Drawn to the Sea: Day 2

Today was Day 2 of Drawn to the Sea. (If you haven’t read Monday’s post, check it out so you know what is going on!) Though it was sweltering hot, we fearless creative teachers braved the elements to take a field trip to Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven! With the help of Science Guy Dr. Dave Welty coming to the rescue with digital camera technical difficulties, plus lots of water and sunscreen, we boarded a yellow bus and drove down to the shore.





Armed with words of inspiration from Ginny and Mary Ellen, Jack encouraged us to find some shade (yes there are some good spots especially behind the fort next to the hurricane dike) and we were off to collect ocean relics, sketch, paint, journal, photograph...




I took a few pictures of some interesting spots. I love the rock moss and the textures of different objects that find themselves in little still-lifes along the sand.


I did some sketching and writing, too and also got to chat with a few of my fellow students during those two hours. It’s really nice to get to talk with people who are open to being creative and love teaching, too.



And everyone made it through the heat with a damaged digital camera being the only injury to report. We are hearty folk!




So after the beach, I’m thinking about a few things that I’m inspired by...
...the possibilities of change the ocean represents even as it seems ancient
...the feeling of a connection to the sea, to some humanity that the ocean shares with us
...gratitude for the senses to appreciate the power and beauty of nature and for people who help me to stop and see it
...the ocean layers as I look through the water, numerous and different and all at once visible, and how that might reflect me as a person



Following a delicious lunch catered by Shipyard Galley (thanks for taking good care of us, Jack!), I took out my sketchbook for a while. I wrote and created a watercolor painting from a memory of watching a rare meteor shower out in East Fairhaven several years ago around 2:30 in the morning one cold night.






At the end of class, it was inspiring to me that everyone shared something about their experience today with the rest of the group, be it writing, art, insights, weavings. It is a brave thing to do, and helps others to be brave enough to express themselves. It’s also really nice to be surrounded by people who are supportive and positive about what is going on with their own work and others’. I’m excited to see what some of my classmates’ creations-in-progress will become at the end of the week. I’m curious as to what mine will look like, too!


Tomorrow I will bring in my rock (more on that later) and I am going to sign off to read Peter Stone’s very beautiful book of paintings and written reflections, Sanctuaries, before our day tomorrow with Peter on the New Bedford waterfront!