Paint Estport Day

This year I thought to take a picture of the painting I did for Paint Eastport Day. This is just up the street from my house.........a scene I look at every day. Usually I have gone downtown to paint, but the town is full of people here for the Pirate Festival (a stupid event if ever there was one). I can't imagine who set this up to be the same week-end as the Salmon Festival and Paint Eastport Day, but I really think it detracts from the tradition. Whatever, I set myself up out of the crowd and spent the day pretty much alone with my painting. I'm pleased with it in the end, but for awhile I wondered if it would be viable. I used acrylics so it would be dry for the auction tonight, not thinking about the fact that I haven't used them for quite awhile. It has been a hot day, too, making the paint dry even faster than it usually does. Once I considered this an advantage, but I'm out of practise and had a hard time for awhile.

It seems strange to participate in Paint Eastport Day without having done any of the preparation. I am an outsider this year, and I must say I enjoyed the lack of furror that has always been the main characteristic of the day. Here I sit, having turned my painting into the art center, with nothing to do until the auction later this afternoon. Actually I don't really have to go to that either, but I believe I will in order to see how it goes, if my painting sells, how big the crowd is, and to check out the other work. I am preparing to rejoin the gallery after this season, but I have to say I haven't missed it. It has been enlightening to be myself. I thought I might feel afloat and detached from the art community. Instead I have found an unexpected sense of individuality that feels powerful to me.