StockFord Park Mural 2016/17/ part 1

Stockford Park, 2016 , the bare canvas

Some practice notes and we gear up to get started. It is Bike Maine

Little concert from Bike Maine. Duanne Ingalls happened to wear a shirt matching the color blue of the sky.

Drawing notes for Fred to show proof I was working on the idea

Original water color sketch with a tentative plan for the stage walls.
Working the ideas first out on paper really more to create the vibe. I knew I wanted the sky to be big and Crows flying. We had a magical summer of rainbows here in Lubec that summer, specifically over The Narrows. It was magical.

Some inspiration. This is a certain vantage point in Lubec on Water Street I often take note of. Really there are so many. I took a few of my favorite snippets and wanted to put them into the mural, so I deviated from the original drawing. I like to paint that way, start with an idea and then let what wants to come out be born.

First day on the site. THE mural is under way!! It all begins here, with this little bit of charcoal. Of the ashes something will be born. I love starting my work in charcoal...what could be more magical than burnt stick to unlock the curtain, black like Crows the messengers.

and so it begins

I have my notes spread out, reference drawings, big jugs o paint to mix. These paints were from Sherry Evers at the Clutter Shop. Before that the paints had been Claudia Malhmons, a local accomplished artist that recently passed. She is well missed in the art community here so I was super happy that she got to partake in this project in some way. Her legacy carried on by her materials. I had the basic colors only so it was a fun test in my skill for color theory mixing. I love the nitty gritty stuff. Thalo Blue as opposed to Aqua marine blue.... yum yum my mouth is watering. If she was still alive she would be down here checking on me by now.

I love this wild west down east crazy little town. THE DODGE building shall be mine one day!!

First scratches. I had music...and was dancing and painting a lot with my finger in the air mentally crafting. The neighbor dude had to come over to find out what the heck was going on.... I was off in my own little world, just where I want to be.

End of day one.
I have decided the building must live and abandon the original watercolor idea. What is gonna fly is gonna fly.

Finding my perfect sky blue was a pretty fun era in time for me. I spent weeks thinking about what my perfect shade of blue would be.

I came to the mural every day for a long time to get the foundation of the painting built. Each day I came this little spider had cast a web some place a new. Each visit I would just paint around her. 

this is what the Moon and Venus were doing when the project was first being born.

I just had to draw what was in front of me that day. We lost the Old Cat Food Cannery over the winter. No longer there but preserved in the mural in just the nick of time.

Of course the Crows had to come and keep a good eye on me. As well as many town folk stopping by to say "hey". People are super happy to inquire about the project. People start to stop and ask me about it everywhere I go....As an introvert this kind of attention makes me uncomfortable so I apologize to those that have had socially awkward encounters with me.

Turtle Totem Love

Home turf yo....love on Water Street

Annabell is still alive when I am painting this.....

I get totally into the painting...it is all I can think about. Quinn is my little helper. He goes days with me and rides his bike around the park. He hangs out with the seagulls and walks on the beach. He helps lug shit and can mix paints for me by instruction. What ever I need he's my man. He's got his Moms back. We get the idea to pull an all nighter, We are bike riding adventuring loving dirty Hobos. We bring fire wood and lamps, the radio, an electrical chord and plenty o snacks and drink, light a fire in the grill and get to work. We paint until 2 am then sleep in the car. It is a goal of Quinn's to stay the full night..."No matter what Mom!!" It has become an epic memory for Q now.