Tidal         

2023-26. A stay at a small cottage on Penobscot Bay inspired this project. Being the autumn, few people were around. The apples had fallen from a small grove of trees. Songbirds were everywhere joyously feeding on them. Eagles were gliding high above the cove. At night, the haunting sound of seals barking echoed from the darkness. That soon changed when a nor’easter rolled in with torrential rain.

After a day of pounding wind and rain, the front moved through, leaving spectacular clouds followed by clear blue skies. It was low tide as I made my way down the steps to the beach to see the aftermath. Apples from the trees high up on the bank had fallen down to the beach below. The seagrass swirled in dramatic patterns. Channels of erosion look like mini canyons revealing layers of stones, shells and sediment. Beyond the visual, there was an energy or energies present that I can only describe as mystical.

The coast of Maine has ignited the creative spirit of generations of artists. It is a magical place of constant change, harmony and conflict, striking beauty, and like all tidal waters, an exchange of giving and taking away. This project is an exploration of this place of paradox and mystery, the language of color, and the rhythmic beat of our planet.