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Sedona, Arizona
Spring has hit northern Arizona with a vengeance. Wildflowers on the hilltop behind our house have popped out—desert marigold, purple filaree, blackfoot daisy, Indian paintbrush, feather dalea—and the cactuses can't be far behind. Nor can summer! High temperatures here have been pushing the mid-80s.
What else does spring bring? Our annual trip east, of course. Next week, we will be on our way, with stops for retreats and workshop in Utah, Ohio and New York. We'll arrive on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada, in the middle of May, where I'll begin working on some very exciting projects, the nature of which will be revealed this summer.
Workshops
Rockland, Maine, July 17-21. This workshop needs special mention. Unlike my usual summer fare, which consists of a schedule of four half-day workshops in Lubec, this one will be an intense five full days. You can expect a wealth of useful information and get lots of painting done besides. Rockland is home to a historic waterfront and village, so plan on boats, interesting architecture and more. (While you're there, you'll want to check out the Farnsworth Museum, which boasts a stunning art collection with three generations of Wyeths.) Downeast Magazine recently rated Rockland as the best place to live in Maine. (Read the article here.) Price: $650. Details and registration: Coastal Maine Art Workshops, 207-594-4813, https://cmaworkshops.com/Workshop-post/painting-the-maine-landscape-in-pastels-or-oils/Montgomery, New York, May 9-10. Sponsored by the Wallkill River School of Art, this two-day workshop will take us to some of the local farms and historic sites. I like the school's mission statement: "The Wallkill River School is a non-profit artists’ cooperative that runs an art school and fine art gallery as well as a plein air art workshop series on local farms and open spaces. Our mission is to preserve open space through art and art activism." As a "steward of the land," I am very much in tune with this philosophy. Price: $240 Details and registration: (845) 457-ARTS, wallkillriverschool@gmail.com, http://wallkillriverschool.com/school/plein-air/
Lubec, Maine, July-August. Sign-ups have already started for my Downeast Maine workshops in the historic working waterfront village of Lubec. I'm expecting a full and busy season, so don't delay in registering! And remember, we offer a package that includes lodging at Artists Retreat Studios & Gallery, where the workshop meets each morning, for only $800. We still have lodging available in the much-coveted first two weeks of August. Full details can be found at www.PleinAirPaintingMaine.com
Scotland and Italy in 2018. Don't forget my two 2018 painting retreats in Scotland and Italy. We'll be in Scotland, June 3-13, 2018, visiting the Isle of Skye. We are at this moment fine-tuning details. Then, we'll be in Italy, June 16-23, 2018, near Florence with excursions to Siena, La Meridiana, San Gimignano and Barberino. I have full details now on the Italy trip and can send those right away.
A complete list of upcoming workshops is available at my website, www.MChesleyJohnson.com.
New Paintings
Starting July 29th, I'll be part of Acadia Invitational III, a year-long exhibit hosted by Argosy Gallery in Bar Harbor, Maine. For this exhibit, I was asked to paint three pieces featuring the landscapes of Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. A total of thirty nationally-recognized artists will be participating in this exhibit and sale, which will run from July 29th, 2017, through October 2018. Other artists include T.M. Nicholas, Kathleen Dunphy, John Cogan and Joe Anna Arnett. I am delighted to be invited to display my work at this prestigious gallery and in such good company.By the way, I am posting new work at my new web site, which is www.MChesleyJohnson.com. Please check back frequently for updates.
That's all! Please make sure you sign up for my blog and visit my new website. My next letter will be from Campobello Island!
Michael & Trina
