Gone to the Dogs at SeaStrands Studio

You know those jokes end with the line, “I told you that story so I could tell you this one…”? Right. That was the last post. Sunday I spent meandering through ideas that hadn’t quite solidified, going through the motions, as it were, of working.

Okay, I’m not quite being fair to myself here. I did actually lay out a lighthouse piece that will be pretty good and quite dramatic when completed. (That said, I must get out and visit some new lighthouses soon – I’m getting tired of doing Ferryland….). I also picked through my sketchbook, reviewed some projects, and basically did the mundane stuff that needs doing from time to time. But nothing really felt wow.

It is an incredibly rotten feeling to have time available in which to work, sans interruption, and have no work that desperately wants you to do it.

So by the time Katherine and John got back from their outing, I was more or less ready to run out of the house screaming.

We decided that, since the light wasn’t bad and the wind was low, we’d head out to Cape Spear and wander around. When we got there, the light became stunning and the wind was still low (yay!). I had a blast with the camera…. Here are the results:

Looking back towards St. John’s. The entrance to the narrows is on the left, with Cabot Tower sitting atop Signal Hill in the Centre.

The old lighthouse at Cape Spear. Closed for the winter, it’s now a museum.

Looking up… the flagpole just outside of the old lighthouse.

Looking along the coast towards Maddox Cove. The East Coast Trail will take you right down to the tip of the Avalon from here, if you have the time and fortitude to follow it….

The new lighthouse…

The remains of anti-aircraft defenses from WWII, near the new lighthouse.

The light was beautiful; one minute the day was grey and cold-feeling and in another, the landscape was illuminated. I liked the contrasts….

How to lose a tourist… Sounds flippant, but it’s true. The waves are spectacular and tourists succumb to the temptation good photo regularly. One good swell and they’re gone…. This is possibly my favourite photo of the day.

The fabulous results of this were a generally feeling of familial happiness, a tired kid, great photos, fresh air, and most, unexpectedly, the inspiration to work through the beginnings of a piece portraying seastacks at sunrise. Miracles do happen….

All-in-all, a good weekend.