The Mountaintop
I’m eager to see the current production of The Mountaintop that just opened at Portland Stage. I worked on the illustration last winter, and as usual, learned so much in the research process. Katori Hall’s award-winning play is set at the Lorraine Motel, the night before Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. I found this photo on-line. Seeing it brings a brutal reality all back, one that I didn’t understand when I was 9. I still don’t. I began thinking by drawing. The play involves an encounter between King and a maid, Camae, who brings him coffee and more...
Read MoreCharm City Circles
No matter which route you take, Portland to Baltimore is a solid 10 hour roadtrip. But how warm the welcome! We arrived at the home of Donna and Peter, just in time for some local craft beer and chicken roasted on their deck, with the Natty Bo sign winking a few blocks away. They have a wide collection of art, but this oil painting of Peter as a young man is my favorite. We headed in the morning over to MICA’s Parents Weekend, eager to see our new freshman. Let the hugs begin! We stopped at MICA’s Print Lab. Nice to have such resources so handy on campus. We hung out for awhile...
Read MoreRISD by Design 15
There’s no harder evidence of time flying than considering your 35th college reunion. Whaaat? Upon finding my RISD 1980 yearbook, I wondered if I’d find any former self at RISD By Design 2015. I headed to Providence in time to meet up with classmate Rika Smith McNally. Hadn’t seen her in five years, since the last reunion. We headed over to the Inauguration of Rosanne Somerson, the 17th President of the college, and the first alum. What a graceful, thoughtful, and moving ceremony. I was delighted to spy MICA’s President, Sammy Hoi, in the throng of Visiting Delegates...
Read MoreLughnasa
Whenever a moon can make it’s way into an illustration project, I’m happy. And I am over the moon to be working with Portland Stage on their 2015/16 season. In frigid January, I began illustrating all the posters, starting with the season opener, Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel. I played my wee stash of Irish music while sketching, to help me capture the energy and spirit of the five Mundy sisters. These are a few of my preliminary sketches. The above design was chosen. I also visited a moonrise on the backshore, adding to my inspiration. Moon cycles are well observed in this...
Read MoreMoto: Fundy!
This post wraps up our motorcycle adventures in Canada, I promise! We returned to Nova Scotia via Tidnish, and rode along the Northumberland Shore in late afternoon sun, at one point parallel to a herd plodding towards their barn. We stopped in Pugwash to buy a bottle of zin for later, and found out there were lodgings in Tatamagouche. Man, we lucked out with the Train Station Inn! The rail cars offer accommodations but were already booked. We instead enjoyed a Victorian room in the main Inn, and a delicious dinner later in a dining car that ran on the Intercontinental Railway until 1972....
Read MoreMoto: PEI!
This trip was my eighth to Nova Scotia, with family always a destination. We decided to see Prince Edward Island for the first time, with yet another ferry to board (our third, if you’re counting.) We passed this Bay Ferry just after spying a whale spout. The trip was only an hour and fifteen minutes, just enough time to feel the breezes and check in with wifi. The striking feature of our ride from the Wood Islands Ferry Terminal to Charlottetown was the wide-open expanse of fields and coves. It’s hard making high mileage when there’s so much natural beauty to distract us....
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