Welcome to our ongoing feature Behind the Slides, where we meet up with an artist who recently presented at a local PechaKucha night and find out the deeper story beneath the images he or she chose to portray.

Painter Phoebe Bly was one of the presenters at PechaKucha Night held during the Juice Conference 4.0 at the Strand Theatre Nov. 14. Bly grew up in the Maine woods in the 1970s. She lived in a tiny cabin my father built, without electricity or running water.

Note: Bly’s PechaKucha slides appear in the right column. Click on the photos to match them with the actual slide notes (in italics). Beneath the slide notes will be the deeper story.

Woods

I grew up in the woods of St. George. We lived in a tiny hand-built cabin without running water or electricity.

I still live in the woods and love how a snow storm can totally transform a familiar neighborhood into a foreign landscape. I remember as a kid feeling like l was transported into the snowy woods of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe after a big snow.

Outhouse

Growing up we had an outhouse and so I'd have to go out every night before bed. One of my parents would accompany me when l was small. They would wait patiently, commenting on the beautiful night and pointing out the constellations.

I still love to go out at night. It's one of my favorite times to paint. I love the juxtaposition of the Big Dipper and the telephone pole, the mix of the celestial and the other worldly. It's the world we live in.

Farms

I love to hang out around farms. I like the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.

This painting was done in March; the snow was starting to melt back and the crows were scavenging the fields for corn cobs that were being uncovered. It's nice when you see nature getting something from human endeavors; it's usually the other way around. We're the ones benefiting from nature.

Woodstove

I've always had a woodstove and am a big fan of bonfires. I don't think I will ever get tired of watching or painting fires.

There's something so elemental, so powerfully real about fire. I've seen both my husband's boat and my brother's house burn, and as horrible as they were, the force of nature was undeniably impressive.

Music

Music is by far, my favorite art form, but l have no aptitude for it, so l paint.

My neighbor, Rob, is a musician and he has music nights where other folks come and play. He lets me hang out even though l don't have an instrument. I listen to music constantly when I'm painting, often if I'm really loving something, I'll listen to it repeatedly. I feel like l painted an entire painting once listening to Andrew Bird's “Tenuousness" over and over! I still have no idea what the song is about, but it still gives me goosebumps whenever l hear it.

Christmas

I look forward to Christmas every year. I love all the lights. This painting is of the tree at the end of our driveway. We keep the lights on all year and plug them in when the holidays come around. It's much easier that way!

My neighbor, Ray and I go on a Christmas light cruise every year, looking to find the most awesome display. I love all the different styles of decoration.
There's a house in Thomaston by the Catholic church that wins our vote every year.

All photos courtesy Phoebe Bly. Visit her webpage: phoebebly.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com