MADELINE NELSON
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Landscape
  • Still life
  • People
  • About

Latest news

Making friends with fog and tide

8/20/2015

0 Comments

 
Maikel and I arrived in the fog at Seal Cove, southernmost harbor on Grand Manan island in New Brunswick. Three days later we left, still in the fog. In the meanwhile, fog did its dance of seven veils for us. Distant hills revealed themselves rarely. Close-by houses came and went, and even our own boat sometimes disappeared. Sometimes the sun streams dazzlingly through the fog, leading to what locals call "fogburn". Painting in this changing, dreamy light was tricky and joyful. I prefer the fog-bound painting, done more quickly and once I already had gazed lovingly on the scene for many hours.
This harbor is essentially abandoned, as it is an old-fashioned drying harbor, not uncommon where the tidal range is more than 15 feet, as it is here. Boats could only go out at higher tides, and would moor so that when sitting on the mud they wouldn't tip over. The distant buildings are old herring smoking houses, mostly abandoned but some are now getting gentrified. The government built the town a new  deep-water harbor with floating docks. Giant boats working the fish farms come and go at commuter hours, regardless of fog (they've got radar) and tide. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Landscape
  • Still life
  • People
  • About