THIMBLE ISLAND
12X9
Oil Pastel on Canvas
$300

The Thimble Islands dot the shoreline of Connecticut. Some are small and rocky, with small decrepit shacks and ramshackle piers. Some have typical summer houses, with canoes and kayaks pulled up on the rocks. Some have mansions fashioned to impress the neighbors. And others house only wildlife and legends of pirate treasure. They are a fascinating collection of rocky outcroppings.

But for all their visual appeal, I am always aware of how they perch on only the tippy-top of a rugged and rocky world. Monster forces lie below in that underwater world. Controlled by the rocks and tides and wind, these powerful forces dictate life on these tiny islets. All the Thimbles are basically rocks with a frosting of top soil.

This is a mixed media piece. The upper part of the work, the soft feeling of a beautiful day on the water was done using oil pastels. The rocky formations underneath were also done lightly in oil pastel, but parts were left undone, so that the acrylic wash filled in the blank spaces.