Beth Carr, who is both my student and my friend, is planning a trip to Jay, in Essex County, NY. As she knows the Adirondacks were once my Happy Hunting Grounds, she asked me for recommendations of places to paint. I suggested a few, but more importantly, I introduced her to the doyenne of Adirondack plein air painting, Sandra Hildreth.
Two years ago, Sandy took me for a long ride into the forest—north from Paul Smiths, NY and then eight miles down a rough logging track. From there we shouldered our backpacks and hiked a scant eighth of a mile to a point overlooking Madawaska Pond. The money shot (of course) was a view of Buck Mountain in the distance. But what interested me most was the tree nursery in the foreground.
I’d like to go back. Alas, Sandy tells me the road is washed out. I guess nothing lasts forever.
I’ve painted many things that are now gone, including the beaver dam at Quebec Brook and the lobster pound at Tenants Harbor. I suppose I could cultivate a Buddhist detachment, but usually these losses surprise me and make me sad.
The upside to this is that rotten times don’t last forever, either. Like everyone, I occasionally get into a funk where I wonder why I ever thought I could paint. I’ve been around long enough to realize that these too shall pass. I don’t particularly like Ecclesiastes; it’s depressing. However, Solomon is right in saying that there’s a time for everything. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même.
Which leads me full circle to those baby trees—I wonder how they’re doing?
My 2024 workshops:
- Art and Adventure at Sea: Paint Aboard Schooner American Eagle, September 15-19, 2024.
- Immersive In-Person Workshop: Rockport, ME, October 7-11, 2024.
I love to paint old, dilapidated barns. Many of my old friends are now gone. A few went before I had a chance to paint them. An iconic lobster shack in Maine was resided with fresh cedar shakes the year after I painted it.
However I am reminded of the king who asked his advisors for something that would humble him when times were good and comfort him when times were bad. They gave him a ring inscribed “This too shall pass.”
I am glad nothing lasts forever or I would still be stuck with absolute beginner painting skills.
Following up to this one of my favorite barns has been slowly falling down for years. This has given me a parade of new views and a subject that is ever changing but still the same.
That’s a gorgeous painting Carol. You do such beautiful, inspiring, work.
I also miss favorite places that are no more….my aunt’s inherited tiny island and hand built family cottage in Wilson Pond off Moosehead lake, (at the time you saw only wilderness – Kahtadin, and forest, though there were 1 or 2 cottages hidden in the woods- now the land around has been chopped up into half acre plots two thick and hundreds of cottages), or a coop ski lodge in Canada where our family could stay with 60 others in small 4 person bunk rooms; as long as we were willing to bus tables, do dishes, and make up our own beds, for $11 per person a day (including lift ticket at 5 big ski areas, 2 meals a day and lodging – later it was sold to become a pricey inn).
Years ago an 80 year old friend said only partly jokingly “All my best friends are dead.”…to which i laughed at the time, and now totally understand the sentiment, though fortunately it is not yet wholly true for me.
I hope that learning new things, getting to know people more, and having new experiences keeps me fully alive. Zoe Mumford (with Windborne) in “The songs stay sung”- when all is said and done the only things that remain when we pass away, are the songs we sing and the love we bring.