Aroostook County artists recall winter of the past

WRITTEN BY JEN LYNDS

For many Mainers, winter darkness is an interminable shroud. It camouflages the reds and golds of fall and constricts summer abundance.

In the hands of two Aroostook County artists, however, the season sings. Photographer Christopher Mills and Frank Sullivan, a fine artist and teacher, capture beauty in the winter barrenness. Using paint, brushes, pencils, and snapshots, they transform hills and plains of white into snowbound landscapes that showcase the magic of The County.

With a range of skills and talents, both men have captured Aroostook County winters throughout their careers.

Sullivan is a Littleton resident and the author of two books about his work. His latest, “Drawing Is Everything,” was released in June. The artist, who is also a musician, noted in the publication that music often influences his work. He expanded on that during a recent interview, saying he often treats seasons as musical “keys.”

“Winter and fall are like the minor keys,” he explained, describing the deeper, sadder, more melancholic sounds on an instrument. “Spring and summer are the major keys. They are happier and more joyful. I’m drawn to the melancholy and the nostalgia, and winter means that to me. So when I look at the winter, I am reminded of what used to be there. I want to put that on the canvas.”

Sullivan has painted many Aroostook County winter scenes in his 21 years in the region. One oil on canvas painting, “When The Spell Is Broken,” was completed in 2023. Sullivan said he was snowshoeing in Littleton when he saw “a cool, mysterious, dark kind of space.”

He returned home, completed a drawing from memory, and then transferred it to canvas. Thick, textured brushwork adds shadow and coats the snow against the moody black background. Shades of blue and gray, cooler hues that fit well into the painting, produce the mass of trees and branches.

Sullivan created another 2023 pastel on Arches watercolor paper, titled “The Way Home.” It was created while he was recovering from COVID. After convalescing, he went for a walk, saw a scene he loved, and returned home to recreate it from memory.

“It really spoke to me,” he recalled.

Christopher Mills owns Christopher A. Mills Photography. The Houlton resident and self-taught photographer has taken breathtaking pictures of Aroostook county’s seasons, especially in winter. Magazines in Maine and across the country have featured his work, and he has produced calendars from his photographs.

“We are kind of spoiled up here with the winter,” Mills said. “There are so many trees and so many opportunities for beautiful shots. After every snowstorm, the snow sticks to the trees. You get amazing light. Even without the light, you get excellent opportunities for black-and-white shots. It is hard not to come away with a great picture.”

In winter, Mills rises early, packs his gear, and throws his snowshoes or skis into his vehicle. He often traverses snow-packed logging trails and dense woods. He said he relies on lens warmers to keep his lens from fogging up in below-zero temperatures.

“I learned that the hard way,” he said, laughing.

In a favorite winter snapshot from 2024, the emerald and magenta Northern Lights shot high above the snow-draped evergreens. The Big Dipper shone above the tree line. Another favorite is a photo of a barn just outside of Houlton, taken in February 2023. It showcased a solitary barn set back against a tangerine-and-crimson sky, with a barren, windswept field of snow below.

“It was stunning,” he said.