Elizabeth Hartsig

Before I actually went to Sacred & Profane, the annual art gathering and general Whooping-it-Up Fest on Peaks Island, Maine, I was a little... hesitant about the whole thing. Actually, that's not the half of it: I kind of resembled the grumpy old Jim Hensen guys in my attitude: absurdly curmudgeonly and jaded about the whole idea of it. For no reason.

Anyway, this year I ended up going, and it was a blast. Everyone piles onto the afternoon ferry, all bright colors and scarfs and little satchels on our backs, everyone in incredibly high spirits. And the gathering continues from there, with great art, great people, music, food, and views. It was windy and cold, and everyone's hair was in a disarray and everyone had rosy cheeks and we drank whiskey and kombucha and raised a RUCKUS.

I had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth Hartsig while out there. She's a fantastic photographer, and I've been following her work for a long time. Do check out her blog: it's a great place to get lost. Here is one of her pictures from the day; it totally captures what it feels like to wander through Battery Steele, looking at art, whispering to your friends, meeting strangers, feeling just the right amount of creepiness and awe and wide-eyed surprise.