Getting ready for my art gallery opening

Opening Saturday, May 31, 4-7 PM
Carol L. Douglas Studio/Richards Hill Gallery,
394 Commercial Street, Rockport, ME, 04856
May 30-June 26, 2025
Tuesday-Sunday, Noon-5 PM

One of the sharpest women I’ve ever known is Lois Giess, former President of the Rochester (NY) City Council. She once told me, “All action is change, even inaction.” We were talking about an expansion project that ultimately failed. Indeed, that moment proved to be the organization’s high-water mark.

I think that’s true of both our everyday and artistic lives, which is why I’ve been harping about calling and meaning so much the past few weeks. I haven’t made any kind of fuss about it in my blog, but I’ve been ill since I got home from Malta on April 20—first with COVID and then with an asthma backlash. It’s taken until last week to get my medications straightened out so that I feel well enough to work a long day. I was overjoyed to realize I was right back into my usual optimism and energy as soon as they were fixed, and I’m deep in preparation for my art gallery opening.

What’s changing?

I just built the gallery last year, so there’s little that needs repair (although I did find a spot of rust on the door, darn it). However, we’ve changed the supports for the awnings, gotten new display cabinets and beefed up our security. The old security system was mainly my dog, who barks anytime a car pulls into the driveway. However, sometimes they’re just turning around, and he’s not great at telling me that. Now I can see them on my phone.

My husband worried that the old awning supports were so low someone might back over them. I thought they were hideously ugly. I’m completely full of myself about our solution, which involves a five-gallon bucket of concrete set inside a very pretty ceramic planter, with viney things set to climb up the poles.  

I started feeling better at the same time as the rainy season broke. That was great because you can’t really do that kind of work in cold rain. While I’ve had all the parts (and artwork) ready, I am just getting things installed this week. That’s rather pushing the limit for my art gallery opening this Saturday.

The things artists do instead of painting

My friend Björn Runquist has been counting the days of rain in May; at last report we were up to 47. As you can imagine, the overgrowth of weeds has been tremendous (as have the mosquitoes). That meant I had to divert some energies into weeding the foundation plantings. I have just enough hausfrau in me to believe that visitors would be so appalled by the weeds, they’d turn on their heels and walk out.

I was a dedicated gardener until plein air got in the way. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the meditative quality of pulling weeds.

And a reminder about this art gallery opening

Letters from Home opens on Saturday, May 31 from 4-7 PM, at 394 Commercial Street, Rockport, ME. As my Uncle Frank says, be there or be square.

Reserve your spot now for a workshop in 2025:

• Advanced Plein Air Painting, Rockport, ME, July 7-11, 2025.
• Sea and Sky at Acadia National Park, August 3-8, 2025.
• Find Your Authentic Voice in Plein Air, Berkshires, MA, August 11-15, 2025.
• Immersive In-Person Fall Workshop, Rockport, ME, October 6-10, 2025.