paintings by Jessica Ives

This week my two brothers and one sister-in-law will be visiting. This marks the first time my family has been in the same place at the same time in three years — and the first time we’ve been together at our home in Maine for many more. Despite life’s demand they live elsewhere for a time, my brothers love Maine just as much as I do and we all agree the fall season here is the best.

But this fall, this week will be the sweetest.

I’m sure we’ll go fly fishing and apple picking. We’ll sit on a dock and enjoy the leaves changing around the edge of the lake. We’ll laugh a lot and hike a lot, both activities causing us to take deep breaths of crisp air. We might even make it out for a day trip to Monhegan.

I love my family and I love the place we will always call home.

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Several weeks ago nine aunts and uncles on my dad’s side of the family (I have sixteen total!) came to Maine for the first time. They rented a pair of cabins on Megunticook Lake and the setting was so beautiful we hardly ever left the dock — and if we did it was to paddle in the kayaks or lounge around in the water. The paintings above and below are from their visit. If you enjoyed the Indian Summer we experienced here this past weekend, you’ll still be able to feel a warm dock under your feet and refreshing water lapping at your skin.

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Every Tuesday The Maine will post a new painting by Jessica Ives. These small works, all 4 x 4 inches on cradled birchwood panels, will be concurrently listed for auction on dailypaintworks.com, a fantastic platform designed by artists, for artists. View the auction for this painting here, or simply click on the image above.

Tuesday 207 paintings are exclusive to The Maine. They depict the land, the light and the people that make this state a state of wonder. Visit the growing gallery of Tuesday 207 paintings here.

Jessica is the editor of The Maine and writes occasionally as The Outsider.