The Farnsworth Museum, Rockland Maine

I took a ride to Rockland, Maine to see the Frank Benson exhibit at the Farnsworth Museum which is also the home of the art of the Wyeth's. 

When I think of Benson, I think of women in white dresses painted against the backdrop of the Island meadows of Maine. These famous works are luminous in carved and gilded frames that I so wanted to photograph, but it's not allowed. 

The real surprise was that Benson was painter and printmaker of shore birds of all kinds. Eagles, ducks, gulls. Having recently painted gulls, with plans to expound upon the bird theme, I was treated, in a short film, to a lesson of him etching plates of copper and limestone and pulling prints. His composition is impeccable.

There is also a Jamie Wyeth and Rockwell Kent show of paintings of Monhegan Island. Jamie's birds carry meanings that are metaphorically representational of human foibles such as the seven deadly sins. Kent's paintings are strong land and seascapes of the island on which he lived and worked.

The Museum itself is a gift from the Farnsworth family through daughter Lucy and is delightful.

I was there for almost 4 hours and it was exhilarating!