We had the happy opportunity to enjoy a long holiday weekend in New England – the holiday being Yolanda’s birthday. We wanted to re-connect two of our artistic friends who live within an hour of each other along the Atlantic coast from Marblehead, Massachusetts to York Harbor, Maine.

Life through Art

We started in historic Marblehead where Janet Russell has settled back into her home town. She makes elegant jewelry from unusual stones, rough cut diamonds, ancient beads and other special bits fashioned from Mother Earth. Yolanda has more than a few of her pieces. You can check out Janet’s jewelry at http://www.jbirdjewelry.com.

Old Town Hall, Marblehead

House on Lee Street

Marblehead from Lighthouse Point

On the Rocks

We had a great meal the evening of our arrival at 5 Corners Kitchen and spent the next day taking in the sights of Salem, of the infamous Witch Trials. We didn’t see any witches, but we did see some great Art at the Peabody Essex Museum.

Rodin Sculpture

Intersections by Anila Quayyum Agha

Outside the museum we found an installation called “Stickworks,” by Patrick Dougherty.

In the Sticks

That evening we celebrated Yo’s birthday at Finz, where we were joined by Kate Doyle, painter, sculptor and all-around creative spirit. You can find her work at http://www.katherinedoyle.com.

Artistic Duo, Kate and Janet

Birthday Bunch

Mmmmmmmm!

The next evening we had a special lobster dinner at Janet’s house. Lobsters molt this time of year and they were so soft you could break them open with your hands. Caught that day!

First Bite

Heading North, we traveled to Portmouth, New Hampshire, an old port city with a newly bustling historic downtown. We stopped for a hipster sandwich at Book and Bar and to rendezvous with Kate so she could show us her studio nearby.

Kate Doyle’s Studio with River Prints

Studio Chandelier

We found this work of art at a shop along our route to an exhibition at 3S Artspace where Kate was participating in the current exhibition, “On the Map.”

Cornet Spaceship

3S Artspace

Kate is currently exploring wood sculptures made from thin slices of a Civil War era oak tree. She mysteriously warps them, shaves them, and plays with a variety of finishes to make pieces that sit, hang and interconnect in all kinds of interesting ways. We are anxiously waiting for our own slice of Kate, which we selected this weekend. She will also be exhibiting in Hickok Cole’s Art Night in DC on November 3rd.

Kate, with “E6”

Sculpture in “On the Map” at 3S Artspace

We stayed at Kate’s charming cottage by the sea and hiked the Cliff Walk along the shore to York Harbor, across the “Wiggly Bridge” to Steedman Woods. Later that afternoon we visited the Ogonquit Mueseum of American Art, followed by a great dinner at MC Perkins Cove. Yo and Ava had Lobster mac ‘n cheese. I had the chicken.

Cliff Walk, York Harbor

Kate and me on the Wiggly Bridge

Ogonquit Museum of American Art

Garden Rhino

What an incredible line of coastland. The water is deep blue, capped with silvery-white sparkles. The rocks are sharp along the shore and the small ones crackle as the waves turn them over, turning them into smooth, round stones. Life through art, life as art.