Romantic ideals. I have them. Saltboxes on remote craggy cliffsides is one of them.
I took this photo late in the afternoon on last week’s road trip to the Baccalieu Gallery in Heart’s Content. I was dropping off some artwork, and hoping to take some photos for more art creation inspiration.
The day started off sunny, then turned cloudy by the time I got into my car. This is Newfoundland; we can have all seasons in one day here.
But after another lovely art chat and visit with gallery-owner Jeanette, the sun started breaking out from the clouds. Pure drama sky. Yes!
So I drove to the other side of the peninsula. I had noticed that the houses get older and more traditional around Broad Cove (love that town).
I do one of my fave things in the world – I just turn down any pretty road that beckons. (I love doing this in foreign countries especially, and without a map. But I have also noticed – by the white knuckles on my co-pilots – that not everyone enjoy this as much as I do).
Also, taking these tiny, hilly roads is a lot easier now that I have a new car. In my previous old beaters, I was too chicken to drive on the steep hills. What if the breaks give out? What if I stall? (This happened. My clutch gave out on a hill when I was just learning to drive a standard transmission in a car that was given to me when I first arrived here. I had no idea if the problem was me or the car. It wasn’t me – the mechanic brought out the clutch and told me he had never seen one with such a deep crack in it before. I told him I had never even seen a clutch before. Even?)
But I digress.
Free from beater-anxiety, I am having the time of my life inching along tiny roads that take you right to the cliff edge, and passing through little villages with historic houses that make my heart swoon. I love historic houses.
Then I saw this house, with this view. Big sky, big water, big space – it’s my happy trio. Painted with a big red – cadmium red medium. The cadmium reds are to die for. They really pop.
Saltbox on the Baccalieu
4″x4″ oil on canvas with painted sides.
Will be dry in about a week.