Donna Lee Tufts is one person whose creative abilities have been honed through study and experience. One such experience is her love of kayaking the waters just outside her Marion home on Aucoot Cove.
The photographer, author and interior designer has always made her home in the town she loves. That love is on full display in her book “From My Kayak: A Photographic Journey by Kayak on Aucoot Cove.”
As she slips into the kayak that provides her with a mode of transportation that is not only peaceful but also graceful, Tufts paddles away from the demands of human living in the 21st century and into the agelessness of nature. There, Tufts captures the glory of salt marshes and various types of birds and with her camera. Her eye for detail and beauty, balance and contrast speaks to the artist’s sensibilities.
Before having free time to pursue her kayaking on a nearly daily basis, Tufts became a teacher after graduating from Bridgewater State University. She also attended the University of Massachusetts Art Education program. She is a true native daughter, having graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School.
It was while attending a memoir-writing group that Tufts received the encouragement to take her nature scenes of birds, vegetation and the far horizon, adding text to transport a reader on their own journeys and produce it as a book. After discussing the possibility of a book with her husband (also a local and Taber graduate), she took the leap and developed a loving tribute to Mother Nature.
The book’s introduction sets the stage by inviting the reader to join Tufts on one of her adventures: “Rising early to catch the tide, I complete my stretching exercises before leaving the cozy comfort of my bed. It is early October; the sun is just beginning to rise over Converse Point, and the morning temperature is a bit chilly…The wind is light, coming from the southwest this early morning with small, steady waves – a perfect morning for kayaking.”
Tufts is not a novice to authorship, having taught creative writing. She said she believes in the importance of encouraging creative pursuits in people of all ages. Tufts’ slim volume is truly a love letter or a Valentine to a place she has loved her whole life. Page after page of photographs and text carry the reader along for a ride on the bow of her kayak.
“There are surprise moments I’ve photographed that are worth sharing,” Tufts explained, adding that her book is a way to appreciate the glory all around us and to share her feeling and emotions. As she states in her book, “I hope to kayak as long as I am physically and mentally able to do so. It always leaves me refreshed, blessed and happy.”
But kayaking is not the only subject Tufts has written about. Her second book, “Lola My Girl,” is about a friend’s tiny dog that had been rescued in St. Thomas. For years, Tufts has enjoyed being a doggie auntie to Lola, caring for her when her owners are away and enjoying frequent visits from the lovable Chihuahua.
Tufts said she advocates for adoption of cats and dogs and hopes the book might help others to consider sharing their homes with a rescued pet. “Lola My Girl” contains helpful resource information for those interested in adopting a rescued pet.
On a final note about Tufts and her desire to inspire others in creative and recreational activities, she recently partnered with the Mattapoisett Land Trust to provide a copy of her kayaking story to each child that participated in their kayaking clinics held at Munroe Preserve.
By Marilou Newell