Monday, September 12, 2005

Ironbound Reflections


It has been since prior to the Labor Day holiday that I focused on adding much of substance to the Timberlines other than last week's quick addition of my Guestbook. Not the sort of thing one should be doing when just starting out on a new endeavor such as this if I want to build any regular readership. Unfortunately, some business and a few private matters have interceded and in reality sometimes you just need a break.

Truth is, I haven't even thought about Timberlines for nearly a week until returning today from a family wedding on Ironbound Island located in Frenchman's Bay near Bar Harbor, Maine. The world sets a different pace on Ironbound as my photo implies. An idyllic setting for a few reflective days following what has been a difficult few months due to my wife's serious illness this past summer. Now that things are improving with her health it was great she was able to travel to attend her cousin's wedding, reunite with her family and relax in such a wonderful natural and historic environment.

Electricity based only upon solar power, water heated by copper pipe bypass through the kitchen's wood burning stove, old fashioned kerosene lanterns, etc. No computers, TVs or telephones. A run down old jeep or two only for hauling supplies around the island. Just the place a wood cased pencil fits right in. I even took the opportunity to do a few quick sketches for the first time in ages. Not great, as compared to some of my photos which I have added to my Flickr page along with a few drawings of our Ironbound weekend.

Ironbound Island has however been an inspiration for real artists within the past hundred years or so. Lifelong Artist Dwight Blaney of Boston established his family summer home there in 1892 inviting family, closest friends and fellow artists as noteworthy as John Singer Seargent. Still maintained as a family retreat the island has been preserved in its natural state and permanently dedicated to non-development except for a few family residences. Dwight Blaney's water colors and paintings are a lasting portrayal of the quite reflection and repose of the Ironbound that thankfully still exist today. (Note: Blaney's painting "Ironbound Island, Maine" shown in the link provided depicts the same farmhouse as that in the background of my photo) What a treat to have been a part of this wonderful family event in such an amazing place.

3 comments:

Pencil Revolution said...

I'm very glad to hear that your wife is doing better and able to travel. New England around this time of year seems like a nice first trip to take, too.

The sketches look great! Is that a Moleskine Japanese book?

WoodChuck said...

yes, it's the Japanese book with accordian fold out pages. I drew the two pictures seperately from different angles, but when I went to open the pages up it almost looked like it was all one drawing

Pencil Revolution said...

That's really cool! We used one of those as the guest book at my wedding:)