Margery Niblock

Spring Things

April "art of the month" Mail

My art of the month arrival was quite exciting. It must have taken a long time to put all of these pages together into this little fold-out book. The drawings were a compilation of the postcards people were asked to send back in March, when we were told to draw something that we loved.

The dinosaur at the end is my favorite thing from the entries that were received. He's quite spectacular!

Birds in Eaves

I discovered where some sparrows are living. They have a nice eave to call home. They don't need much space for getting in and out. I'd be curious to see what the interior looks like, whether they've built an actual nest in there.

I'll never know.

This is another eave where birds can be seen going in and out. This house is on the same street as the previous one.

I hope you're able to see the small sparrow that's nestled into the corner of the eave.

Fiddlers in the Park

The dog in the forefront is being well entertained by these two people. They were terrific! What a pleasure it was to walk into the park and listen to their music.

Here We Go Again!

This was the first time I've seen Woody this season. This will be our third year of "togetherness." He's looking good. The violets are starting to open now. I remember last year he waited until they had all appeared, had gotten nice and large, and then he just ate each and every flower. More power to him! I certainly don't begrudge him his meals of violets, even though they are one of my favorite flowers. He does allow me to enjoy them before he starts munching, however.

St. Lawrence Reduces Its Size

The stained glass is being removed from the historic St. Lawrence Church. Part of the building is in a dangerous condition and must be taken down.

The stones have been numbered so that some time in the future, that portion of the building will be able to get restored to its original beauty. It's quite sad to see part of that important structure removed. It's such an integral part of the neighborhood, something you're used to seeing.

After that portion is all gone, I'll still have my beautiful etching of the church, done by Ron Slater, a most talented man.

Around the Corner

This sweet garden ornament lives around the corner, and this odd monkey sculpture also adorns the same garden.

Otto

I met Otto, the albino ferret, when I was taking an early evening walk. He lives right on my block, although I'd never seen him out. I was told that he's a little depressed lately, since his brother Potto died.

Mother's Day Flowers

Flowers are always such a welcome gift, no matter what the occasion is. These lasted a very long time. Now I have the greens in the same vase, with some fragrant lilacs.

Bzzzz

I noticed this bumblebee resting on a daylily leaf when I went to put something into the compost bin. I went in to get my camera, thinking it would probably be gone by the time I got back. He must have been very tired from all his pollen gathering, because he was still in the same spot, waiting to have his portrait taken.

Welcome Visitor

I don't know bird calls, but when I heard a sound that was not the usual bird, that much I was aware of. I ran to the window and saw this cardinal walking around on the bricks in the patio.

For about ten days, at differing times, I'd hear him and go to the window to watch him. He hasn't been here for the past several days and I do wish he'd return.

Olio

Hannaford Origami

While writing a check for my supermarket purchases, I noticed that the young woman who was waiting for my check to be processed was putting those few moments to very good use. She was deftly creating tiny origami birds.

Then I noticed that she had about seven of them near the register. When I asked what she was planning to do with them, she said she was going to place one at each cash register. At that point I asked if I could possibly have one, and she cheerfully obliged.

Now I have this lovely little origami bird sitting right by my computer.

Thanks, Whitney! And keep up the good work. It's nice to discover something "different" during a trip to buy groceries.

Mr. TinyToes

Here he is! My favorite skunk in the entire world, who is also my neighbor. I just completed his portrait, which will soon be available at the eBay store.

I'm anxiously awaiting my first glimpse of him this spring. I know he's out and about because my neighbors saw him around dawn several weeks ago. It's still a bit to cool for me to be camping out in the garden at dusk, so I must be patient.

Emily's Favorite Shirt

Emily (a dancer) and James lived on the third floor of the building where I reside. You couldn't ask for nicer neighbors.

The other day we were all in the first-floor hallway at the same time, and Emily was wearing the T-shirt pictured above. I'd never seen her in anything that approximated the look of this particular top, so I said "Emily, you're dressed in rags! What's going on?"

That's when she said "This is my favorite shirt." And James's statement explained it all, when he remarked: "She danced her heart out in it."

Emily's a beauty, even in rags! Don't you agree? But these "rags" have a story to accompany the look.

My Favorite Kind of Maine Day

This is the view I had from the top of the hill the other day. It's what I call a blue-water/blue-sky day. That makes it a perfect day. I've been here almost 19 years and I still get a thrill when I walk out the door and see that magnificent water down the hill. I never tire of that sight.

Dead Tranny

It's been quite a while since I've seen an interesting note while walking, but this one certainly falls into that category. And I like the fact that it's so very polite.

Hola!

This hat looked as though it were in perfect condition. I don't know whether it was accidentally dropped or if it is meant as a gift for someone who might be looking for a south-of-the-border sombero.

Forty years ago I might have picked it up and stuck it on my head, but today—not a chance.

Be an Angel . . .

Angels in My Home

These are my favorite cherubs, from a painting by Raphael. The small images are from a tote bag hanging on a doorknob in my living room.

I also have little magnets of these babies on my kitchen stove. Angels and cherubs are the children and adult versions of the same celestial beings; I think of cherubs as baby angels. They all have wings.

I have several more of these charming creatures in my home. This wooden angel is on the wall next to my bed. And this saxophone-playing angel hangs from the reading lamp above my bed. He's about four inches long and he has the greatest pair of sneakers. I also am fond of his gold-colored patina.

Standing on the floor below the bedroom window is this stone cherub. It's very heavy. And very cute! He'd actually be suitable for a garden ornament, but I like having him close by.

Strolling through the dining room, I have a wonderful triptych that I bought eons ago at an auction in Philadelphia at Freeman's. These are adult angels, Gabriel and an unnamed woman.

They're special because they have gold wings.

The Birthday Angel

One evening eleven years ago I took a friend to dinner to celebrate her fiftieth birthday, and an angel became a focal point of the celebration. We went to the Eastland Hotel here in Portland, which has a dining room on the first floor.

Shortly after we were seated, an agitated man burst into the dining room, carrying a gigantic bunch of beautiful flowers in a vase.

He hurried to the banquette next to us, placed the flowers in the middle of the table, and then approached us, saying: "I'm having dinner with a very special friend tonight—Angela." The man in the black leather coat, with a long scarf dramatically thrown across one shoulder then announced: "She's in the car, and I'm going to get her now. I'll be right back and then you can see for yourself. Don't go away."

I was thinking "You go away! And leave us alone, dammit!" He rushed out and within a couple of minutes was back, carrying a large angel doll, which he plopped down at the banquette. It was quite similar to this one, from the Franklin Mint.

He said "This is Angela. Isn't she gorgeous?" Yes, she was beautiful, we had to agree. He then pulled out a camera and stuck it into my friend Deb's hand, telling her he'd like her to take some pictures of him with Angela, how this was his birthday, and that he'd spent his birthday last year in Los Angeles. He said "I'd like you to take a picture of me with my dinner companion." She complied with his wishes, snapping a few photos of the "odd couple."

He finally left us alone and went to sit down with his angel for his birthday dinner. There's nothing that I enjoy more than finding out people's "stories." Most have fascinating ones, even if they may not realize it. I love getting to know people. But this guy had crossed some sort of line in my psyche, where I just wanted him to get far away from me. I would like to know his story, but I didn't want to hear it from him. There was something about him that made me think he could drag us across an invisible marker and we'd wind up in The Twilight Zone, of the old Rod Serling TV series.

We managed to have our dinner without any other interruptions, and to commemorate the event Deb gave me this tiny book a couple of weeks later. Whenever I see it on my shelf I remember that bizarre man, who was touched—and with an angel.

Emerson's Angels

Doug Emerson, a talented photographer, is someone I was introduced to by this same friend. I didn't realize I'd known Doug for such a long time until I typed this in. Time does fly, doesn't it?

Doug is also an angel aficionado, and has taken many beautiful photos of angel statues.

Here are three of his delightful angel photographs.

I'm always drawn to black and white photography. I'm having a difficult time trying to decide which of Doug's angels to bring home. And then it will be exciting deciding in which room the angel should live. I think I feel a need coming on to have an angel residing in my living room.

Oh, yes! I know the exact spot where it will go. It will be fun waiting for my new addition to arrive and become part of the household.

Out and About Once Again

New Family Members

This magnificent chickadee was created by Sue Talbot, who carves all sorts of birds out of wood. When I saw her work I had to get one of her creations.

Sue informed me that the bird was carved from tupelo wood and painted with many layers of thin acrylic washes. The legs and toes are brass rods that have been shaped, soldered, and covered with epoxy putty. The base and cone were carved from one piece of cedar.

The chickadee was shipped down to Portland from Camden, Maine, in a well-packed cardboard container. He seems to have acclimated very well to his new home, and I've told Sue that she has "visitation rights." It's also very special, since the chickadee is Maine's state bird.

Toni Wolf, a wonderful artist, sent me this little paper frog that she made. Toni knows I have a long-standing relationship with frogs and she thought that sending this little fellow my way might make spring seem a bit closer.

It's a welcome addition to my eclectic collection of artwork. Thank you, Toni!

March "art of the month club"

My envelope for March arrived from the art of the month club. As you can see, for this month's activity I was asked to draw something that I love on the other side of this prestamped, self-addressed postcard. I didn't exactly follow the instructions to the letter.

I cut out my skunk from one of my prints, and pasted it on to the card. Then I did do some drawing of grass and I signed my name to it. I hope those folks won't be too upset with my interpretation of the rules.

Snow and Hydrants

This is a creative way to draw attention to a lost glove. For those of you who don't live in snowy climes, the reason that metal rod is attached to the fire hydrant is so firefighters will know where those very important pieces of equipment are if they happen to get buried under the snow.

During the winter, you'll see firefighters driving around to make certain that all of the hydrants are exposed and available for use, if need be.

Huh? What Is It?

I got quite excited when I saw this "thing" lying on the bricks. I had no idea what it might be. It's a little dog toy that squeaks when pressed. I pressed it and it squeaked, so I'm able to report that with authority. Some poor pooch is without its little leopard toy.

Bacon Lovers' Delight

My agent Kevin, who handles my artwork at the eBay store, sent me this photo. I thought that he'd done something new and different with a package of bacon and wanted to share it with me.

I'd never seen a bacon pot holder before—nor had I ever hoped to see one. It's very similar to that purple-cow syndrome from our childhoods. But that was not the case at all. This isn't something Kevin made. He'd found the photo on the Internet while searching for something. You know how that goes, don't you?

I wouldn't be surprised if he does make one of these at some point. I've had bacon at his house and he does wonders with it, so I hope I get invited if he ever decides to make one of these.

Oops! Spring Snow

I'm so anxious to see "my" skunk again that when I saw these footprints in the snow, I thought that's who made them. I was quite disappointed after sending them to a friend, when she sent back a drawing of skunk footprints and told me these were made by a cat. A cat! Of course I should have known. That's what wishful thinking can do, it can turn one into a fool.

This is what my garden looked like on March 29! We had more snow, a spring snowstorm. Well, at least it helped us break the 100-inch mark. That's special.

Winter Events

The Portland Police Department held its third annual Recognition Ceremony at a breakfast event held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

Officer of the Year

Officer Robert Bickford was proclaimed Officer of the Year. Bob has been a member of the force since 1987. He's assigned to the Traffic Unit and has received numerous commendations during his years of service. He's also a very nice guy, and a credit to this community.

Congratulations, Bob!

Citizen Award

The young man in the center is John Lough, a nineteen-year-old Portland resident, who was given a citizen award for coming to the aid of a man who had been stabbed.

Tom Kane, (a former Mayor of our fair city) along with his wife Maureen and son Jimmy, were also in attendance, since John Lough is their neighbor. That's Jimmy seated to the left of John Lough.

Commissioned Painting Unveiled

Detective Sergeant Bruce Coffin unveiled a large painting he was commissioned to do by the Police Unions, depicting a roll call from the 1940s. It will be installed at Headquarters on Middle Street.

That's Chief Tim Burton on the left and Bruce Coffin on the right. If you'd like to see more of Bruce's paintings, read my article "Bruce Coffin: No Shortage of Talent."

Snow, Snow, and Yet More Snow

It seems as though it has snowed every second or third day this winter. It's quite beautiful, although it does make getting around somewhat difficult. We've already used up the money allotted for snow removal this year, as have most of the other Maine communities.

Beautiful Winter Sunset

A phone call from my friend (and neighbor) Dave Brackett, alerted me to the lovely color of the sunset behind the snowy treetops.

It's great to have people that are willing to take the time to let you know that something special is happening outside. Dave was also the person who alerted me to the presence of the barred owl around the corner.

An Odd Coincidence

[David Howe's roof creations]

My friend David Howe lent me this book, which he highly recommended. Titled American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center, by William Langewiesche, it describes the daunting task of removing the 1.5 million tons of ruins from an incredibly dangerous site. And the author was there for six months, usually seven days a week; traversing the site day and night with those in charge of the massive cleanup (he refers to it as the "deconstruction"); attending meetings with the engineers. He became, in effect, part of the crew, and was privy to all of the problem solving that went on, and the many disagreements that came into play during the process.

Langewiesche states in the afterword that his aim was "to maintain the narrative's detachment," which he has done admirably well.

As an artist, I was very drawn to the cover illustration by Lynn Buckley. I kept looking at it from differing points of view; its vantage point and perspective; the drawn shapes; and the eeriness of the color. I found it fascinating.

That afternoon I received a handwritten card from Annette Dragon, a dear friend and talented photographer, who moved from Maine to Rochester several years ago. Her card had a reproduction of a Grant Wood painting on its cover.

I was startled when I saw the color of the fields in this painting. They were the same as those on the cover of the book I'd just gotten a few hours earlier. I placed the two objects side by side and just kept looking at them. These aren't colors that you'd normally run into placed next to one another, and especially in one day's time.

I e-mailed the two photos to my friend Kate O'Halloran, associated with the WMPG Thursday evening show "Big Talk," and this was her comment: "Interesting, too, how they're similar in color and tone, but different in texture—one all smooth and sinuous, the other uneven and crystalline."

Kate definitely has a way with words. I had been so focused on the color similarity that I hadn't even looked further.

House Portraits

My friend Nini, who lives around the corner, commissioned me to do a scratchboard portrait of her home. I had a great time working on this project and I hope to do more of them.

She got the original scratchboard and plans to have note cards done with this image. She said she may also want to use it on letterheads.

What's New? Snow!

Those tracks were not made by a cat. I think Mr. TinyToes (the skunk) has been venturing out in the snow. Poor thing! What's out there to eat these days? I wish I could help him get some nutrients. I'm quite fond of him and I miss seeing him, and those wonderful photo sessions we had last summer.

I'm starting a new scratchboard of him and I'll show you the finished product when I'm done.

art of the month club: A Mystery

I received an envelope last week, and here's what it looks like.

Very artistic: lots of stamps; pale, lowercase typed lettering; and that hand-drawn circle around the typed date saying "art of the month club." The return address has the same title, with a post office box number. It was intriguing.

When I opened the envelope there were two lovely, small wash drawings, but no word of explanation as to why I had received this, and no name to attach to its source. I like mysteries; maybe that's why I do the police reporting for The West End NEWS.

These drawings are well done, and each was on a piece of heavy watercolor paper. I'm assuming the person who did the artwork found these items on the street. Two street names are listed next to the dates, which are the same, "1.18."

On February 13 another envelope arrived. The date typed into this one was "feb 08," within the red circles drawn on the envelope.

Inside this envelope were four pieces of fuzzy cloth, cut out to resemble mustaches (I'm using the Webster's preferred spelling). There was a card enclosed with an explanation regarding what to do with these mustaches.

Also contained in February's envelope was this charming pin. How curious this all is.

I picked up my camera, looking for likely suspects to place the mustaches on. I didn't want to go around knocking on friends' doors or just carry the mustaches with me, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting people I might run across during my daily travels.

When it comes to something like this, I want to do it now. I decided to find things in my home to place the mustaches on, and then photograph the results, which I'll now share with you.

Here's my favorite: the Doughboy. I've been very fond of him since he made his appearance many years ago.

The mustache makes him seem a lot older, and not quite as adorable as he actually is. But he was a good sport, and he didn't mind posing for this photo.

This is my chainsaw bear, wearing sunglasses found in the ocean during a sea-glass collecting expedition, and wearing his FBI hat that he's quite attached to. He is not an FBI agent, in case you might be wondering. I prefer the way he looks without this mustache, but he's not going to keep it on forever.

I tacked mustaches on to this redheaded boy doll and this bear from a sign that had great meaning to me in my childhood.

I followed the instructions on the announcement and sent the four pictures to the e-mail address listed. I was hoping I might get some sort of acknowledgment but that didn't happen.

The drawing of this little bird was done by Susan Winn, whose beautiful fabric/bead art is astounding in its delicacy and complexity. I would have bet money that she'd sent the two envelopes. She has the time, the whimsical nature, and the talent to have imagined this "art of the month club."

I called her and asked her if this was something she was involved with and she gave me a hearty "No!" She claimed that if it were her idea, she would admit it.

So I'm back to square one; no idea who is responsible for this; no clues; the trail is dead. I'll just have to wait and see if any other envelopes arrive in the coming months.

I'll certainly let you know if there's an ending to this tale. Perhaps I'll have to ask some of Portland's detectives for their help in solving this mystery. They might be able to give me some tips.

Bruce Coffin: No Shortage of Talent

On Saturday, January 12, 2008, Detective Sergeant Bruce Coffin unveiled a large painting he was commissioned to do by the Police Unions, depicting a roll call from the 1940s. The event occurred at the third annual Portland Police Department's Recognition Ceremony, held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

It will be installed at Headquarters on Middle Street.

Doesn't it make you feel as though you're in an old detective movie?

That's Chief Tim Burton on the left and the very talented artist Bruce Coffin on the right.

Bruce Coffin is a tall, elegant man with the voice of a TV or radio announcer. He has been interested in art his entire life. As a youngster, he drew all the time. As is common with many children who have a talent for drawing, he was treated specially because of this artistic gift. Coffin has had no formal training, but his wife Karen encouraged him to pursue his love of art after Coffin’s mother showed her some of the things he’d created during his youth. Karen bought him lots of art supplies and signed him up for a short period of art lessons as a surprise. Coffins says "I picked it up quickly; I read and tried to do things on my own."

Coffin enjoys working with watercolors and oils, and especially likes the effects he can achieve using glazes on oil paintings. He has an affinity for the outdoors and enjoys painting landscapes.

He also likes to do portraits and has done many of deceased relatives of the people who commission him to do such paintings. "You get drawn into portrait work. I try to capture what those people appeared to be at their best; the way you’d want them remembered." Pet portraits are another area where Coffin excels, and he’s done numerous commissions of animals. Coffin also has a Web site featuring many fine examples of his work.

Coffin hit it off and became friendly with a local artist, Suran (Sam) Kaklegian, who had been in art his entire life. Kaklegian became his mentor and was "a huge influence. He gave me critiques that were really helpful. After Sam died I did a pencil drawing of him for his wife Suzanne."

All of the Wyeths are favorites of Coffin, particularly N. C. Wyeth, whose work he was fascinated with when reading books in childhood illustrated by him. Norman Rockwell is another artist that Coffin admires. "His portraits tell a story," says Coffin.

At the present time, Bruce Coffin’s art is a second career. He’s a Detective Sergeant working for the Portland Police Department, where he’s been on loan since 2004 to the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Coffin’s law enforcement career spans a 23-year period. He started out working a foot beat and has been in many different units, including patrol and traffic, where he investigated fatal accidents. Coffin joined the Detective Bureau in 1997 was promoted to Sergeant in 1998, rejoining the Detective Bureau as a Detective Sergeant in 1999, and holding that rank since then.

Coffin says that he has become more of an extrovert because of his art, and he enjoys combining his art and his law enforcement career. In 2006 Coffin did a portrait of Sergeant Michael J. Wallace, who was a beloved member of the Portland Police Department and had mentored many of the young officers. An award had just been named in Wallace’s honor and Coffin presented his painting at the department’s Recognition Ceremony, in 2007. The painting was very warmly received and now hangs in Headquarters.

Coffin shows his work in Portland’s summertime Sidewalk Art Festival and will be having an exhibit in August at The Gallery of Casco Bay Frames.

This painting of a sunrise over Portland's skyline was done from a view along Back Cove, where Coffin often jogs.

After retirement, he plans to work on his art full time, quipping, "I won’t be a starving artist because I’ll have a pension."

I hope you’ll mark down his opening date on your calendar.

Be My Valentine

Sweet Hearts

The street near my car was scattered with tiny, shiny, wonderful little hearts! What could be more pleasant on a drab wintry day? That was a reminder to place my Valentine's Day decoration on my door, which I did. Here it is.

Valentine's Day is a holiday that many people berate because they say it's made up in order for consumerism to rear its ugly head. I like it! How can it be a bad thing if people buy gifts and candy and flowers for loved ones? And all of those beautiful red hearts! It's wonderful to have some pretty decorations to look at in the bleak month of February.

Deb Eaton's Valentine Card Party

My good friend Deb Eaton hosts a weekend party for the express purpose of making valentine cards.

Deb is an author with oodles of delightful books she's written for children. She is one of the most imaginative people I've ever known. And the whimsy fairy has given her more than her share of sprinkles, which she puts to excellent use to charm her young readers.

These covers are from two of her books. Deb is also a gracious hostess, providing delicious food to those that attend the card-making event.

There are all sorts of fancy papers, hearts, and old books to be cut up and used for making cards, with all of the necessities provided by Deb. Whenever she sees something that might be appropriate for this event, she'll bring it home. She now has quite a stock of supplies for people to choose from.

A potpourri of equipment also confronts the card makers.

This was my favorite paper. I think it's just luscious!

Deb also makes fantastic cards. Here's one that was done a couple of years ago, which I was lucky enough to receive. I take it out and stand it up for several weeks in my celebration of Valentine's Day. I think it's one of the most humorous things I've seen. Each time I look at it I just have to smile.

Deb's cat Bebe was guarding some of the equipment. She was very well behaved, just observing the women working at their projects.

These are some of the hearts that were available for use. Just the sight of them puts me in a festive mood. I think that's part of the magic of Valentine's Day; the pleasant visuals attached to it.

Deb's party was a resounding success, with people making wonderful cards. I'm certain everyone in attendance will be looking forward to next year's event.

Portland's Valentine's Day "Bandit"

                [photo by Jess Kilby]

This building is Portland's downtown fire station. A couple of years ago  it was adorned with a Valentine's Day flag. We have a "bandit" who celebrates Valentine's Day by taping paper hearts to buildings in the downtown area. Then there's usually one special building that has the flag attached to it. This event has been going on for many years. There's probably a whole gang of "bandits" involved, since it takes a lot of work to place so many hearts on so many locations.

         [photo by Jess Kilby]

Keep up the good work!

Hearts at Home

The lovely creation above is a beaded work by Susan Winn. Susan uses seed beads for her art. Many times she'll do a design and stamp it on fabric in a repetitive fashion, then beads one area of the overall pattern. It's fascinating work and I've never seen anyone else do this type of art.

Susan likes coming across found objects and putting them to use. The design above was from a child's drawing that was lying in the street. The actual beaded work is eight by ten inches. You can get an idea of how tiny those beads are. Just imagine all the time it takes to sew them onto the fabric.

Susan is someone who makes the world a more beautiful place, and I really enjoy viewing her transposition of one form of art into another.

This glass heart was a Valentine's Day gift many years ago.  I was instructed to "take good care of it," and I've done that.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Beachcombing and Sea Glass

I've always loved beachcombing. So when I moved to Maine, that was one of the first things I did. There's a beach a couple of blocks from my home, which was amazing to me. I couldn't believe that I had the good fortune to live in a neighborhood with a beach so close, yet I was also able to walk downtown. That's perfect! An unbeatable combination.

I developed this strange idea that it would be wonderful to earn my living as a beachcomber. I had been enjoying picking up little pieces of colored glass known as "sea glass," which most women in Maine seem to have a fondness for. Some of this glass is well over a hundred years old. It comes from bottles that have broken up and been churned by the waves and sand until the edges are smooth.

This is a piece of glass from a bottle that said "Max Factor/Hollywood" on it. You can see the raised letters, which are still legible.

When a friend suggested that I might want to make jewelry from these glass shards, I jumped at that idea, although I'd never made any jewelry previously. I went to the library and began bringing home books about making jewelry. I worked out a list of simple tools I would need, and a Dremel was the key. I knew I'd have to drill tiny holes in the glass to attach silver wire because I didn't want to get involved in soldering. I had to use diamond drill bits and had to wet the glass down with a paintbrush in between drilling.

And so I began my new career. I would go to the beach about five times a week. My neighbors thought I was daft when they'd see me heading off in midwinter. But when they saw the results, they got right "into" it. They were always wanting to know if I'd made any good finds.

This beach might not look too appealing to you, but if you were creating things from sea glass it would turn into a treasure trove. The beach is in South Portland and it has a lovely view of Portland's skyline. It's long, and there's sea glass everywhere you look. This was taken at low tide.

When I came here during those "minus" tides, I was able to walk past those wooden posts that you see in the water. They're pretty far out; there were great bottles out there. That wood was from a pier that burned down many years ago.

The reason there is so much stuff in the water here is because many years ago, before trash collection was initiated, people would just discard unwanted items here. It's almost hard to imagine, isn't it? I'd met a woman in her eighties who was walking her dog along the beach, and she was the one who told me. That's where all of the broken doll parts came from, and the old dishes and bottles of all sorts.

The beach is quite long and it has steps from the street above, making it accessible to the public. There have been few times when I'd come across anyone else on the beach, yet it's close to habitation, so it doesn't have a feeling of total isolation. There were a couple of instances at other beaches, where isolation became a negative aspect, and I stopped going to those areas alone.

I bought a tide calendar and I'd go to the beach about an hour before low tide. That way I could have two leisurely hours for searching, before the tide would begin coming in again. I discovered that when there were exceptionally low tides—minus tides—I'd be able to walk out much farther into the muddy areas. And that area held a vast array of antique bottles. Whenever there were really low tides I'd just be looking for interesting bottles. The sea glass I was able to get at any time, even high tide, on this particular beach.

Here are some of the bottles I collected during those special low tides. I really had no shelf space for them, but my son came up with a great idea. He told me to buy some pieces of glass and some brackets, and put them into my bay window in the living room.

So that's what I did. It was excellent advice. Now I can see my bottles all the time and the light comes through them, so I haven't lost anything.

I've saved the best for last. This bottle with the wonderful oxidation is definitely a favorite. The color is spectacular. And I found it lying on the beach, after a particularly bad winter storm in February. It was amazing to consider all of the large rocks that bottle had to pass in order to wind up on the beach. It would not have been surprising to find it stuck out in the muddy area. It evidently was looking for a good home and knew I'd be coming along. Smart bottle!

I hope you can tell that there's something very special in this round-bottomed bottle, which is referred to as a torpedo bottle. I found two bottles with these rounded bottoms on the same day, and they were next to one another. They're the only ones I ever came across.

These were some of the first soda bottles made, when carbonation was first used. Flat-bottomed bottles with corks as stoppers were used. There was a problem with this though. The bottles were standing up; the corks would dry up, and then they would pop out. That wasn't a good way to sell soda.

In order to solve the problem, they began to make bottles with rounded bottoms, which meant they'd have to be stored in a horizontal position, to keep the corks moist. This worked very well until caps were invented that would permit the bottles to once again have flat bottoms that could be kept in a vertical position. This bottle is over a hundred years old. The object that you see inside it is a clam. The clam went into the bottle when it was small enough to fit through the narrow top. And it was able to get its nutrients in there, so it grew and grew and grew, until it could grow no more.

When I picked the bottle up and realized what was in it, I was dumbfounded. It was an eerie feeling seeing this large clamshell in there and realizing its history. My first thoughts were: It was safe; but it was also imprisoned. I have no idea whether this was one of those "happy" clams you hear about. And speaking of them, that is a strange saying isn't it? Happy as a clam! What on earth could that possibly mean? Hopefully, this clam could see its relatives being picked up by seagulls and then being smashed on the rocks to become food. And he sat in his bottle, happily eating algae in the safety of his glass cocoon.

This bottle was one of the best gifts the ocean had bestowed upon me, and I constantly worried that it might break accidentally. Finally I had my talented friend David Howe build a wonderful Plexiglas enclosure for it. It's now in my dining room, attached to the frame in the middle of the window. It also has some tiny lights on the underside of the case, so I can light it at night if I choose to do that.

This is from a Christmas catalog of Down East magazine. They used to buy lots of my sea glass jewelry. Cobalt blue is the favorite color of many women for sea glass, since it's hard to find. Red is an even rarer color, but people aren't as fond of it. Aside from the broken pieces of glass I'd find on the beach and in the water, I'd also come across lots of old pottery. I combined these with various beads, including silver ones, and put it together using sterling silver chain.

This little card, which I considered to be my "magic card," was inserted with the jewelry, giving an explanation of what sea glass is and its use in the various pieces.

I sold the work in many stores, in the gift shop of the Portland Museum of Art, and I would exhibit yearly in the annual trade show held in Portland at the Civic Center. After about ten years of this I grew tired of it and gave it up.

The beach that's in the photo at the beginning of this article has lots of lavender glass, which is over a hundred years old. Manganese was used to strengthen the glass and there's a chemical reaction caused by sunlight that turns clear glass lavender, if it has manganese in it.

I consider the items in this miniature cabinet to be my "ocean museum." I have assorted doll parts and other oddities that I found along the beach and in the water.

I still go to the beach for relaxation. And I have the wonderful objects that I've found, which remind me of my days as a beachcomber in Maine.

Serendipity: Abby Banks and Her Stencil Truck

I certainly am a fickle bitch. I've fallen in love three times this past season. First the love affair with my garden woodchuck was rekindled, big time! Then I fell for a young skunk residing in my backyard. I can't tell you how many hours I spent waiting for that animal to appear, so that I could take photos of it. And now I've fallen in love with a truck! So . . . have you ever fallen for a truck? When I saw this one parked on my street the other day I was completely smitten. I was on my way to make my weekly pickup from Police Headquarters of the crime stats, for the articles I write in The West End NEWS.

I was driving down the hill at the time and I didn't have my camera with me. I could only hope the vehicle would be there when I returned, which was only going to be a matter of minutes.

The truck was still there when I got back. I rushed into the house, grabbed my camera, and went out to take some photos. I started at the rear, then did the driver's side, the hood, and the passenger side. That side was parked next to the curb so I wasn't able to get a full view of it that day. No matter. I did it in sections.

Why don't you take a little stroll around the truck with me? It's like taking a tour of a piece of sculpture. Here's the driver's side.

I don't know who this gray creature is, but he has a lot of appeal to me. Looks like he could be a bit vicious if he had to, although his teeth aren't really mean looking. This yellow bug is neat also. And I do like yellow!

This blue animal is interesting. I have no idea whether he's a cartoon character that's well known, or if he's just been placed on the truck by someone who created the design at the spur of the moment. He has lots of personality, regardless of how he came about.

One of the stencil images that's repeated in many locations on the truck is the haunting face of Anne Frank, done in black and white.

I recognized Frank's face immediately; it gave me chills. It's a beautiful rendition of her likeness. Here are some of the images on the passenger side of this well-decorated vehicle.

I have no idea who this trio is, but they've been placed on the truck in great style.

Here's another unknown face that's very well done. If he's anyone you're familiar with, please let me know. The hood had its own story to tell. There's not much room left for any other decorations. I enjoyed seeing this truck parked across the street, but I'm not sure I'd like to be traveling next to it or behind it in traffic. It could be a bit disconcerting. At least it would be for me, because I'd want to check out all the art on it, and that's not something you can easily do while driving.

I had great fun uploading my photographs that Friday evening. And I kept thinking about this truck, wondering who owned it, and why Anne Frank's face was so prominent on it.

When I got up Saturday morning the truck was still there. I decided which house this unknown person from Vermont might be visiting. At a decent hour I marched across the street, on a quest to find the truck's owner. I hit it right. The first house I went to, which I knew had several young people living in it, was the right one.

Timothy Findlen greeted me, and after stating my purpose, he said: "Oh, that's my friend Abby's truck. She'll be out in a minute."

When Abby Banks entered the room, my first words to her were: "I love your truck." We bonded immediately. The vivacious 29-year-old artist/photographer couldn't have been more welcoming. She began answering my questions about her "Stencil Truck," as she refers to it, as though I had every right to barge into her friend's apartment on a Saturday morning and begin grilling her about her "wheels."

Banks is a member of The Tinder Box, a collection of artists and musicians renting studio space in Brattleboro, Vermont, where they host shows and visiting bands perform. She's originally from Claremont, California, but went to Vermont's Goddard College and is still friendly with many of those college chums, with Timothy Findlen being one of those.

When I asked about the Anne Frank image all over the truck, Banks said "There's a teenage girl named Natasha, who's very involved with The Tinder Box. She's the one who created that stencil." Natasha is a big fan of Neutral Milk Hotel, whose lead Jeff Mangum was emotionally overwhelmed after reading The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. He dedicated the album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea to her. Natasha made the stencil because of this and it's one that Banks is fond of.

If I'd never met Abby Banks, I wouldn't have known that on the roof of the wonderful 1997 Ford Ranger XLT, there's a giraffe stencil. It never would have occurred to me to even ask.

 

Banks worked for the writer David Foster Wallace, author of Infinite Jest, but decided she wanted to pursue a career in art, which was her major. She prepared to leave California with no destination in mind, to take a trip of unknown length, and ended up in Asheville, North Carolina. She remained there five or six months, living in a shack on a friend's land. "I started collecting stencils there." Herman Munster was the first art to be placed on the red truck.

Asheville was "too distracting; there was so much going on." Banks decided to leave and head for Brattleboro, where she had some college friends. It was a good choice.

Abby first became aware of the term "punk house" when she was a teenager. "I was very punk; that was my thing. I was being a punk, using the meaning in a larger sense, beyond music." After visiting a friend living in a punk house in San Pedro, California, Abby decided she wanted to take a cross-country trip, which began in August 2004, to do a photo-documentary of these houses with the idea of having a book made of the photographs. "Punk houses are places inhabited by musicians, artists, writers, anarchists, squatters," in Abby's view, "where people with alternative lifestyles can live together cheaply and pursue their interests. It's this generation's rebels; people who are questioning society and the status quo." She continues "Some of the parents of those living in punk houses were hippies," but she says "the feeling is different. It changes from house to house." Banks says there are "pragmatic reasons for many of the punk houses, such as bands living together."

When she told Timothy Findlen, musician/writer/videographer about her idea, he said he was available to join her on such a trip. Tim flew out to California and the two set out on an odyssey lasting for three and a half months. Findlen has a band called Jerk Off Jack Off Frig Face, and he thought he might be able to peddle some of his CDs along the way.

"I wanted to be meeting happy people living together," Banks stated. Abby's favorite punk house was in Seattle, Villa Kula, where a 24-year-old woman was the head of the household. A week was spent there and several book pages depict this house. "It was hard to find," said Banks. "There was lots of stuff in the yard with plants growing around everything."

[Photograph of Villa Kula by Abby Banks]

Another favorite was Seattle Institute for Applied Piracy, where "a group of kids bought land and built cabins, some of which were in trees."

An introduction to Thurston Moore, frontman of Sonic Youth, led to their collaboration and a book contract with Harry N. Abrams for Punk House: Interiors in Anarchy, just released this October. Abby Banks is now America's punk-house maven.

When asked if any of the 65 houses visited "creeped her out," Banks didn't hesitate. She said of a Denver warehouse space. "I felt weird there. There were no windows; lots of dogs; tough people. I felt unsafe." They didn't hang around very long. This was not the norm, however. "Usually houses were friendly and we were led from one to another." Another quality possessed by punk houses is their ephemeral nature. Banks says "Ninety percent of the houses in the book are gone."

This caused a little snag regarding the book contract because the publisher required releases to be signed for the images in the book. A trip to the Midwest for a giant punk rock concert solved the problem. Most of the people in the book were there, and they were able to provide contact information to Banks for those that weren't.

An uh-oh experience on the trip came in Tennessee when the Stencil Truck was stopped by police for speeding. "We were driving too fast because we were almost out of gas and it was late." Banks said "We had just organized the back of the truck. The police took everything out and brought drug dogs to sniff everything. They spoke to each of us separately, making certain our stories matched." Which they did. The dogs were to suffer disappointment that night, because there was nothing to find. Banks said the police couldn't understand how they could exist traveling across the country in this manner.

When asked whether she had a romanticized view of punk houses before the trip, Banks said, "Yes, totally. I felt really inspired and very positive. The trip was beyond what I thought it might be. I met lots and lots of people, really good musicians. I'm still in contact with many of the people."

Since the publisher isn't sending Banks on a promotional tour for the book, she decided to do her own, and in her own "punky" style. She and Findlen left around October 18 for a six-week jaunt through part of the Midwest and then down the East Coast to New Orleans. As part of the bookstore events, the duo will be showing Tim's silent movie titled The True Story of Punk House.

This is a scene from the movie, shot in front of my house, before I knew what this was all about. That's Abby Banks and Andrew Jawitz, Tim's roommate. Banks will also have a slide show, and do the usual routine, discussing her book and signing purchased books. I hope there will be lots of those leaving the store.

They'll spend nights at various punk houses and they'll be doing music and a puppet show, "Over a Cardboard Sea." Before leaving on the trip, Banks returned to Portland, where she and Findlen were making puppets for the show. They invited me to come over and hang out with them while they were working on the puppets and allowed me to photograph their results.

Here's Abby at work in Tim's basement, creating some mermaids for the show.

And here are the completed mermaids, ready to dance along during the tour.

These are some of the other puppets from the show: the cardboard sea; jellyfish; a polar bear; the moon. That's Abby's decorated paintbox and some other assorted puppets and props that were in the basement. This is my favorite puppet, made by Timothy Findlen. I'm not certain that it has gone on this trip, but it's certainly worthy of being shown.

And here's another image created by Timothy Findlen: a snouch.

I think the Stencil Truck needs a snouch somewhere. Don't you?

Here's Abby Banks introducing the jellyfish to a mermaid. I got a kick out of her little black dress, and was pleased to notice that she wore one red and one blue sock. That made the outfit.

Pat The Bunny, of Wingnut Dishwashers Union, has gone with the duo for their book tour. He'll be performing at night with them. Then he'll be leaving in January for a two-month tour of Australia. Here he is relaxing at the Findlen/Jawitz apartment.

Portlanders will have to wait until after this tour ends before they get an opportunity to enjoy one of these performances. Abby plans to make arrangements here after returning from this trip, around Thanksgiving. So be on the lookout for the Stencil Truck and make sure you catch one of their shows.