A New Valentine

Every year, I make a sailors' valentine for the Barnstable Land Trust. I usually begin working on it right around New Year's and finish by the 4th of July. This year, I hemmed and hawed, in part because the economy has wreaked havoc on my pricing. I wasn't convinced it was worth it and considered doing a shell map of Cape Cod instead. Oh, and my studio has been in disarray because of all the renovation projects in my house.

Then came the phone call.

It was Barnstable Land Trust. "We really hope you're making a valentine this year."

Gulp.

That was in April. So, I set to work on designing the valentine. And I had a strict schedule for doing each section, with the ambitious goal of finishing by Memorial Day.

Did I mention that the auction, where the piece will be put up for bid, is a month early this year?

I'm happy to say that yesterday I finished it. Titled Nantucket Blues, it will be auctioned at the BLT Gifts from the Sea event on July 10.

Nantucket Blues - sailors' valentine by Anne Sandstrom

Of course, as is often the case, I'm already thinking about what my next piece will be...