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A hint of Maine shore.
Living On An Island
I have a dream, actually I guess it's more of a fantasy, I want to live on an island. Not a big island where lots of people live but a small one, off the coast of Maine. I found one that if we wanted it we could afford it. True there is no house on it, yet, and when I sent a the link of the island to my wife she said, 'There are no trees, just moss and rocks!' well there are no trees but we could plant those and it was not moss and rocks it was grass and rocks. It is sixteen acres with a mile of shoreline, nice rocky substantial shoreline. The add also said it could have electricity and could support three houses. So my kids could live there too. Not sure my daughter and her family would go for it but I bet my son would, if he could talk his wife into it.
So why an island, all alone and isolated? Because, it's all alone and isolated. I admit to having reclusive hermit like tendencies. I like to fantasize, I like to think of it as thinking and not fantasizing but, well - anyway, I like to think of wandering along the shore line, watching the waves, feeling the the salt spray as the wind blows, the grasses swaying, observing the gulls and other waterfowl as well as the sea life, all of this inspiring great paintings. Being able to just paint and paint and paint. We might have electricity but no television, no computer, just us and nature and peace and quiet. Just thinking about it in these stressful times makes me as relaxed and limp as kelp washed up on shore.
Then the reality sets in. God I hate reality. Harsh, long and cold winters. Hard winds and strong storms. Fog that might settle in for weeks. All alone and isolated. No television, no computer. What if one of us gets injured or really sick? We would have to go to a doctor or emergency room. Of course we would have to have a boat to get us to the mainland, and I can almost bet there would be trouble with the boat motor (I'm just no good with mechanical things) and we would have to do it in adverse weather. Ever notice how emergencies always happen late at night or when the weather is bad. Why is that by the way?
So I ask myself; why do I want to live on an island? I can be reclusive, I need a certain amount of alone time to paint. Though I have no trouble with someone watching me paint I prefer they didn't. I don't often paint with other artists, it's not that I don't like to but I just mostly like to paint alone. I need to experience a place without distractions. I like being with my own thoughts, to have the quiet time to think and dream about my work. People look at me weird when I hold dirt in my hands, smell the foliage, hug trees to listen to them, talk to the birds or squirreles or whatever. I don't usually do these things when I'm with others, just when I'm alone. But then I like being around my family and friends, it's nice to have artist friends, people of like mind. Still though that island fantasy seems like such a wonderful life. Yet I know in my heart I wouldn't like it, at least not all year, maybe just part of the year? Then again I realize I have an island, a place to escape to, to be with my thoughts and dreams, to find that alone time. Its in my head, and, it's in my studio, that's my island.
So why an island, all alone and isolated? Because, it's all alone and isolated. I admit to having reclusive hermit like tendencies. I like to fantasize, I like to think of it as thinking and not fantasizing but, well - anyway, I like to think of wandering along the shore line, watching the waves, feeling the the salt spray as the wind blows, the grasses swaying, observing the gulls and other waterfowl as well as the sea life, all of this inspiring great paintings. Being able to just paint and paint and paint. We might have electricity but no television, no computer, just us and nature and peace and quiet. Just thinking about it in these stressful times makes me as relaxed and limp as kelp washed up on shore.
Then the reality sets in. God I hate reality. Harsh, long and cold winters. Hard winds and strong storms. Fog that might settle in for weeks. All alone and isolated. No television, no computer. What if one of us gets injured or really sick? We would have to go to a doctor or emergency room. Of course we would have to have a boat to get us to the mainland, and I can almost bet there would be trouble with the boat motor (I'm just no good with mechanical things) and we would have to do it in adverse weather. Ever notice how emergencies always happen late at night or when the weather is bad. Why is that by the way?
So I ask myself; why do I want to live on an island? I can be reclusive, I need a certain amount of alone time to paint. Though I have no trouble with someone watching me paint I prefer they didn't. I don't often paint with other artists, it's not that I don't like to but I just mostly like to paint alone. I need to experience a place without distractions. I like being with my own thoughts, to have the quiet time to think and dream about my work. People look at me weird when I hold dirt in my hands, smell the foliage, hug trees to listen to them, talk to the birds or squirreles or whatever. I don't usually do these things when I'm with others, just when I'm alone. But then I like being around my family and friends, it's nice to have artist friends, people of like mind. Still though that island fantasy seems like such a wonderful life. Yet I know in my heart I wouldn't like it, at least not all year, maybe just part of the year? Then again I realize I have an island, a place to escape to, to be with my thoughts and dreams, to find that alone time. Its in my head, and, it's in my studio, that's my island.
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