A Decorative Lobster Buoy

Usually I paint paintings, not decorative objects. But I like to contribute to projects near to my heart, and the Maine fisheries is one of those. So I was happy to paint a lobster buoy for the East Penobscot Resource Center in Stonington for their upcoming benefit. The last time I painted a lobster buoy, it was one I found on the beach, and I painted it Christmas green and red, and added it to a wreath which I hung on our shed. A week later a local lobsterman told me he nearly drove off the road laughing when he saw it hanging there. I hope this one does a better job!

Here are a few photos of the process I used on the wooden buoy supplied by East Penobscot Resource Center. 

Buoy after filling cracks (thanks, Mike!), gessoing, and drawing the lobster based on a previous painting. Note there are two lobsters, one on each side.

Close-up of the drawing on the buoy.

Buoy after the lobster was painted in oils.

Buoy with background.

The final step was to gesso and then paint the stick with acrylic paint. Thanks to Carol L. Douglas for the midnight pick-up and for delivering the buoy for me. The lobster buoy event is on August 1 in Stonington, Maine.

Sleeping In

"Sleeping In"

12"x12" oil on Raymar panel

The wind on the coast of Maine comes up in the afternoon and generally dies at sunset. Early in the morning it’s usually very calm, and that’s when fisherman (lobstermen included) go out to do their work. But not always. We’ve run into some interesting situations, cruising the coast in our boat over the last 25 years. 

For example, why is no one lobstering on Sunday? I’m always taking pictures of lobster boats, and especially like to see them working. But in the summer they don’t appear on Sundays. Maine state law explains why: 

Closed Period - Title 12, Section 6440

It is against the law to raise or haul any lobster trap during closed periods.

• It is unlawful to haul lobster gear from ½ hour after sunset until ½ hour before sunrise between June 1st and October 31st.
• It is unlawful to haul lobster gear after 4:00 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time, Saturday until ½ hour before sunrise the following Monday morning from June 1st to August 31st, both days inclusive.

Who knew? Now I know why these boats are sleeping in!

"Stonington Green"

"Stonington Green"

8"x16" oil on Raymar panel

 Under painting for "Stonington Green"

Note that I widened the lobster shack and the pier and added the lobster boat.

There are a number of iconic scenes in Stonington, Maine, at the bottom of Deer Isle. Many painters have enjoyed painting them, and they hang in fortunate houses across our country. It’s a beautiful place to visit, and I feel lucky that my first few visits were by boat. That’s the way life should be.

This house, with its green paint and matching lobster shack on its wharf is one of those scenes. This particular view is from the shore side, and you can see it if you walk from Billings Marine into town as we often do. I have a lovely painting of it by Alec Richardson. He stood out on the rocks a bit to the right of this view. I started this painting over a year ago, toned the canvas and did a pencil drawing. And it sat. And I looked at the view again as I walked by last summer. And the other day it reached out to me and said “It’s my turn! Paint me.” And so I did.