In fact, people who have come to the gallery have responded so well to the paintings of local scenes that she has created a line of notecards reproduced from her paintings. A lighthouse, a sea captain's house, an old church that's been around forever give people a sense of permanence and belonging. It's theirs, they take ownership. Wells admits there's a bit of historic preservation behind her urge to paint old buildings. Sometimes that's the way they really do get preserved because often you can get more into a painting than you do a photograph.
Foliage is less a problem with lighthouses, which are always popular.
In another 50 years it will be near the water again. Neil McAuliffe Nantucket Waterfront Centerville artist Neil McAuliffe is well-known for his local scenes. One of his favorite subjects to paint is the Crosby Boat Yard in Osterville, whose boathouses hold extensive history. It's a scene he paints frequently, and never gets the same results twice. I can change the lights, I can change the direction of the boats, I can even change the boats.