All posts by Karen Olson

Karen Olson

About Karen Olson

Karen Olson is a photographer, writer, and artist working in metal. Her blogs offer a global perspective, a celebration of art and culture. She 'lives like a tourist' in Midcoast Maine where she makes her home and finds inspiration for art and life in her travels. Follow her creative passion with Renuko Style at renukostyle.com and Coastal Collage, a Bangor Daily News Blog at coastalcollage.bangordailynews.com Karen's photography portfolio can be found at seeingartineverydaylife.com

At the vineyard and in the orchard

Our fall foliage series closes with scenes from Savage Oaks Winery and Schoolhouse Farm orchards. We stopped by Savage Oaks Winery in Union for a tasting. Holly Savage was a gracious hostess. So many wonderful varieties to choose from. Our favorites: Sterlingtown – a fresh, just picked off the vine flavor, strong grape taste that’s […]

Best fall foliage route in Midcoast Maine

Here is a fall foliage route you will love! The route starts out in Thomaston, winds through Warren and Hope, ends in Rockland. Pick a day with clear blue skies and crisp air, hop in the car before you’ve had your second cup of coffee. Start out in Thomaston, Maine at Highland Cafe. Grab a […]

Coffee, hoop, beer

Rock City Cafe, Rockland. A group of hoop enthusiasts are in town for a workshop. Beth Lavinder, up from Saxapahaw, North Carolina (yes that is a great name for a town!), will be the instructor. Saxapahaw is just outside of Carrboro, one of the earliest mecca’s for hooping. Today I get to peer into the […]

I’d rather be in Paris!

“It’s the art, it’s the food, it’s the architecture! I’d rather be in Paris ’cause I don’t understand the language. It makes life simpler.” Dona Bergen of Mars Hall Gallery just can’t get enough of Paris. It’s the place to be for an artist and gallery owner, like no other place. Come along on a […]

Reflections of an old school, homeschool mom

It’s decision-making time again. Do you send the kid back to school or bite the bullet and homeschool? Tough choice, either way. It has been 10 years since my last homeschool outing. I have seen the outcome of a variety of homeschool philosophies. Analyzing my methods and other homeschool methods, I ask, did they work, […]

Scenes from Pitcher Pond

There are so many incredibly beautiful lakes in Maine. What we would call a ‘lake’ in Connecticut is called a ‘pond’ here. Far from the packed out in summer small bodies of water in my former stomping grounds you can find sparsely populated retreats. New to me this year is Pitcher Pond in Northport. This […]

Point of view

“Objects are like people. Each one – be it brand new or weathered with the paint peeling off – has it’s own story. Being able, on the other side of the camera, to capture that individual story is just thrilling.”~ Devi Randolph It never ceases to amaze me, an image seen by 10 different people […]

A rough cut gem

Day Trip: Monhegan If Rockland/Camden area is the ‘Jewel of the Maine Coast’ then Monhegan is a rough cut gem of blue/green tourmaline. Along with 100 plus other passengers, we awaited the call to board the Elizabeth Ann out of Port Clyde. It was a picture perfect day, 80 degrees and calm winds. Our mission, […]

6.5 Ways to reverse the effects of burnout

I don’t know how we got from the laid back, peace out,  flower child ways of the 60’s and 70’s to the highly productive, multitasking mania of the 80’s, 90’s, and on to today.  But one thing is for sure, we are all suffering the effects of the environment we created for ourselves. Multitasking was […]