Monhegan Island Light

In early September 2016, Ron and I spent a week at the Audubon Camp on Hog Island, Maine.  Ron has always enjoyed birding - and I went along and enjoyed the beauty of the Island, participated in some of the birding activities and painted.  One of the activities was taking a boat to nearby Monhegan Island which is an artist’s paradise. We spent a day there, and I saw many plein air artists painting the sights around the island.  I took  photos.  Here is one of the Monhegan Island Light.  It's a beautiful lighthouse with a keeper's house (now a museum), a storage building, and an oil house lined up next to it.

I've wanted to paint this scene, and so I took the photograph to the painting class I attended last Friday.  The instructor suggested that since the background in the photo is a little blah (my words - not hers), that perhaps I could use my artistic license and paint the picture with a sunset background instead of the clear blue sky.

I loved that idea, and so here is my Monhegan Island Light at Sunset painting.

However after looking at it for awhile, I knew I wanted to make the clouds better.  Also, that little building right next to the lighthouse appears black in the photograph because it's in so much shadow.  However, it is actually a dark red brick.  Plus, the roof line of that building needs tweaking.  So here is how I changed the painting:

I like it. It was night time when I took the photo of the painting, and so it looks darker than it really is. Maybe I'll take another photograph of it and show the difference good lighting makes.

As I sat and looked at the finished painting, I wrote the following poem to go with it.

Monhegan Island Light at Sunset

Since 1824 you've stood tall

Granite blocks atop the island hill

You've kept watch both near and far

In summer's heat and winter's chill

You give so much to others

Your gifts to the world are free

Beauty for artists and seekers

Safety for travelers at sea.