And speaking of art . . .

Some of you know that I finished my Master's in urban planning this month, and as a reward, my parents sent me this amazing painting, almost identical to one I'd seen in a small gallery in their new hometown of Brunswick, Maine

This is actually a series of smaller paintings vertically assembled in a frame. All over the gallery--which is a converted Victorian house off Brunswick's main retail corridor--these smaller squares dot the walls, alongside landscape paintings, line drawings, pottery, and textile pieces woven from one of the four looms in what was formerly an upstairs bedroom. Handmade birdhouses greet visitors at the entrance.

I liked this piece because the squares gave off a quiet, moody quality, and the paint was layered thickly, like baked clay: sort of surprising to find in breezy, wooded Maine.

By the way, this is Caroline, the artist:

Caroline and several other artists create and exhibit their work at the Spindleworks Gallery, which is a working artists' space for developmentally disabled adults. It's a place hard not to fall in love with, with at least a dozen artists actively creating work dawn to dusk and an open-door policy to visitors, whether browsers, buyers, students, filmmakers, educators, locals, or tourists like me.

Here's the note my mother wrote on the back of the photo you see above, which was tucked in with the painting when I opened it:

"This is Caroline, the artist. The original piece you saw on your visit had been sold, so Caroline did this one especially for you. The bags behind her are also her designs. Such a talent! (as well as sweet and funny). Her dad builds the frames. I know you will find the perfect spot to hang your new piece of art."

And we did: between the two windows in our dining room, the sunniest room in the house.