Lighthouse on the Point

Lighthouse on the Point by Alison Vernon

www.alisonvernon.com

5x7, palette knife oil

The hummingbirds are buzzing between our three feeders this morning. Soon their babies will fledge and we'll have dozens zipping around our home like teenagers with new drivers licenses. This experience, along with July 4rth and certain birthdays, is a marker of the passing of summer days.

Turtle

Turtle by Alison Vernon

www.alison vernon.com

12x24, oil painting with palette knives

Kayaking on a small river in Florida we came upon this old guy sunning himself on a log. It dawned on me that when he's not sunning himself, his comfort zone is murky alligator-infested water with virtually no visibility. In that he's my polar opposite and yet he's like an old familiar family member.

Path to the Beach

Path to the Beach by Alison Vernon

www.alisonvernon.com

20x24, oil

The other day we walked two miles along a trail to a beach in Maine. The beach was huge and empty. That meditative crash of waves and soft air made the day's worries drift away. We had bought our lunch at a farmers' market so we had fresh bread, a variety of cheeses, carrots and beer with cool labels. The water was numbing but we all went in. It was a great day.

Bunker Hill Apple Tree

Bunker Hill Apple Tree by Alison Vernon

40x30, palette knife oil

There are a few places that are so lovely on a deeply personal level. This is one such place. This is a painting of a hilltop near our home. The hike up is a good workout and the reward is this open field with vistas, old cellar holes, lilacs and daylillies. The trail down is steep and curls around a beautiful brook. At the end of the hike, my muscles are tired and my mind is clear.

Red Barn

Red Barn by Alison Vernon

www.alisonvernon.com

4x6, oil with palette knives

I have never been so tuned in to the earth's perfume as I have this June. Maybe the unusually long hard winter has heightened the fragrance. The loamy smell of fields and the sun-warmed forest floor is heady, almost intoxicating.

Barbara's Backyard

Barbara's Backyard by Alison Vernon

www.alisonvernon.com

6x12, oil, $400

Barbara is a woman with humor, grace and wisdom. She is a friend and was once a colleague of mine. Barbara is, among many other titles, the Hospice Coordinator at the Visiting Nurse Association where I once worked. As such she has the delicate position of leading her team in the care of the dying while ministering to her staff. She has done this for years. This painting is her backyard. No wonder she is so spiritual and no wonder this is her backyard.

Lake Sunapee

Lake Sunapee by Alison Vernon

www.alisonvernon.com

20x24, oil

The New Hampshire lakes have a magical draw. The water is dreamy. Last night, after a day in the 90's, we all went to our favorite (secret) place on Pleasant Lake and dove in. The worries and stresses of the day washed away. Our body temperatures cooled to normal and, that night, we slept like babies.