Painting a Reflection of Coastal Maine

Sometimes only takes a glance in a certain direction for Clayton to recognize a scene that he would like to paint.  After a morning bike ride, Clayton was standing at the griddle cooking pancakes when he glanced toward the open kitchen door.  Reflected in the glass portion of the door was a field full of Queen Anne’s Lace leading out to the ocean where a lobster boat was heading out to work. The view out the door itself was the edge of the woods across the road.

Clayton finished cooking, ate his pancakes and then set up his easel in the middle of the kitchen to begin painting this double scene.  Meanwhile other hungry family members continued to cook their pancakes, careful to avoid jostling the painter at work.

Teasel

Many consider Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum, a noxious weed, but as Clayton walked by this plant he noticed that four butterflies (monarch and swallowtails) and at least five bumblebees considered it a feeding station.  It does need to be cut back before it goes to seed, since it is difficult to control as a non-native plant.