The Rocks of Pemaquid

The Rocks of Pemaquid   6" x 12"   Pastel   ©Sheila Ashley Liston
Available $145

Hurry! You still have time to make it!  Put it on your calendar for Sunday, November 26, 2017....Santa arrives briefly via helicopter at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park in Bristol, Maine.

This is a beautiful, well-maintained park that makes it well worth the time to visit for a day while taking in Maine's lighthouses. There's a wonderful museum that houses much information about the fishing and marine heritage of the area. In addition, I was thrilled to see some lovely art by local artists in an art museum on the grounds.

The weather was perfect that day, with a wonderful sea breeze that coaxed us into staying much longer than we had planned. The lighthouse makes a fabulous scene, but today I chose to focus on the unique rock formation. We'll definitely plan a day here on the next trip! 

  

Twilight at Portland Head Lighthouse

Twilight at Portland Head   6" x 8.25"   Pastel    ©Sheila Ashley Liston
SOLD


Portland Head Lighthouse in Portland, Maine.

I decided to paint from the photograph below. The more I thought about it, I began to fantasize about how it might look as the evening sun sets and the twilight begins.  We weren't fortunate to actually see that happen, but I decided to create that vision in my mind and then transfer it to my new UArt dark pastel paper. Since the paper is almost black to begin with, it seemed like it would be a good start to a painting at that time of the evening.    

It's interesting to me that sometimes a song comes to mind while I'm working. This time it was the hymn, "Be Thou My Vision" 

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me save that thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day and by night,

Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Bass Harbor Head Light

Bass Harbor Head Light     9" x 12"   Pastel    ©Sheila Ashley Liston
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DAY 3O OF THIRTY PAINTINGS IN THIRTY DAYS CHALLENGE SEPT 2017

Yay! It is possible to do thirty paintings in thirty days! I must admit that there were some late nights on this project! Tomorrow I will post a photo of the whole group of paintings.

This painting was done from photos from our first trip to Maine. We went there again last fall, but this time I chose to do this flight of stairs, leaving the remainder of stone steps for the younger folks!  

Bass Harbor Head Light is in Bar Harbor, Maine on Mt Desert Island in Acadia National Park. We could've have spent a week in just this area alone. We're thinking the next time, we will need to plan for a month's stay. There's much to see and do there as well as wonderful places to paint.

These sketches are from the top of the cliff, looking out over the ocean.

I didn't get a photo of each stage of today's painting, but this is how I used black watercolor to establish the darkest areas, after the initial pencil drawing. 

Marginal Way

Marginal Way   6" x  8.5"   Pastel    ©Sheila Ashley Liston

Available $95

Day 5 of Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days September 2017, Marginal Way, Ogunquit, Maine

Our first experience in Maine was to Ogunquit in a pouring rainstorm. Not wanting to miss anything, we purchased ponchos and headed out to a trail along the ocean called Marginal Way. What a way to see Maine for the first time. The ocean was slapping against the rocks with high winds in a sideways pouring rain. We loved every minute of that storm!

This trail is now an asphalt walkway perched on the high rocks along the coast.  Marginal Way has many stunning views. On that evening in October, that bare tree spoke of the winter that would be on its way soon.  

Curtis Island Light

Curtis Island Light      4 x 7    Pastel     ©Sheila Ashley Liston
Available $75


Day 6 of my 7 paintings in 7 days takes us to Curtis Island Light on a quiet fall evening....

Curtis Island Light marks the approach to the harbor of Camden, Maine.  The lighthouse is still an active US Coast Guard aid to navigation. I didn't need to go onto the island, as I was perfectly happy viewing it from a distance that explains its purpose since 1836. 

Curtis Island protects the Camden Harbor from the ocean storms. Camden is a lovely town on Penobscot Bay. I'm seeing a harbor painting coming soon from our many photos from our visit there.

There's nothing quite like having a personal tour guide who is my nephew. Michael, who lives in Camden, Maine is an artist also. We were quite spoiled by Michael, as he lead us to the non-tourist sights in the Blue Hill Peninsula area and around Camden.

Deer Isle

Deer Isle        8.5" x  11.5 "       Pastel          ©Sheila Ashley Liston
Available $165

Day 5 of my self-challenge of 7 paintings in 7 days.

 What I used to paint from, is the reference photo below, from our vacation trip last fall. In Maine, it seems that frequently there's another lovely roadside view, just waiting to be painted, everywhere we traveled. This was on Route 15A through Deer Isle, as we drove back from our stay at Stonington. I wanted to jump out of the car with pastels and easel in hand, however this was on private property. I had to be satisfied with a "drive by" photo from my cell phone.

I enjoyed painting this scene and I plan to do another larger painting in the near future with a similar view of rocks and water.

Myrtle Beach Pier

Myrtle Beach Pier   5 x 7    Acrylic  ©Sheila Ashley Liston
SOLD 

Myrtle Beach Pier framed

Sunrises are always awesome, but especially so at the beach!

I love the sights, sounds, and the smell of the salty breeze that one finds at the beach. My mind goes to how I might paint the whole experience. With a fascination for wave forms, I find myself studying most of them.  With my cell phone camera and my husband's photography, we can come away with subject matter for a very long time.

Even though I work mostly with pastels, I do enjoy acrylics as another way of expression. Actually if the truth be known, I've never met a medium that I didn't love! However, for the sake of focus, I have narrowed it down to these two for now.

This painting is done on a gessoed board and varnished with a UV protective solution. It is framed in a warm gray moulding that resembles driftwood. There is a white linen liner that separates the painting from the frame to allow a pleasing presentation.