Classic wooden yachts bunk side by side with newer vessels of equal beauty. But the real jewels in the crown of this local treasure are the perfectly balanced Herreshoffs anchored there. Quissett Harbor is one of my favorite places to go in the early morning while both locals and visitors alike are still tucked in their beds. The harbor water at this time of day is like glass with just a faint indication of the tides that roam in and out. The absolute peace of this setting is a creative balm that I regularly use to start my day on just the right note.

When visitors think of flowers that represent Cape Cod, Hydrangeas and Beach Roses come immediately to mind. But, one of my favorites are the lovely water lilies found in many of our local ponds. It is a sure sign of summer when you stroll through Heritage Gardens and find these beautiful aquatic flowers in bloom.

Wood Neck Beach, in the Sippewisset area, is a sandy bay-side beach backed by grass-covered dunes and thousands of Rosa Rugosa. At high tide the beach is very narrow, but sandbars and shallow tidal pools make this a lovely safe place for children when the tide is out. Woodneck Beach in West Falmouth on beautiful Cape Cod is a sight to behold. June brings an abundance of fragrant blossoms of beach roses (rosa rugosa) and welcomes back locals and visitors to this peaceful little beach . There is a marsh behind the beach where you will see many of the local birds. I was inspired to paint this wonderful view by the wind blowing off of Buzzards Bay, throwing a blanket of scent of our beloved beach roses.

Cape Cod is home to many charming lighthouses. There is a Cape Cod Lighthouse tour that will bring you to all of them!!!

There is nothing quite as wonderful as the joy and warmth that fine art paintings bring to your home. Oil paintings, in particular, are extremely durable and can be placed anywhere in your home from your private study to your family room and look wonderful as added interest in bathrooms whether they are large or small.

Cape Cod is well known for its magnificent beaches. Visitors and locals alike flock to our sandy shores for memorable summer days of picnics and fun. At the end of a perfect beach day you will be treated to a light show like no other. Old Silver Beach in the village of North Falmouth, and “The Knob”, located near Quissett Harbor, are known as the best sunsets on Cape Cod.

Quissett Harbor is one of my favorite places to go in the early morning while most locals and visitors are still tucked in their beds. Early in the morning you'll find a robust crew of sailors getting their gear ready for a day of sailing and hanging out on the dock at Quissett Harbor Landing. If you want to know where the fish are biting, who has just purchased a new sailboat, and the tiniest bits of local gossip, I highly recommend that you arrive at the landing around 6 AM. Bring coffee and doughnuts and a great sense of humor as you'll need them when you're chatting with the local Cape Codders that you will find there.

As you drive down the back road to Woods Hole, on the right-hand side of the street, you’ll see the entrance to The National Academy of Sciences. This idyllic setting includes magnificent views of Quissett Harbor. Originally a private summer home, the land was purchased in 1884 by James Marshall, a stockbroker who lived in New York City. Now, this stunning example of 19th Century architectural design is used as a location for meetings that include some of the most brilliant scientific minds on the planet!

As much as I love the ocean, sailing, and the northeast coast, I'm also drawn to figurative painting, more precisely dance. The two young dancers that you see in this painting are best friends and have been dancing together since they were toddlers. They are both working hard towards a career with national ballet companies in the future. The inspiration and idea for the composition of this painting was apparent while I was visiting this particular ballet company and saw these two young dancers, one with her hand on the other's shoulder and quietly talking together.

There is nothing more fun when you visit Cape Cod than a day trip to Provincetown. The village is known for its diverse population and beautiful views. Bring your bicycle and take a ride on the bike path through the dunes; it's a delightful way to spend an afternoon. Five-star restaurants and unique shops abound. In the late 19th century Portuguese fishermen started to settle in the village along with a sizable community of artists who still live and paint there. I know that you will enjoy the many art galleries that feature all genres of art.

Bourne Farm, an authentic 1775 farmhouse, is listed on the National Historic Register. This beautiful property was once privately owned and a working farm. The morning light washes over the pond located to the left of the property and lights up the many trees and stone walls. The flower gardens are meticulously maintained and the farmhouse has been completely restored to its original beauty by the Falmouth Historical Society. Bourne Farm is the chosen site of many local couples where they celebrate their marriages and the start of their married lives on beautiful Cape Cod.

On a warm day this summer, I received a call early in the morning from my dear friend Alan. Alan and I frequently take boat rides out into Nantucket Sound, traveling to the islands and visiting harbors and other areas that you can only reach by sailing or motoring out to them. The inspiration for this painting came from the peaceful scene of two classic sailboats anchored side-by-side awaiting their masters to take the helm and once again sail the waves of Nantucket Sound.

Claire dances with the Connecticut Ballet and may also be seen in many Broadway productions in New York City. She is a lovely young woman, as light as a feather, and as sweet as sugar.

Nothing is better than fresh fish or shellfish for dinner on Cape Cod! Those of us that live here depend on our friendly fisherman in Chatham to supply our tables with the freshest fish available!

Sailing regattas are a New England summertime tradition. From July to early September, thrilling sailboat races take place from Nantucket to Newport every weekend. No other region quite compares to New England’s yachting community. And of all sailboat races, classic regattas – featuring vintage, wooden and Spirit of Tradition sailboats – are some of the most exciting to watch.

Woods Hole Golf Club is a true Cape Cod classic. From its stunning new clubhouse and pro shop to the perfectly manicured greens, this private golf club is a hidden gem on the back road to Woods Hole. The 17th hole is their signature hole, as well it should be. Overlooking Buzzards Bay and "The Knob" at the entrance to Quissett Harbor, it is a stunning view on any day but especially as shown in this painting of a perfect sunny Cape Cod afternoon.

There is a time of day on Cape Cod when the sun is going down on another wonderful day of beach picnics and roaming around the Cape. Those of us that live here call it the golden hour.

From St. Tropez to The Caribbean, classic sailboats show off their beauty and speed in Classic Yacht Regattas.

On the way to The Chartroom Restaurant, just before the turn on County Road in Cataumet, there is a beautiful and historic horse farm on the right-hand side. During the day time, you'll see a number of horses grazing peacefully and enjoying their pristine surroundings. The horse depicted in this composition is my favorite of the herd and has been featured in a number of my paintings.

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez plays host to some of the most beautiful yachts from both the era of elegance and the modern-day. First run twenty-six years ago as La Nioulargue, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez gathers together modern sailboats alongside traditional yachts during the first week of October. Racers and sailing enthusiasts come from all over Europe to do battle in the bay of Saint Tropez. Tuiga, a well known classic yacht, began her long life in 1909 when she slipped into the cold Scottish waters at the boatbuilder William Fife’s yard. She had been commissioned by the Duc de Medinacelli, a close friend of the King of Spain, Alphonse XIII. William Fife designed Tuiga as a twin to the Fife-built Hispania so that the two 15-meter JI vessels were equally matched for racing purposes.

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Back in the 60's, classic yachts in English Harbor had begun chartering, and the captains and crews challenged each other to a race down to Guadeloupe at the end of the charter season. From this informal race, Antigua Sailing Week was formed in 1967 and in those days all of the yachts were classic. However, over the next 24 years, the classic yachts were slowly outnumbered by the faster, sleeker modern racing yachts. A small number of classics still racing in 1987 found themselves grouped with cruising Class 3 which was less than ideal for these hard-to-maneuver full-keeled vessels. And so it came about that captains Uli Pruesse and Kenny Coombs hosted a meeting with other classic skippers onboard the magnificent schooner Aschanti of Saba and, several rums later, the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta was born.

Bordering the back road that goes by Nobska Lighthouse and into Woods Hole, you'll find a wonderful bike path with stunning views of the sea and wooded areas. A little past the turn on Surf Drive, on the left-hand side and right in front of the bike path, there is a pond. At different times of the year it is teaming with flocks of birds. I waited for days to capture this swan, part of a couple that has visited for years at the same location. On the last day, late in the afternoon that's famous for its golden light, he spread his wings and voilà! The perfect image.

Founded in 1634, Boston Common is America’s oldest Park! George Washington, John Adams and General Lafayette came here to celebrate our nation's independence. Whether it’s summer and time for our beloved Swan boats or a winter stroll in crisp New England air, the Boston Common is the pride of Massachusetts residents.

The Marion-Bermuda Race was founded by two remarkable men; William David (”Dave“) Kingery and Geoffrey Richard (”Dickie“) Bird. The first Marion-Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race in 1977 was a great success. There were 104 yachts at the starting line attesting to the need for an event comprised of offshore vessels manned by cruising crews. The going was slow in light southwesterly winds and most of the expectant officials at the finish line thought CHEE CHEE would cross first. But her position was not accurate and Herb Marcus’s SILKIE took line honors, first on corrected time and first short-handed. marionbermuda.com

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez plays host to some of the most beautiful yachts from both the era of elegance and modern-day. First, run twenty-six years ago as La Nioulargue, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez gathers together modern sailboats alongside traditional yachts during the first week of October. Racers and sailing enthusiasts come from all over Europe to do battle in the bay of Saint Tropez. Tuiga’s, a lovely classic sailing yacht began her long life began in 1909 when she slipped into the cold Scottish waters at the boatbuilder William Fife’s yard. She had been commissioned by the Duc de Medinacelli, a close friend of the King of Spain, Alphonse XIII. William Fife designed Tuiga as a twin to the Fife-built Hispania so that the two 15-meter JI vessels were equally matched for racing purposes.

Nantucket Island, just off the coast of Cape Cod, is a favorite place to visit for tourists and home to many celebrity residents in the summertime.

The Connecticut ballet was kind enough to allow me access to their dancers during practice and rehearsals. These are incredibly talented young men and women who adore dancing and everything about it. They are committed to the beauty, discomfort, and everything else that goes along with being a professional ballet dancer. They work incredibly hard to perfect their craft and many of these dancers have gone on to dance with famous international ballets. Their love of dance and insistence on perfection was the inspiration for this painting.

The Great White Egret is by far the most elegant of all tropical birds. The goal of this painting is to represent this magnificent bird in all of its splendor.

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez plays host to some of the most beautiful yachts from both the era of elegance and modern-day sailing yachts bound to be classics of their time. First run twenty-six years ago as La Nioulargue, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez gathers together modern sailboats alongside traditional yachts during the first week of October. Racers and sailing enthusiasts come from all over Europe to do battle in the bay of Saint Tropez.

Pollera is the traditional costume and folk dance of Panama. The Pollera is worn by women during festivals and the yearly competition at the Teatro National in Panama City. I lived in Panama for a number of years. While I was there the focus of my paintings became centered on the national traditional Panamanian dance called Pollera. I was commissioned by the Panama Canal Authority to create 15 paintings of their national dance form for their corporate offices in Panama City. It took me over 2 1/2 years to complete these paintings as they are highly detailed, and every aspect needs to be exact as there is a specific meaning to every detail of Pollera costuming. The headpiece decorations include tortoiseshell combs known as Peinetas, and seed pearl with 18-carat gold hair decorations which are called Tembleque’s. There are 18 solid gold chains with each carrying a specific medallion around the dancer’s neck. I spent another year traveling to jewelers who only create this traditional jewelry. Another number of months was spent with women in the village of Ocú located on the Azuero Peninsula, very close to my home when I lived in Panama. For generations, the village women have created the most exquisite embroidery in the country.