Route 66

Rabbit rabbit route 66 illustration by Jamie Hogan

I’m on pins and needles right now. This election is beyond nerve-wracking. So, here’s my report on the road trip from which we returned a week ago. Our trip was less about destination and more about friends we haven’t seen in too long. Does it feel like our friendships withered during the pandemic? With me turning 66 last month, my rabbit illustration on the first of October made use of my Batman pencil case as a vehicle for adventures on Route 66. We had first planned to connect with folks on both coasts, but realized that plan was not realistic. And yet a certain urgency about seeing people while we still could took hold.

We headed out on October 14 for Putnam, CT, to visit our dear friends, Annie Gusman Joly and Dave Joly. Upon arrival we set out on a walk about their town, where I met my spirit animal, the Bear.

Jamie meets her spirit bear in downtown Putnam, CT. photo by Marty Braun

Not far was another group of sculptures by Dale Rogers.

Sculpture by Dale Rogers in Putnam, CT                   photo by Jamie Hogan

So good to catch up with Annie and Dave! Annie gave me my first teaching gig at the Art Institute of Boston decades ago, long before it became Lesley University. She and Dave now teach at QVCC nearby. Lots to discuss!

On October 15, they had appointments so Marty and I took a field trip to the RISD Museum. It looks different than when I was a student there, but I found a piece by Louise Nevelson.

Sculpture by Louise Nevelson at the RISD Museum         photo by Jamie Hogan

It had the same impact as a black bear. Bold and brave. We saw incredible art, and also this piece hanging in our guest bedroom, made by RISD alum, Eric Spenser.

Mask by RISD grad, Eric Spenser               photo by Jamie Hogan

Their cat, Creamy, took up the center seat for eavesdropping on our conversation.

Drawing and collage by Jamie Hogan

We got silly taking bad selfies.

Marty Braun, Jamie Hogan, Dave and Annie Joly in Putnam, CT                                  photo by Annie Joly

On October 16 we landed on Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn for a sweet visit with my RISD classmate, Madeline Sorel.

Madeline Sorel uncorks the wine                         photo by Jamie Hogan

Madeline’s husband, Dror Kahn, mixed cocktails for the guys before we headed out to Rocca, a local seaside place where I spied a swan swimming between the boats under an almost full moon.

Marty Braun and Dror Khan sipping Negronis                      photo by Jamie Hogan

In the morning, before everyone was up, I drew a still life on their dining room table, and later added Madeline and some collage to the teapot.

sketch by Jamie Hogan

On October 17, Madeline gave us a tour of Kingsborough Community College where she has taught illustration for many years. She pointed out a detail in her collage in the Art Department’s Faculty Exhibit. She made this work during a collage workshop in Scotland.

Madeline Sorel at Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn                photo by Jamie Hogan

Madeline headed to another teaching destination and Marty and I took another walk at the beach before hitting the road for Baltimore.

Marty Braun and Jamie Hogan at Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn                   photo by Jamie Hogan

We checked into a hotel at Cross Keyes, where we’d stayed during our daughter’s years at MICA. It’s been five years since we were there, but still it’s still Charm City and the home of Nattie Boh.

sketch of Nattie Bo by Jamie Hogan

We spent the morning at the legendary American Visionary Art Museum, one of our favorite places anywhere. Andrew Logan’s Cosmic Galaxy Egg beckons reflections on beginnings.

Mosaic sculpture by Andrew Logan at AVAM, Baltimore             photo by Jamie Hogan

There’s always surprises here, and yet we were delighted to stumble upon an exhibit of Judith Scott’s work, the subject of a recent picture book biography illustrated by our Maine neighbor, Melissa Sweet, Unbound: The Life and Art of Judith Scott.

Judith Scott sculptures featured at AVAM                             photo by Jamie Hogan

Our eyes melted, yet the view of Baltimore from the American Visionary Art Museum was clear as a bell.

View of Baltimore from AVAM                    photo by Jamie Hogan

We walked around the city before stopping at another favorite spot, the MICA store, where the Print Department had signs galore.

posters at MICA in Baltimore                      photo by Jamie Hogan

We topped off the evening at Cosima, where we visited with Donna Crivello, executive chef.

Marty Braun and Donna Crivello at Cosima in Baltimore                 photo by Jamie Hogan

These two were once design colleagues at the Boston Globe, where I met them both! A very sweet circle to be served a signature Donna dessert.

On October 19, we drove to Virginia Beach where we looked up my cousin Barbara Byrd and her husband, Jim. Our mothers were sisters, growing up in Norwalk, CT. We had not seen each other in about 14 years, and Barbara shared this vintage photo of Jeanne (my mum) and her sister, Dorothy (Barbara’s mum.)

Sisters Jeanne and Dorothy Little, Norwalk, CT                        photo courtesy of Barbara Byrd

Jim and Barbara treated us to dinner at their favorite Mexican restaurant nearby and we caught up on family history. There’s way more stories to tell!

Barbara and Jim Byrd, Virginia Beach                     photo by Jamie Hogan

They gave us a little sailor ducky for Daisy, remembering her rubber ducky collection. Barbara and Jim met in the Navy:)

sketch by Jamie Hogan

After breakfast on October 20, we hit the road again, fortified by family ties and strong coffee.

Ihop, uhop, we all hop for coffee               photo by Jamie Hogan

The landscape turned into rolling fields of cotton, open skies, and then we saw this. Had to stop and say a prayer.

Finding our religion photo by Jamie Hogan

We landed in Carolina Shores at the home of Fred and Sue Scheetz. Marty’s known Fred since grade school, so catching up on news from Cuyahoga Falls, OH was front and center. We walked with their dog, Holly, at Sunset Beach.

Marty, Fred, Sue, and Holly at Sunset Beach, NC                photo by Jamie Hogan

Fred and Sue moved to the southern edge of North Carolina many years ago, and live between golf courses, beautiful beaches, and ALLIGATORS.

Don’t let the gators git ya               photo by Jamie Hogan

We saw a few lolling at the edge of a golf course, looking lazy but watch out. Instead, we fed ourselves at the local Boundary.

Sue and Fred Scheetz at the Boundary House in Calabash, NC                               photo by Jamie Hogan

It was fun to be around Holly, a Sheltie they rescued from their neighbor who died. What a sweetie!

sketch of Holly by Jamie Hogan

Fred and Sue brought us to a favorite place where they take Holly for walks, Vereen Gardens in Little River, SC. The serene marsh reflections were like medicine for the soul.

Vereen Gardens, NC               photo by Jamie Hogan

Before departing, we mailed our postcards in their mailbox, an old Harley tank, a vestige from Fred’s riding days.

moto mailbox             photo by Jamie Hogan

On October 22, we turned north again, without an itinerary. We landed in Washington, NC at a quirky inn, When Pigs Fly Inn, where the flying pig theme was strong. I had time to sketch one of the many pig items in our Red Room.

sketch by Jamie Hogan

The inn is a short stroll to the harbor, as well as an Underground Railroad Museum, and a park where I found another bear spirit.

Marty Braun in Washington, NC                     photo by Jamie Hogan

Jamie Hogan in Washington, NC photo by Marty Braun

Everywhere there were large crab sculptures, decorated in different designs by local artists. Of course, I favored this mosaic blue crab, which is considered invasive in Maine.

Crabby in Washington, NC                        photo by Jamie Hogan

On October 23, we continued north by way of the Outer Banks in search of this iconic light house on Bodie Island.

Bodie Island Light House, Nags Head, NC                        photo by Jamie Hogan

Marty had traveled this area decades ago with his surf buddy, T Scully. We found a friendly surf shop for souvenirs.

Cavalier Surf Shop, Nags Head, NC              photo by Jamie Hogan

After grabbing lunch we came upon a public access to the beach for a quick picnic watching a surfer ride his skim board.

Surf skimming in Nags Head, NC                 photo by Jamie Hogan

After crossing long bridges and driving through tunnels, we landed at the Charlotte Hotel in Onancock, VA, an historic little town on the shores of Chesapeake Bay.

Marty at the Charlotte Hotel, Onancock, VA                       photo by Jamie Hogan

Everywhere we stopped, Halloween decor was on display. In Onancock, it was all about bicycles.

Spooky skelly in Onancock, VA               photo by Jamie Hogan

But look! I spied a Star Bear in a mural!

Mural in Onancock, VA                   photo by Jamie Hogan

We headed out on October 24 for a day of driving. A stop at this Waffle House was the highlight.

Somewhere in Delaware                  photo by Jamie Hogan

We found a hotel in Fort Lee, NJ for the night and rested up for the next day at the New York Botanical Garden!

Marty at the NYBG in the Bronx              photo by Jamie Hogan

I read about this show in April in the New York Times and vowed to see it. We caught it on the next to last day, but what a day! This exhibit curated by Jennifer R. Gross is a lovely trip through a magical portal of curiosity.

Jamie admires the Shrumen Lumen at the New York Botanical Garden                          photo by Marty Braun

We paused inside the Haupt Conservatory, where the exotic plants and fountains begged to be sketched. The warmth and burbling water soothed my road weary nerves.

Sketch inside the Haupt Conservatory by Jamie Hogan

We toured the Rockefeller Rose Garden and considered our next move in Yoko Ono’s oversize chess set, “Play It by Trust.”

Jamie in the NYBG Wonderland exhibit,                      photo by Marty Braun

We spied some cosplay as we meandered along trails, past a waterfall, and over bridges lined by blazing foliage.

fellow wanderers in the NYBG exhibit, Wonderland                  photo by Jamie Hogan

We went down another rabbit hole in the Mertz Library, where ephemera of  books, art, and music inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland were on plentiful display.

In the Mertz Library at NYBG                photo by Jamie Hogan

By late afternoon, our eyeballs were full. This show had all my favorite things: a bold and curious girl, fungi, card games, and botanical surprises. Here’s an illustration I did years ago, part of the Wake Up, Alice! exhibit at the Portland Public Library in 2015.

Alice by Jamie Hogan

We spent the night in Norwalk, CT so in the morning we could find the address of where my Mum grew up. On the way there, this skelly’s wide open arms was a good sign.

Huggable Halloween in Norwalk, CT                        photo by Jamie Hogan

We found the house, looking probably different than 100 years ago when she was born. This mural at the corner of St. John Street was another good sign.

Love mural in East Norwalk, CT                photo by Jamie Hogan

We stopped at the Village Green and happened upon a labyrinth at the St. Paul’s church. I felt love at every turn.

Labyrinth walk at St. Paul’s on the Green, Norwalk, CT                  photo by Jamie Hogan

From there we headed to New England, with an impromptu detour at Carr’s Cider House in Hadley, MA.

Marty Braun at Carr’s Cider House             photo by Jamie Hogan

I sketched one of the nearby goats, Haydari.

Sketch by Jamie Hogan

We looked up our island neighbor, Rob Leiber, and his new bride, Shira Neumann, who bought an old house in Turner’s Falls.

Newlyweds Rob and Shira in Turners Falls, MA                 photo by Jamie Hogan

We met a stone carver in our tour of the town. Here’s a detail of his public art downtown.

Detail of Tim de Christopher’s Rock Paper Scissors in Turners Fall, MA                      photo by Marty Braun

As the sun went down, we found the French King Bridge Motel, a vintage reminder of my childhood at the Red Doors Motel.

French King Motel key          photo by Jamie Hogan

On October 27, we blasted back to Casco Bay Lines, just in time to pass Daisy and Bryce heading out on their own road trip to California. Fare thee well, Peaks Island Dreamers!

Peaks Island Dreamers depart                   photo by Jamie Hogan

Our neighbor’s skelly was a nice welcome. Rake nevermore!

Moxhay’s Halloween decor photo by Jamie Hogan

It was time to create my November rabbit, and of course, it’s inspired by the New York Botanical Garden’s topiary White Rabbit by Mosaicultures Internationals de Montreal.

November Rabbit Rabbit illustration by Jamie Hogan

May November bring all the good luck! Thanks for following along our Route 66 trip of reconnecting to friends and family, nature, and art.