dotty seiter: now playing diary of an artist at work

October Vacation in Maine #1

sea chaser cottage, new meadows bay

from house-deck, sunrise.
down steep shoreslope, from float-dock,
second bright sunrise.

—dotty seiter

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An Intuition of Something Beyond
3 x 3″; watercolor, ink, and collage on paper
Random Acts of Art giveaway #1
2026

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Notes about poem and art:
• “sea chaser” is the first of my October vacation noticings put into poetic form—in this case, haiku.
• While away on holiday, I wanted to paint small, use watercolor paints, play with asemic writing, and create several pieces to give away. An Intuition is the first of my autumn ’26 giveaways. It holds sweet energy from our time on New Meadows Bay in Maine in October, and it sweetened a visit to the lab for a blood draw when I slipped it between People magazine and USNews for the finding and taking. The asemic writing in this piece was scribbled onto all-purpose food wrap which I then cut to size and collaged over the entirety of the dried watercolor painting.

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Dotty Seiter

7 responses to “October Vacation in Maine #1”

  1. Joyful Puttering Avatar
    Joyful Puttering

    I don’t know what I love more….the image you’ve created in your poem while vacationing in my beautiful state….or that simple and absolutely inspired little art piece….or that fact that you tucked it between two magazines in a doctor’s office. I love it all!

    Thank you for describing the process of that piece…I’m going to try your technique. This was a perfect send off as I head out on my own vacation this morning.

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    1. Dotty Seiter Avatar
      Dotty Seiter

      MaryAnn, thank you so much for all your feedback on this rainy gray November morning—I love it all, including the rainy, the gray, the November morning!

      I was so happy on our first morning on vacation in October to catch the sunrise twice at our cottage, and equally happy to capture a satisfying snapshot with words. Happy now to have you enjoy it!

      The art was inspired in so many ways by YOU, this piece in particular by a conversation we had about asemic writing you’d done on tissue if I recall correctly. I love that we continue to bat inspiration back and forth to each other. Collaging the asemic writing over the entirety of An Intuition was very satisfying. FYI, on later pieces I collaged snippets only, and that was more challenging and less satisfying, I think because I didn’t use any fixative first which allowed the soft gel I used as adhesive to activate the watercolor.

      Have fun cavorting in Colorado!

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  2. lolajovan Avatar
    lolajovan

    oh my gosh I just ADORE that you slipped it into the magazine for someone to find! This bright and beautiful piece is certain to make someone’s day (especially in a lab setting – so much worry!) A “second bright sunrise” for the finder. xoxoxo

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    1. Dotty Seiter Avatar
      Dotty Seiter

      Lola, I love your seeing my art as a second bright sunrise for its finder! Perfect! I hadn’t made that connection. I love being a secret elf in plain sight hiding free original art : )

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  3. Sheila Marie Delgado Avatar
    Sheila Marie Delgado

    I love the the imagery your Haiku delivers. I can hear eager footsteps on the wooden deck, an again on the dock. (One of my favorite sounds is footsteps on real wood floors.) What a wonderful start to the day, a double sunrise! 🙂

    Your piece is just as sunny, bright and cheerful. I love the rainbow colors, the soft wonky outlines and the pop of black and white. It just makes me happy. 🙂

    I love your asemic writing, and thanks for sharing your process. And I LOVE that you left a glorious surprise for someone! What a special gift! It will brighten their day for many days to come!

    Thank you Dotty, for sharing your gifts with us! xoxo

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    1. Dotty Seiter Avatar
      Dotty Seiter

      Sheila, thanks for your sunny, bright, cheerful comments to put pep in my step midafternoon! I do like the simple punch that haiku can offer—in just a few syllables you could hear my feet going down two sets of wooden steps and a ramp to the dock. Ta da!

      Your eye and mine are both reveling in the soft wonky outlines and the pop of black and white. I’ll no doubt be making more such : )

      It’s great fun wondering who finds art that I leave in public spaces for the taking.

      As always, I’m grateful to have become art friends about 11 years ago.

      Liked by 1 person

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  4. Sheila Marie Delgado Avatar
    Sheila Marie Delgado

    I am grateful too, Dotty! :o) You are a treasure, and a blessing!

    xoxoxox

    Liked by 1 person

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My Story

In 2014, I grab an unexpected opportunity to paint.

To make art.

I get hooked.

In 2015 I start a blog—a diary of my creative practice.

I post my paintings and their stories. The good, the bad, the ugly.

In 2025 I begin writing poetry and include a poem and painting in each post.

My compass points: shake hands with fear, be playful, get messy, trust my gut.

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