned!
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| The Crew |
