You know the summer season is arriving in Ogunquit when you see the plein air painters lining up their easels near the Marginal Way access points.
Paint smeared gear, tinted canvasses, wide-brimmed hats.
All around them, the perfume of early blooming rosa rugosa floats on the shifting sea breeze in tendrils of fragrance. Twisting. Groping through the rank and salty mist smudged over Oarweed Cove.
Tourists stop to look. They crane their necks to glance at the first few brush strokes on the canvas. They observe a work in progress. They walk away again. Nothing to see here.
They don’t want a journey, just a destination. A finished painting. A final product. Wrapped in cellophane. Stamped with a UPC code. Tossed in a plastic bag emblazoned with a corporate logo – complete with a receipt and return policy.
There’s little patience for the creative process, these days — or the duration it takes for full expression to occur. Everyone’s in such a rush.
Even on the Marginal Way.
Here’s a scenic walkway curving along the coast with enough rugged vistas to rival any majestic coast. Thirty-nine benches, strategically placed, reminding us to slow down and enjoy the journey.
I’m always amazed at how fast many people walk on the Marginal Way. Frazzled human beings tailgating on foot. Pushing for completion. Aiming hard for the end of the path. A conquest. Something else to check off the list.
I’d guess that the happiness level of an individual – or the quality of a romantic relationship – could be determined by the amount of time it takes these folks to walk the Marginal Way. A longer walk is an indicator of a clear mind – a willingness to see, experience and absorb nature’s ever-changing performance.
That’s why I envy the painters. Taking their time. Witnessing beauty and processing it through the filter of their own minds and artistic abilities.
If you happen to find yourself walking by a plein air painter on the Marginal Way, and you find your path blocked by some insensitive slowpoke slowing down the traffic – don’t get too angry, it’s just me.
Feel free to introduce yourself before you continue your race to the finish line.
I’ve got plenty of time.
I’m just watching creativity take place.
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