One of my great privileges and joys has been my summers spent at camp. It is not easy to explain to friends and colleagues why I spend all summer at camp. If you have ever felt the joy of camp you know, if not, I'm sorry. I've been lucky to spend over 40 years at various summer camps and 35 official years on Panther Pond in Raymond Maine. 25 years at Camp Timanous. The bond and loyalty I have for the people there is stronger than the beams that hold up the old barn. Timanous got a fancy new update on that old Barn this past year. It's still an old barn. It still has the charm of a 1800's new england style barn. The old beams and farm antiques in the rafters that only Suitcase knows the history of. Bob got a new kitchen with AC, an ice machine that never runs out of ice, and plenty of walk in cooler space. The restaurant section got a redo as well. Lots more room to move around and covered porch areas to hang out. My home in the summer is the Mallards apartment, but my studio becomes the Handicraft Shack mostly after taps. Like most summers I painted 3 batiks in the wee hours of the night. All 3 were of the barn. the first one (June) I did from the angle of the new addition on the restaurant section. The second (July) from the side. The third one (August) I painted with people at a cookout because that is one of the main hangout spots at camp. I also used a homemade dye made by our own Nature Man "Gurt". I asked Gurt if there was a natural dye the color of pine needles and he mixed up one that I used in the path area. We gather around the Barn area at least 3 times a day. There is a lot of history in that Barn. And now it should be good for another 150 years! The (August) painting was commisioned by the Timanous Foundation, and the (July) Barn was sold to an old friend. I've been told the June Barn was purchased but not 100%. I've got a few more camp paintings in me and will be working on them this fall in my new studio in Candler (Enka Lake area, or West West Asheville) Beginners Beach, the back road (no one will be crying) and the bonfire. Reach out if you are interested in a camp batik.
