A Barnacle’s Book Tour

When you’re drawing flowers during a snow storm, maybe it’s time for a little getaway. I’ve been hunkered down by winter, what about you?

We barnacles left the Rock and set out for Camden on Sunday, bound for the Camden Opera House, where my stellar colleague in kidlit, Stephen Costanza, was hosting a musical celebration for his latest title, “King of Ragtime: the Story of Scott Joplin.”

Steve dedicated the show to Ashley Bryan, his dear friend, mentor, and major legend in art and children’s literature who passed away last month.

The Opera House was the perfect venue for a musical ode to Scott Joplin, composer of ragtime songs you probably know, like The Entertainer, written in 1902. Joplin’s place in American music history has spun countless threads forward.

Steve tapped the many talents of his musical neighbors on North Haven to perform accompaniment.

Bravo, Stephen on your incredible book! And a fantastic production showcasing Joplin’s life and music!

We headed to Rockland for the night, stopping at CMCA, to see Walk the Line, a brilliant exhibit that features work by Jeff Kellar, among others.

We checked in at 250 Main, a groovy little hotel with great art on loan from local galleries in Rockland, known as the “art capital of Maine” according to the Maine Tourism Association. We had a little balcony overlooking the harbor and felt at home watching the ferries come and go to the islands in West Penobscot Bay. We walked over to the Eclipse nearby for a hearty meal, where a sudden squall swirled outside.

But Monday was brilliant with sun and low temps.

We headed just down the road to meet Virginia Oliver, known as the Lobster Lady. I’ll be illustrating a picture book about her for Charlesbridge Publishing, written by Alexandra Hinrichs. Stay tuned on that, but here’s a cute item in her kitchen that exemplifies her attitude. She’s lived on the same street her whole long life. At 102, she’s sharp, spry and a complete marvel. I remarked that I also lived in an old house, which I love, but it never looks clean. Virginia laughed. She said, “If I could get paid for dust and dirt, I’d be a millionaire!” I bow down to this salty lady, and look forward to drawing her story.

We drove next to the Spruce Head Fishermans Co-op, where Virginia and her son, Max, keep their boat. It’s not in the water now, of course, but I documented the locale for future reference.

Next we ventured to the County and parts unknown for equal parts research, star gazing, and a library visit. Along the way, we scouted for signs of the Maine Solar System Model. It truly made the long drive into a quirky scavenger hunt, past endless open fields of snow.

We had missed a few, not knowing what we were looking for. But Uranus appeared and we were hooked.

It helps to have a map, because the scale means that some planets are small and blend in with the roadside environment of signage, barns, rural buildings. Yet the broad fields of white are strikingly beautiful.

Our destination was in Caribou, at the Old Iron Inn, a haven for antique irons like you never knew existed.

We stayed in the Amoeba Room, where a microscope lamp shed light on our cozy accommodations.

After getting pizza delivered, we drove out of town for bitter cold but sparkling star gazing. Aroostook County is known for it’s dark skies and they glittered.

In the morning, I sketched a rabbit for my customary monthly good luck post. With Ukraine under attack, I honestly was at a loss for words or ideas, other than prayers for Ukrainians everywhere, and for peace.

After a hearty breakfast made by our hostess, Katie McCartney, we stopped at the Caribou Public Library, where I met the Children’s Librarian, Erin Albers, and dug around in their archives. We drove north again, just across the river from New Brunswick, until we reached Lille, site of the Musee culturel du Mont-Carmel, a former Catholic Church that now houses a museum. Of course, it wasn’t open, but the spectacle was worth every mile.

We also stopped in New Sweden where nothing was open but the brutal winds. We drove back to Caribou, where this statue holds court downtown.

At the Inn, I sketched one of the irons.

I headed back to the library for my author visit at 4 PM, my first in-person library reading in ages!

After I read Skywatcher, kids tried my pastels. I talked about Jessica Meir, who grew up in Caribou, and how she has inspired my story. She dreamed big, and we all can.

Even a small scrap of sand paper can be a vast imaginary place full of color!

These vibrant drawings suggested to me the broad horizons around Caribou, dotted with red barns and magical light.

Thanks to Erin, who creates a lively home for young readers and for my warm welcome!

Before leaving the Inn, we bought a couple of small irons for our own collection:) You can check out Dr. Kevin McCartney talking irons here.

We stopped in at UMPI, to find the sun, holding up a stairwell. It put a new perspective on scale.

We headed back to our island, full of the County and it’s many charms. I’m back at the drawing board on my current project: illustrating Oh Chickadee by Jennifer Jacobson for McSea Books! From cheerful birds to salty ladies, I learn more about Maine every day. And now I’m eager to meet the students at Amanda Rowe School where I will be on March 4, reading, drawing, and star gazing. Keep shining, skywatchers!

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