A seasonal open letter from Grace:

Dear Reader,

Winter 2025 has come and gone. I spent January and February traversing up and down the coast from Deer Isle to Provincetown. The solitude of rural communities in the height of the coldest time of year was a profound time to paint. I watched foxes hunt for their next meal as I painted in the dead of night in Provincetown. I observed Stonington from the unlit rafters of a Mansard roof, illuminating my canvas with a headlamp.

When I could no longer tolerate the cold, I returned to Farmington to paint from my home. I positioned my still lifes with a view to the outside world. I felt a pull to the outside. I have been longing to return to landscape and I am excited to see New England wake up from its stunning hibernation. This summer, my promise to my practice is to paint often and paint honestly. My studio is in the mountains, where thick fog passes through and sometimes brings snowflakes in July.

Currently, I enjoy the company of my far off neighbors in the mountainside with the glow of their lit houses in twilight. I enjoy doors left half-open, where unmade duvet covers lie about the floor. I enjoy the forsythia blooms with their red and purple branches. I enjoy the robins congregating in the freshly-mowed lawn.

I am eager to share artworks that reflect the joys of observation and I toast my paintbrush to all who enjoy such things.

Sincerely,

Photo by Will Robinson, Penobscot Bay Press