So many cool, water-weathered and gnarly roots...
Impressive cliff faces along the Sound - complete with a bald eagle coasting on the air currents.
Periwinkles sprinkled liberally every inch of the beach that is under water at some point. Mosses that even grow in briney water. The bones of old water-worn docks that resemble nothing short of dinosaur vertebrae.
And possibly my favorite part - the 'still life' arrangements one could find at low tide - assembled by accommodating mussels. Consisting of mussels, driftwood, pebbles, whelks (and whelk eggs!) and oyster shells. Each one is surprisingly more beautiful than the last and so artfully constructed. Even as artists - it's tough to compete with Mother Nature! (and if you want to see more amazing artful nature, see this post on the seastars that were visible at low tide over on our POBL blog).
We had a sampling of raw and sprouted uber-healthy things to eat...
(I even brought my juicer and we juiced all kinds of delicious concoctions daily!)
The dinners were amazing! Both tasty -
- and beautifully (can I say, artfully?) arranged and presented.
Topped off with birthday-cake goodness!
I started reading and working through this awesome book called Figure Drawing - Design and Invention by Michael Hampton. Very clear descriptions of various parts of the body and depicted in a number of different ways... And the many gestures and poses shown are very dynamic and exciting.
I used one of them to also play a bit with oil washes on unsealed paper in a very quick and dirty fashion. Trying to get a feel for it to see if I can be brave enough to use paint at some of the long-pose life drawing sessions we have.
A little ways down the beach was a darling little abandoned house that had the most cheerful and figurative graffiti I've ever seen! Nearly every wall was covered.
Most of the windows had been broken so some of the rooms were also wall-papered in ropes of ivy.
This apropos figure was painted in the remnants of the shower...
Octopi and flying pigs!
Looking out on the Sound amidst empty window frames and old buckled hardwood floors...
We had a lovely space to 'work' in... whatever form that took...
There was research and sketching...
...quilting (aren't these batiks scrumptious?)...
...painting on silk....
...reading about, talking about and just thinking about art...
One of our many low-tide strolls along the rocky shore....
Exposed oyster bed (low low tide). Makes me start reciting 'The Walrus and the Carpenter"...
A sighting of the Olympics in the distance (tide coming back in) -
...and beautiful sunsets....
...every night....
...beyond the sea....
...had a lovely weekend. Lots of resting and sky watching and walks along the beach....
My project has ended just in time for my critique group's biennial art-retreat. We'll be heading off to a place on the water for a long weekend of good food, great company and intense creating. Will report more upon our return.
The covers are essentially done, and are currently being pressed between thick masonite with a stack of heavy heavy art books on top. (I've already seen a few tweaks that need to happen before actually shipping them - but they are small). Hooray.
Can I say - too much yum, and too much fun? 
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