Fun at Wilson's, Ephraim, Door County

Here's the man himself, Sterling Hoffmann from California. I met Sterling one evening while painting on the beach alongside Kami Polzin at the Meet the Artists night. While Kami and I were painting, Sterling quietly came on the scene with his easel. I'd forgotten a trash bag, and he offered me one he had recycled from delivered newpapers. In trying to hook it to my easel, I saw it was a double bag. Right away I noticed that there was something special about Sterling. He was concerned about the environment, and had made these bags, one for trash and one for recyclables. I said to myself, "He's either from California or Colorado." Sure enough, I was right.

This photo of Sterling was taken not long after we turned in our paintings for that evenings gala preview. It was lunch time, and we decided to go for something to eat. Sterling drove. He took us to Wilson's, famous for ice cream, homemade rootbeer, burgers. I'd only seen it, but here is Marc Hanson's painting of it. I love Wilson's because of the red and white striped awning.

Door County Necklace Competition

I knew there was a reason that I should have taken a photo of the black rubber band necklace I saw at the Magic Jacket boutique in the Top of the Hill Shops in Fish Creek. Can it be a real competition if there are only two necklaces? Maybe not.

Okay, Contestant #1: the Black Rubber Band Necklace. You'll just have to visualize it.

Contestant Number 2: the zipper pull necklace.

Don't remember this model's name but met this very nice lady on the first meet the artists night. Saw her all week. She was a big fan of James Richards work.


Contestant Number 3: the bow tie necklace made by featured artist Sterling Hoffmann. What this model doesn't know . . . she is wearing the necklace upside down. Who wins?

The Best Part, the Artists

The best thing about doing an event of this kind is meeting and getting know other artists from around the country. The artists in this blog entry are not the only great artists who were at Door County this year, they are just the ones I have some photos of.

Here's Bill Schneider. I know mostly from Oil Painters of America,
and had just seen him in May at the OPA national in Santa Fe.
He's painting at sunset at the Meet the Artists Night.

Shelby Keefe from Wisconsin, multi-tasking during
the Meet the Artists event.
This was Shelby's 3rd year in the Door County Festival!


Next up is John Stewart Price from Ontario.
I met John this day painting at Fine Line Designs Gallery and
was always happy to spent time with this artist from Canada.
He was someone I felt I known for a long time, a hell of a nice guy.

I love this next photo. The young man, Colin Page.
I first met him on Facebook. We had a little Puerto Rican connection.
It was certainly a thrill to meet a young artist that paints as well as he does. I did overhear him say with no pride,
"I do know how to paint."
And . . . he does.
Here he is wowing the crowd who've watched him work.
I joined this group of folks, and met him in person for
the first time shortly after this was taken.

Last years top winner, Tom Nachreiner from Wisconsin.
Tom has the ability to make you feel you're his friend from
the second you meet him.
He's a ball of energy with a winning smile and smiling Irish eyes!
Here he is at the start of a painting he completed on the grounds
of the Woodward Gallery - I think.
Tom is coming to teach a workshop and jury the
Ohio Plein Air Competition in September, but
I'll be in India painting.

Next is Kathie Wheeler from Wisconsin.
I first met her at a dinner given by Diane and Bill Miller.
Kathie was quiet. It was hard to tell if she was tired, shy, or both.
I did rib her a little during dinner, called her "the chosen one" - hey,
I'd just seen the new Harry Potter movie and love Snape.
So why the chosen one?
Cause she won her spot in the Door Co. Festival.
Artists can register to paint the quick paint,
even if they aren't one of the festival artists.
The winner of that competition becomes part of next year's Festival.
Congrats Kathie, I enjoyed meeting you and watching the
the bidding war over your quick paint.

This lovely young lady is Kami Polzin from Minnesota.
I met Kami in May at the OPA National Exhbition in Santa Fe.
It is always a pleasure to see Kami.
She is a friendly person and a solid artist.
We are wondering where we might next meet.


This one is me, working on a painting that didn't make it.
An old car - it's sitting in those trees.
There is something voodoo about going to the Door for me,
I always seem to forget my painting hat. So I have to stop at a truck stop to
see what they have. This one was too big, but the brim was good against the sun.


This is almost a photo of Lori Beringer.
It's the painting she was working on at the Meet the Artists Night.
I loved her palette, each and every time I saw it.


And . . . Debra Groesser from Nebraska.
What a sweet lady, and a dynamite painter!
Her husband was also a great guy and a wonderful support system
for her during the week. They were a good team.


So just a sampling of the wonderful artists I met and painted with last week.

Door County Photos

Here are a few places that Mary Ann and I visited on Saturday.

At right is a fishing shack at the Bailey's Harbor fish store. There were all kinds of neat things surrounding the parking lot of this fish store. Buoys, boats, and just paintable STUFF.

The rocky shoreline landscape with boats was found on the eastern side of the peninsula along Lake Michigan, in the area of the Lighthouse. I thought that I might get back to paint that one, but I never did.

Below is another scene of a wetlands along a coastline. So many great wild places in addition to farmlands, orchards, little harbor towns, marinas, beaches, and at the very tip, a real working fishing village.

Here's the Morninglory Restaurant. A favorite place for those painting the quick paint on the last day of the Festival. Bob Eberle, from Indiana, painted it the first year, and did a great job. With his artist eye he changed the colors from what what you see here. He used a teal color for the siding and more towards an orange for the roof line. Those colors vibrate and really pop in a painting and in the public's eye. I noticed some of those colors this year in paintings of this location. Hey, this is also a great place for breakfast or a late dinner.

Not far from the restaurant is the marina area. This day was windy and chilly. I took several photos of this couple fishing . . .

. . . and I saw this duck windsock and couldn't resist a photo of it. There is a real sense of joy in Door County, evident in the people, the places and the buzz. Winter must get awfully cold and snowy, and they revel in summer!

I am sorry to find that I never took a photo of the cherry trees. Will post some paintings of them.

My Door County Roomie

Okay folks, here she is, my Roomie, Mary Ann Davis from Indianapolis, IN. Mary Ann and I have known each other for many years, but never painted together or really got to know each other. She is a past president of Indiana Plein Air Painters, and I am a founder and past president of the Ohio Plein Air Society.

We each drove up to the Door on Friday, had all day Saturday to scout potential painting spots, and did 3 paintings. I was glad to get that under my belt because I had my granddaughter with me while my daughter was in Paris for 10 days. Consequently, this day of painting was an intergral part of my success in the coming week: Mary Ann and I were able to get comfortable with each other, and I dusted off some of the accumulated rust from not painting.

Each evening, Mary Ann and I critiqued each others work, and we helped talk each other through any momentary bouts of insecurity throughout the week. It was a positive time for us both. Thanks Mary Ann for a great week, and I hope the beginning of a closer friendship.

Here's Mary Ann with the couple that purchased her Ephraim Bay scene (hanging between them). I got to know this couple quite well after meeting them at the "Meet the Artist's Night". They'd find me painting at my easel, and they were a delight to talk with each day.

Making it Happen

Kathie, director of the Peninsula Art School
at the first "Meet the Artist's Night"



This was the first of many special event opportunities
throughout the week where Palette Sponsors
were able to meet and talk with artists.

I love this photo of Cinnamon, who worked hard on planning the 1st Annual Door County Plein Air Festival. This was the 3rd year for the Festival, and I thank Cinnamon for all of her continued hard work. Here she is flanked by the two official event photographers, Tom Groenfeldt at left, and on the right, Dennis Connolly.

Here are two young women that worked hard for us all. Left is Katie, a summer intern, and right is Jackie. (I do hope I get the names right. Someone tell me if I'm wrong so I can change spelling or wrong names.)


This is Kay and her great smile, she also has a wonderful infectious laugh. What would I have done without Kay??? Never seeming to loose her cool, she was a great point of contact for questions, hanging, and just anything that you needed. She helped me choose work for the wall, price it and even helped with titles when I was just plain pooped and not thinking straight. Thanks Kay.

And speaking of Door County Fish Boil . . .

Entitled "Fish Boil", oil painting
by Marc Hanson, Travers City, Minnesota.

Truly sorry not to have a better photo of this painting. It was probably my favorite on the wall for the Friday Night Gala Collectors Preview. I'm sure that he has a much better photo on his website or blog. Check him out, he's a marvelous painter.

This painting had the power to intrigue me from across the room. Even at a distance, I found looking at this painting was like listening to music: a great melody with all the right accents and rests and drama.

Door County Fish

I am worn out from last week's intensive Door County Plein Air Festival, in Fish Creek, WI. Thought I'd put my "down time" to good use and blog about my experience. This could take days!!!

One thing that Door County has is fish! I took this photo in a Bailey's Harbor fish shop. You could get smoked salmon or (pictured here 'cause I couldn't resist the color and sheen) smoked whitefish. Also for sale was fresh fish, frozen fish burgers, and frozen chunks to make the famous Door County "fish boil."


The fishermen hang out in the side room, cleaning their catch and telling tales. Here is the owner of the shop. And I had to post the photo of a bottle of Spotted Cow beer, from the New Glarius Brewery. Two years ago, my husband, Martin, and I toured this brewery, did a beer tasting and walked out with a case of their various kinds of beer. It was wonderful to taste it again this year with fish and chips.