winslow homer's studio

When visiting Portland, Maine and surroundings do make advance reservations to take a tour of the home and studio of this iconic American painter. The house/studio was recently renovated and finally opened to the public, after being in the Homer family since Winslow's death nearly 100 years ago. The tour is very enjoyable, enlightening and entertaining. You learn a lot about a very interesting personality in American art. The location is breathtaking (right on the rocky water's edge!), and it's easy to see how Homer was inspired to produce his magnificent and classic maritime paintings.

I'm a big fan of Winslow Homer's art, especially his watercolors, and a visit to his studio was a glimpse into the inner life of this very quirky man. Never married, he chose to live out his later years in an ascetic converted carriage house in this exclusive private summer colony surrounded by -- but separate from -- his family. The experience of visiting his studio is not as visceral as visiting Cezanne's studio in Aix-en-Provence, which is still full of the objects he immortalized in his still lifes, but it helps to reveal the extent of Homer's genius. Why did he not put a north-facing window in either of his painting rooms? (I'm guessing privacy, but the light for painting in those dark-paneled rooms is very poor). Like so many of these tours, it's all about the docent, and Beth, the guide we had on the gorgeous October day we visited was superlative. Although I live in Portland, I felt like I had been transported into not just the rarified sanctuary that is Prout's Neck, but into the psyche of one of America's greatest artists.

We were lucky enough to get tickets to see Homer's studio recently. No easy feat, considering they only take 10 visitors in a van, 2 or 3 times a day, and only on selected days in the fall. If you are a fan of his work, and know a bit about his personality, then visiting his studio will give you, like it did us, a better understanding of the man. The van ride from the Portland Art Museum was about 20 minutes, but our tour guide filled that time easily, giving us background information about Homer. The location of his home and studio is beautiful, and very private. We were fortunate to have visited on a sunny October day, so we were able to walk down to the shore line, and the stand on the rocks that Homer painted. If it's raining, the tour goes on, but without the walk. We were greeted and followed by a security guard, who gave us each a bottle of water. The studio is bleak, with no paintings and very little furniture, but it's not an art museum. Recently renovated, it's meticulous, and the grounds are well manicured. Our hour spent there was very special and informative. If you are a fan of Homer's works, and know a little about him, this should be on your bucket list.

...but loved the view. Would like to make it back someday to see the inside, but I strongly suggest you take the Cliff Walk (see my review)!

The "studio: which was a converted barn, utilized By Winslow Homer during later years of his life, faces the Cliff walk/ocean which inspired "Weatherbeaten" and much of his Maine Coast works of art. It is located at Prouts Neck ( peninsula) in a small gated community near Black Point Inn. My husband and I would walk along the cliff Walk starting near the Inn ( and in front of some mansions) whenever we stayed at the Inn or visited the area, located between bay and sea. The locals are not thrilled with visitors but it never stopped us. We often approached the studio from the Cliff Walk when it was empty, prior to the acquisition by PMA. The studio has only been open barely 2 years. It is pricey at $55/person for non-museum members ( Truly for me, it would have been worth twice that to get inside. Actually it was 3X ( because I paid for 2 friends to accompany me, just to not go alone- and it was something they would not afford.) Access is only permitted by reserving a space with a small Mercedes bus-- party of up to 10, departing from PMA in Portland ( where parking is not exactly a stones throw) and the round trip adds nearly an hour. If weather permits, you do walk a portion of the Cliff Walk and can see exactly where some of the paintings of the craggy rocky coast were inspired by. The restoration is excellent and true to its function, although with few "collectibles" and no original work on site( however there are a few wonderful pieces at the PMA. The guides are very willing to share information on the ride to and from the building. Winslow Homer was a Master American painter and an interesting character. Rarely can one access a studio in its purest of settings. Definitely worth it for me, but research and consideration needed for others. Black Point Inn, which I love and is an expensive hotel, offers an infrequent block of stay ( usually about $900 for a 2 day stay at the Inn which will include a private or more intimate tour if that suits one more).

This visit is a bit of an undertaking because it has to be reserved often weeks in advance and only about 10 people are allowed to visit at any one occasion; maybe 2-3 of these groups at most per day.The studio is austere and it does not have a lot of collections/artifacts within. But the studio is well restored and a gem; so many artists' studios have been lost. Regardless, the enduring experience is really in the view, the magnificent rocky coastline and views across to islands and land with which we associate Homer's Maine work. The studio is in a gated community of late 19th/early 20th century seaside estates, developed in part by the Homer family in the 19th century. The gated feature makes the visit quite restrictive, as the property owners do not want hoards of visitors intruding on their seaside solace. The studio is now owned by the Portland Museum of Art, but this includes only a sliver of land and it is tricky to scale the rocky coastline as Homer might have. Visitors have a bit of access to the coastline farther down the road, accompanied by a guide. Our guide was diplomatic, but one might surmise that with time more property and a more complete experience might be possible. Especially if we are well behaved and the property owners begin to trust us! Nevertheless, this visit was a treat for our party!

Winslow Homer occupied this famous studio facing the ocean from the 1883 until his death in 1910 at age 74. Although modified by his brother Charles and others since his time, this Historical Landmark retains much of the feeling of the original structure, which Homer had converted from a barn by the famed architect John Calvin Stevens in 1883. Inside you will find the painting room, not that different from the room seen in the famous photograph of Homer painting "The Gulf Stream". There is the oilskin hat seen in the painting "Eight Bells" on the wall, as well as a period portrait of Charles Homer Senior. There is an easel and some furniture and trunks - a mix of Homers own and items added by 1936 by his brother Charles. There is a flip-top table upon which, according to Doris Homer (wife of Winslow's nephew) Homer prepared his paints. There is the ships wheel Homer recovered from a wreck that once hung over the mantle in his living room (not a public area, although I was fortunate to get a private tour by Doris Homer, a wonderful lady - his brushes are there, his notes on the wall are visible, as is the sextant from "Eight Bells"). All the things one reads about in Philip C. Beams 1966 book are visible today, although there are more visitors than there were just 10 years ago. From the yard with its Japanese trained Juniper and path down to the cliffs and the Marginal Path, the air is rich with Juniper and Wildflowers. There are foxes and chipmunks and so many, many things to see. The Marginal Path, Cannon Rock, the Gilbert Rocks and High Cliff, Kettle Cove, the Eastern Shore and Black Rock are all easily visible. The cliffs provide endless hours of climbing enjoyment, and Homer enthusiasts will have great fun finding the location of various landmarks and locations depicted in Homers works. The walk is among the most invigorating experiences I have ever had. I have returned to take this walk at night during the worst storms in December, and the hottest sticky days of the summer during low tide. I have collected "lucky stones" from the hidden cave at Cannon Rock - never have I felt such polished stone. Prouts is NEVER disappointing - can't be - and will appear completely different several times a day, let alone over a few days. If possible, staying at the Black Point Inn will provide the most access to the cliffs, as well as a true quality vintage hotel and dining experience.