Debbi Friedman’s Blog

We returned yesterday from a glorious week of sun and warmth in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. This was the first time we’ve vacationed in the month of July in a long time, and I don’t know if that’s what made the different, or if we were just incredibly lucky with the weather. The photo below was taken on a day trip to Monhegan Island, populated by an artist’s community in the summer. It is such a quaint and stunningly beautiful place. I wish I could go there to work for two weeks (or more!).

We also went to the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, Maine, which features works by the three generations of Wyeth artists: NC Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth. In addition they have a wonderful collection of American Folk Art, and some contemporary exhibits: Alex Katz and Friends, and an entire room devoted to works by Louise Nevelson. (All were born in Maine.) I had been very intrigued by Andrew Wyeth’s work at one point in college so it was interesting to see actual pieces again. But what impressed me the most were the paintings by NC Wyeth that he did in addition to his works as an illustrator: large scale landscape paintings done in oil of his home in Maine, lobster fishermen, the coast; all with a wonderful vivid use of color. He even experimented with some concepts from the Italian and Russian Futurist movements of his day.  www.farnsworthmuseum.org