Located in Harpswell, Maine
Little Mark Island Day Marker, 11×14, gouache on panel-mounted paper.
I first heard of Little Mark Island Day Marker when I was on a friend’s boat heading out to take reference photos of Seguin Island Lighthouse. The route from our mooring took us past Eagle Island, and then past Little Mark Island, just to the south of Bailey’s Island in Harpswell, Maine.
While not strictly lighthouses by defenition, unlit day markers were still important navigational aids for local merchants and fisherman in coastal areas where lighthouses didn’t exist at the time. Little Mark Island Day Marker was built in 1827 out of stone believed to have been quarried from the island itself. Its tall, narrow, square pyramid structure is 50′ tall, 18′ across at the bottom, and 4.6′ across at the top. It was also built with the intention of being a refuge for shipwrecked mariners who could make it to the island. The interior was stocked with supplies and firewood. The top of the stone tower was open allowing fires to be built at the base.1
Little Mark Island Day Marker became a lighthouse of sorts in 1927 when the US Coast Guard added a navigational becon to the top of the stone tower and capped off the opening at the top.
In 2016 the Coast Guard disabled the navigational light and the monument reverted back to its original status as an unilt day beacon.
When I passed by the island with my camera a month ago, it looked like an osprey or other large sea bird had taken up residence atop the tower. I included the nest in my painting along with an unidentified bird sitting on the railing next to it.
In 2023 Little Mark Island Day Marker was put for sale by the Federal Government, and as of August, 2025 it remains unsold, although it appears that the town of Harpswell is attempting to purchase it.1
Little Mark Island Day Marker is also referred to as Little Mark Island Monument.
About the Artwork
This is the first painting I’ve done on watercolor paper that I previously mounted to a hardboard panel. It’s a surface I’ve been interested in painting on for a while, but wanted to make sure I did plenty of research into the best mounting methods first.
With this painting I continued experimenting with gouache on paper which I started with my previous painting of Ram Island Lighthouse. I also started with layers of lighter washes building up on each other instead of using more opaque applications of paint like I did with my previous works on panel. I’ve also been training myself to work more expressively. Even though I painted this in my studio from reference photos, I wanted it to have the feeling of a plein air painting done quickly on site.
The original painting, as well as prints, are available through my online gallery, FineArtNewEngland.com.
References
1: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Little_Mark_Island_Monument
2: https://harpswellanchor.org/2025/08/ask-the-anchor-is-harpswell-still-trying-to-acquire-little-mark-island/