Marilyn Faison Artist Residency

Many thanks to the Illustration Institute for a week’s artist residency a mere five minute walk from my Peaks Island home. So close, and yet so far away. The dirt road winds up into the woods where tall pines make you forget the summer hubbub that is now Peaks Island.

The chance to be in a place apart brings a new awareness for any artist. I found so many objects of affection around the house, and drew some into the little book made in Gregory Christie’s Illustration Institute Workshop.

Fallen petals urged me to capture the welcoming bouquet. too.

I chose a work space on a second floor porch, where salty breezes drifted inside.

Over at the Stone House, Lyn Smith was settling in for her residency. Marty and Daisy joined me for dinner and a walk to see evening clouds that were like pastel strokes on paper.

The vintage warmth and distant waves lulled me to sleep.

Sunday it rained, yet the patter on the roof was soothing. I found a copy of E. B. White’s letters signed by his granddaughter, Martha White, a previous resident. Perfect for a rainy day by a crackling fire.

I tromped with Lyn’s husband, Brian, over to Battery Steele, where the damp darkness is made bright by layers upon layers of graffiti.

We enjoyed a meal on the porch.

By Monday we got down to our solitary pursuits. I began working on an illustration for Lyn’s next book. Sneak peek:

Lyn joined me for lunch and shop talk. And I visited her, too.

There’s a great photo of Marilyn Faison there, in whose memory the artist residency was founded.

Marilyn was a RISD alum, class of 1960. She and her husband, John, hosted many creative encounters during their years on Peaks Island.

On Tuesday, Lyn, Daisy, and I attended Pat Crowley Rockwell’s Story and Craft program at the Peaks Island Library.

We’re all fans of Miss Rumphius, the featured book, and relished making paper lupines.

There’s spotty cell phone reception at the cottages and no wifi, but a play phone does the trick when drawing.

I rode my bike into the fog.

At least a couple of times a day, the Horse Island Campers trot past.

On Wednesday, Lyn and I gathered our collections for our Nature Sketchbooks by the Sea workshop.

That night we attended the Peaks Island Music Association’s annual concert of island musicians. Here is our own Nancy 3 and Janine Blatt of Maine Squeeze fame.

We returned to the Fifth Maine on Thursday morning to set up for the workshop.

Every table had nature objects and Nancy’s garden flowers for observational drawing.

Everybody chose their materials from a stash of papers, pencils, tapes, pastels, and handy magnifying glasses.

Photo by Scott Nash

Some even brought their own sketchbooks, ready to roll.

The all ages group was invited to find objects of their interest.

Working on colored paper is a quick departure from realism, and can yield bold results.

This artist has an eye for patterns.

Bill was happily drawing a bear, inspired by a folk tale.

Camden’s true nature is drawing buildings.

This looks like the natural habitat for a budding architect.

How about a hermit crab’s house?

One boy was loving the immediacy of pastel, working like Rothko with the energy of Pollock.

Actually, the sanded pastel paper drew many responses.

Each person made intuitive decisions, of paper color, of drawing color, of placement and composition, of marks. This triptych has remarkable harmony.

The simplicity here is elegant!

Lucy kept layering colors and blending them.

As an illustrator, I always delight when someone adds words, in this case labels for the objects.

There was plenty to look at, including my sketchbooks, and Lyn’s book dummy for A Porcupine’s Promenade.

Later that evening we dined with benefactor John Faison and Illustration Institute co-founders, Scott Nash and Nancy Gibson Nash.

Photo by Scott Nash

Yup, I made a pie in honor of Scott and Nancy, who’ve pioneered a unique mission around the narrative arts with their tremendous vision and diligence.

Food and laughter do a body good.

On Friday the sun reappeared! Fog veiled Long Island, but Peaks was pretty steamy.

The second floor porch was the coolest spot for lunch.

Later, my island neighbors Kathy and Will came over to tour the cottages.

Lyn had done a pile of watercolors!

I returned to my Guest House before more rain fell.

I drew a shoe form that Nancy found in her travels, a reminder of Marilyn Faison’s career as a shoe designer, and the footprint of the Faison’s generosity.

In fact, many islanders have donated time, funds, and furniture to the Illustration Institute that it may reach it’s mission to raise appreciation and awareness of illustration in its many forms. I am ever grateful for a wonderful week of filling my well, of collaboration with Lyn Smith, and of engaging folks in the power of noticing nature in all it’s variety.

Even the resident Funk and Wagnalls gave me inspiration.

Next week I’m taking the next ii workshop, this one with the renowned Anita Kunz! Can’t wait!