Old Mystic Marsh

Old Mystic Marsh

Oil on canvas, 20x20

sold

On Saturday, I went painting with a friend at Old Mystic. It was Mike's first time painting with anyone, and for me, around here at least, it was a pretty rare experience.

Jill Blanchette and I painted together one memorable day. I painted last summer with Megan, who took lessons from me, and was a delightful companion. Heather MacLeod and I painted our way through Atlantic Canada together, a journey I will never forget.

When we lived in New York, I painted regularly with my friends at the Wallkill River School. I miss them every day.

It is an oddly solitary life I lead these days. No more working in the newsroom. No more painting with the plein-air group. These days, Peter and I work at home. He is my office mate, though he's in one room and I'm in the other.

I go to Montville, I go to meetings, I do see other people, but it's different. It is a quiet life here, and a good one. But different.

All of which goes a long way toward saying that it was fun to paint with Mike and thrilling, as always, to see the magic of what happens when two painters paint side by side.

My painting on the left, Mike's on the right.