Friday, January 21, 2011

Maine Mutt Mansion


Lazy Afternoon
Original oil painting 18x24"
by Susan Roux

Why would 5 artists chose to lock themselves up in a strange house in the middle of winter for a week?

I know it sounds a bit crazy, but coming from me, you're really not surprised. Right?

It's official. All the money is in and the week is paid for. In less than a month we'll be hard at work on our Artist's Retreat! Yay! People often wonder what we do in Maine all winter long. Usually we come up with wild ideas to keep ourselves entertained. It gives us something to look forward to. Yes there are winter sports, but as the years go by, I find myself doing less and less of that. My cross-country skis are blocked in a corner, collecting dust...

Our plan is simple. Bring paint supplies, wine and lots of canvas. We want to work without the interruptions of day to day life. (Enough W's in that sentence?) The group is pretty diverse. Our subject matter, level of ability, mediums and painting process span a wide range. One thing that connects us is laughter. ...well of course art. I think it will be a stimulating, productive week.


So here it is. Our home away from home. Look at all the windows to bring light to our easels!


Did you happen to notice it's on the ocean? It's tucked in a cove in Freeport. There's a famous osprey nest at the state park and it's in our view directly across the water.

The bedrooms look spacious with glorious windows and balconies everywhere.

Of course we may need to shovel them off before we can step out on them... Maybe if the weather is mild (yeah right!) we'll bring our easels out and paint in plein air. Or perhaps plein cold!

At night we'll curl up in front of the wall size fireplace sipping red wine and charging our batteries for the next days round of painting. Not such a crazy idea after all, don't you think?

How do you get through the long winter months?


20 comments:

  1. Wow! Have a great time! That's such a great idea! I have a mind to pack up the Jetta and head on up to Maine right now!

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  2. Je sais que ce moment est très attendu et que tu vas passer un séjour de rêve qui remplira tes tiroirs à bons souvenirs... C'est important pour le moment présent où tu peindras, mais aussi pour les jours et les années qui suivront...
    Gros bisous

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  3. A beautiful painting and what a wonderful and unique concept of bringing artists together! Wish I could attend! I have many blogger and Fb friends in Maine!

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  4. How do I get through the hard Maine winter? I sit on the couch and wait for spring!

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  5. Sounds like fun! A full week to paint--wow! Can't wait to see what you all do.

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  6. that place seems amazing and I bet you will accomplish many paintings... how could you not with all that light

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  7. 5 artists locked away in a retreat for a week? I somehow see this becoming a reality TV show ;P Have fun Susan I look forward to hearing more as your adventure progresses.

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  8. Sounds wonderful! Have a great time. I've quit all my volunteering for a month and I'm just relaxing, painting and reading art books. January is good this year.

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  9. That sounds fun! I like the red wine part..giggle. I watch American Idol, Glee and artists documentaries on Netflix. I get to the library and stumble out with giant art books! Then it is lay abed and eat chocolate, drink the wine and enjoy life!!!

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  10. It sounds like absolute heaven to me, Susan. Hope you have a wonderfully creative time!

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  11. Boy! What a joy and blessing this week for you will be! A most gorgeous location too! If you aren't full of inspiration while here, I'd be dumbfounded! I know you'll have a blast!

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  12. And that Mutt Mansion? It is so very lovely, Susan!

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  13. Hello Susan, nature, inspiration, work, painting and art!
    It is wonderful!
    congratulations

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  14. Oh wow--porches off the bedrooms! It is beautiful!

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  15. sounds like a great plan, bet you get a lot accomplished and have great fun in the process!

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  16. I took some friends and we went for an artists retreat/workshop last September up in Lake Tahoe. Lucky for us it is only about 90 minutes out of Sacramento. Oh, it was beautiful Fall weather. We painted out one day and the rest of the time painted little studies inside with the fire going and food in the kitchen. Then we talked all night about art and watched Oil Painting Videos and a movie about the Impressionists.
    I get it, and have a Great Time!

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  17. Wow! This sound fantastic! Have a great time!!!

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  18. I just stumbled on this site while looking up the Mutt Mansion.

    I lived in this house for 4 months with my family in 2009 (for a temporary work assignment). It is better than the photos; a beautiful facility at the secluded end of a dead-end road. Casco Bay's high tide provides amazing light and sunsets. The colors are incredible. Two years later, my kids (now 4 & 5) still speak fondly about our "house with the sheep" almost daily (there's a decorative sheep in the living room). Have a great time.

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  19. Hi Anonymous. I don't know who you are, but that you so much for taking time to let us know just how fantastic this place is. Not that we weren't already excited... As time goes by and nears our "week date", the artists going are getting more and more excited daily!

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