Paint Box Gallery, Rockport... Officially Launched!

We officially opened the Gallery to the public this past weekend to coincide with the annual "Up the Garden Path"Studio Tour." While we were too late this season to be one of the nine participating members of the tour... we none the less were very busy with the May 24th Holiday traffic that was drawn to visit Rockport and tour the Islands. The entire weekend weather was perfect... with temperatures reaching into the low 80's F each day! A perfect weekend for touring!

We were kept well busy meeting and conversing with the steady stream of visitors who paid us a visit and we were lucky enough to sell three more paintings and numerous smaller gift items and Rockport Series Card Sets that Deb had created over the late winter months. We were thrilled with and very much encouraged by this initial success.

I managed to sneak in a first Rockport painting session from the front lawn of the Gallery and sold the result directly from the easel to a friendly couple from Brooklin, Ontario. They have shown interest in possibly purchasing yet another larger painting that they were attracted to during their visit. I kept the first painting to a small sketch format... given my five week hiatus. I think you will agree... that it is hard to get back into the zone and to get a handle on one's palette after a lengthy span away from painting. I was pleased with the resulting 12x9 inch  oil on panel... depicting the Captain Carnegie/ Ed Andress century homestead. It is ... I feel ... fresh and painterly and captures the hot day and green landscape that now has transformed Rockport into almost full summer dress.

It was nice to have old friends from my earlier and youthful Rockport years come to visit and renew old relationships. Things to change... and Time does indeed move along... however, meaningful friendships and ties based upon good times shared do survive these aspects of aging. I am deeply blessed in this regard! AS well... we had our dear Hillsdale friends Rolly and Grace Hallyburton visiting for the weekend... and we were joined by Frank and Janet Genyk from Utopia. What a grand time we enjoyed chatting on the patio!

I hope that you enjoy the jpegs that I have added to this post to offer a flavour of the weekend and the changes that continue to enrich our new life and blessings here in Rockport.

 Dining with Friends Rolly and Grace Hallyburton at The Cornwall Grill and Pub in  Rockport

 Islesview gardens refurbished

 A lull in the action in Rockport's Harbour

 Church of the Redeemer, Est 1896

A simple but elegant  cottage home on Front Street

 Another summer home on Front Street

 Our own version of a Canadian Inuit Inukshuk stone landmark which Deb named "Deuce".... DE from Deborah and UCE from Bruce

 Facing on to Front Street

 Evening quiet on the River

 Male Cedar Waxwing visitor

Nesting neighbours... our friendly Gray Cat Bird residents

 Captain Carnegie-Andress Homestead - oil on panel 12x9 inches

 Back behind the easel... FINALLY! Feels good!!!

Good Painting to ALL!