Her Little Island…..

   My cousin Margaret turned 80 the other day. I am so forgetful lately, I ended up phoning her because I had not remembered to get her a card. Some days that really bugs me and I think I am the only 50 something person that feels like they already have Alzheimer's. I am sure I am not alone but I do hate it. Anyway….my cousin Margaret, is a very talented lady. She lives on one of our very cool islands here in Maine on Casco Bay. The above picture is one of the Ferry’s that take you to her island. I have been there many times. She is an artist and a sculptor and a musician and a poet and a writer of stories and songs, just to mention a few of her talents. She has a little shop on the island where she sells some of her creations to islanders and tourists. Her house/cottage is right next to it and it has a tall foundation wall. She decided years ago to paint that wall with flowers so it looked like a flower garden growing up the side of the house. After a few years it started to fade some so she had to touch it up. Here’s a photo of her doing that…. Not an easy task for someone who cannot walk. She rides a scooter throughout the house and uses canes. She also makes sculptures out of polymer clay and sells them in her little shop. Here is a photo of one of her creations…. They are usually quite animated and fun! See those flowers? All done by hand with her own homemade tools and baked in a little toaster oven. You just wouldn’t even believe it.

Here are some other figures above.

She also draws on the computer with an art program. Here is one of her flowers she made in the paint program….

This was all done digitally…..can you believe it??

Here is another digital painting and it is one of my favorites!…I just love the coloring. Another craft she does is hand painting mussel shells. She has someone collect them for her on the shore of the island and she hand paints the inside of them with ocean scenes or holiday scenes or whatever suits her fancy at the time. And lastly……my absolute favorite digital she did is this island house lined with flowers and that purple roof!! Love it!! I will revisit her again at another time and show you more of her talent. You ought to see the arthritic fingers she uses to make all of this!!!