This is “The Trailing Yew,” my home away from home one wonderfully memorable summer’s week, and was the final subject of my sojourn there, painted the Friday afternoon before my departure for the mainland, following breakfast there the next morning.
I had arrived on Sunday of the first week of July, following a long day and overnight drive of a little more than a thousand miles from Indiana to Port Clyde, Maine, and then a ten mile boat ride off coast out to Monhegan Island. After a walk through the village from the harbor, I had finally made it to my destination, The Trailing Yew – built around 1850, it was the home of Simon and Elizabeth Humphrey, and then their son, Captain William Humphrey, it later became a quiet restful rustic hotel when bought by Josephine Davis Day, and has been in operation since its opening in 1926. There, you will find intentional simple lodging accommodations (some rooms are still “without” electricity, and use oil lamps for lighting) and they serve very fine family style breakfasts and dinners, which are held in the common area dining room. I enjoyed my time here very much and have since returned, but I appreciate that the rustic nature of the lodgings isn’t to everyone’s tastes or needs.
I stayed here while attending a painting workshop led by my artist friend, Guy Corriero, of Portland, Maine, a signature member of the American Watercolor Society. It had taken me over thirty years to finally get to the island and join him for a week of plein air painting, as he had first invited me, back in 1975, and again many times since. I am only sorry that I hadn’t gotten around to doing this much sooner.
The island has a rich history since the 1850’s of being the destination of many historically noted artists over the years, including N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth; Rockwell Kent; Edward Hopper; Robert Henri; Alice Kent Stoddard; Edward Willis Redfield; George Bellows; and Frederick Judd Waugh, to name but a few.
I can’t recommend enough, coming to this place and the island if you ever have the opportunity, especially for those seeking such a location with a diverse offering of close-at-hand island landscape, seascape, coastal shore line, harbor, village settings and local subjects (boats, fishnets, lobster pots, etc.) for making art, but keep in mind that as there are no cars to rent on the island, you will have to walk and carry your gear!!.