Breeze Kidder is one of our most wonderful family friends. She and our oldest daughter Megan were classmates at the Harbor Children’s Center at the tender age of 3. The Children Center, which closed some time ago, was located on School Street in Boothbay Harbor. It is now the home of Coastal Payroll. Megan and Breeze attended under the watchful eye of Debbie Butterfield, the lucky recipients of her care. We were very grateful parents, happy for experiences shared with a substantial group of youngsters. And when a bug entered the building we all got to participate, building resistance to future colds and similar impediments.

After the Children Center closed, Breeze and Megan went their separate ways. Breeze lived on Southport and we lived in the Harbor. But, eventually, we all reconnected when our family moved to Southport. Megan and Breeze rode the school bus to the Harbor, building a friendship which has lasted to this day despite Megan’s life in Brooklyn, New York and Breezes’s travels.

I had known Breeze’s mom, Fran Scannell, from my early years photographing for Bigelow Lab when located on McKown Point. Breeze’s dad, Pete Kidder, worked at Boothbay Region Boatyard then and we would cross paths from time to time. Sometimes I would catch sight of Breeze when she visited with her mom at work as I was stopping by for a meeting. She was cordial but reserved, always pleasant.

Breeze is a character, sort of a hidden gem. You know, the kind of person you might pass on the street without any special notice. But, not unlike certain folk I have met over the years, a special and unique individual who was content to carry on with out a fuss. She is someone we are always happy to see.

Writing and art are two fundamental loves for Breeze. Although she has accomplished much over the years, at the College of Wooster in Ohio, where she studied history, working in the entertainment industry seeking clients for special events or at the great Bartlett Garden Center on Nantucket, she has always held her art and writing close, feeding her special ability to seek interesting adventures of the mind.

Most recently Breeze is working with Pine Tree Society helping to connect with donors and organizing events. She travels a bit (perhaps more than she likes) but has met interesting people for a worthy cause. Pine Tree Society raises funds for the operation of Pine Tree Camp in Rome, Maine, supporting Mainers with disabilities, an 80-year, well established facility.

Breeze shared a most fascinating device for her art, a Huion tablet. I had never seen such a thing! She is able to “draw/paint” on a totally black screen with a pencil-like instrument. As her subject is revealed through her creative design, it is projected onto a computer screen. Like the digital world of photography, art is created without the need for paper and brushes, which Breeze still uses. Liken this to the digital images captured by photo devices without the need for film and paper. Breeze’s work can be seen on her “Instagram” gallery @seafairingstranger. Some pretty cool stuff on her digital sketchbook!

I wrangled Breeze and her special friend Willow, a Llewellin setter, for a meet up at Ocean Point, everyone’s favorite, on a beautiful sunny winter day for the photo shared today. Like many folks we know Breeze was not excited about being photographed, but Willow helped us out with her charm and good demeanor. It was nice to be back in touch with Breeze and to know that she continues the search for good in the world. She is a dear friend. Thank you Breeze for the gift you bring to us all.