COASTAL MAINE
DESTINATION COASTAL MAINE
Sunset views of Camden Harbor. Courtesy of Camden Harbour Inn.
M
aine has a rich, textured history of artists, writers, sculptors and poets drawing inspiration from the rugged coast and particular light of the state. Thomas Cole, Frederic Church and George Bellows are among the first American artists to capture the splendor of Maine on canvas while Wabanaki (the collective name for the indigenous cultures residing in what is now known as Maine) artists have been creating work here for a millennia. While industries have come and gone, Maine’s role as a source for artistic inspiration and creative expression has continued, and grown. Today, collectors, curators, fellow creators and admirers have an abundance of galleries, museums, private studios and public exhibition
46 Art New England
|
July/August 2019
|
spaces in which they may encounter celebrated masterpieces, revered abstractionists as well as the work of emerging artists and contemporary Wabanaki artists. We begin our tour of the summer art offerings on coastal Maine as so many artists have before us—on beautiful, rugged, breathtaking Mount Desert Island. Home to the much beloved town of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island is also home to many compelling artists, as well as The Gallery at Somes Sound. Tucked away in the town of Mt. Desert, known affectionately as “the backside” of the island, the gallery features works of sculpture, fine furniture and traditional fine art—in impressionist, abstractionist and realist styles. Shapes Color & Composition
Celebrating 40 Years!
(July 3 to 16) presents the colorful, whimsical, Maine villages of David Witbeck with altered proportions, flattened shapes and elongated planes. Fabulous 4 (July 24 to August 20) is a show of landscape painting divided into two parts: Jon Imber and Elizabeth Hoy (Part I) showcasing their work as abstract landscape artists; Jill Hoy and Robin Reynolds (Part II) emphasizing the use of color and vibrancy by these devoted colorists. Contemporary reinterpretation of classic furniture and fine woodcraft is presented in Solo Furniture Show: Artisan Timothy Coleman (August 1 to 31). Heading off island, one arrives at the charming city of Ellsworth, county seat and “gateway to Downeast.” There, atop a hill overlooking the
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
COASTAL MAINE newly invigorated downtown, sits Courthouse Gallery Fine Art. In addition to the works on canvas and smaller sculptures within the galleries, the front lawn boasts an impressive collection of larger works in their sculpture garden. Beyond the physical space, owners/ curators Karin and Michael Wilkes continue exhibitions through the publication of art books under their imprint. Running through July 13 are four shows: Coming Into Focus, Philip Frey’s bold, bright portraits of Maine’s working harbors; the debut of Christina Thwaites’s new work since moving to the U.S.; pastels in landscape, still life and portraiture in the Judith Leighton Estate Retrospective; and John Neville: New Work, which is drawn from memory and the folklore of Nova Scotia fishing villages to
create colorful, sometimes surreal, tableaus. August brings exhibitions featuring William Irvine, Ragna Bruno, Colin Page, Jessica Lee Ives, Charlie Hewitt, Philip Barter and Rosie Moore. Leaving Courthouse Gallery and taking the left hand road, one travels through the quaint seaside village of Surry and into Blue Hill. Just off the main street and past the library, one arrives at Cynthia Winings Gallery. The gallery space itself, a light-filled two story barn, carries an august legacy as the former home of the Leighton Gallery. Winings, herself an artist, is aware of the history associated, and mindfully carries it forth in her curation of shows and exhibits featuring artists from Maine and across New England. Winings takes pride in showcasing fine art, and in welcoming the youngest of
appreciators as well, hoping children will to learn to appreciate art in the space. This year, she has added a sculpture garden behind the gallery where visitors may enjoy quiet communion with the work. Running until July 20 is Threshold, a four-person show featuring Carol Pelletier, David Hornung, Lynn Wessel and Juliet Karelsen. This is followed by a five-person show, Equilibrium, featuring Meghan Brady, Anna Hepler, Lari Washburn, Noriko Sakanishi and Marjorie Moore (July 22 to August 17). Meandering south from Blue Hill through the village of Sedgwick and across the picturesque suspension bridge spanning Eggemoggin Reach, we cross onto Little Deer Isle, and then enter the village of Deer Isle. Housed within the site of the first office of the world renowned Haystack
DUDLEY ZOPP Lincolnville, Maine Studio Visits by Appointment
Pictured: Isabel Kelley
Shadbush, oil on linen, 19 x 22"
dzopp@dudleyzopp.com | dudleyzopp.com
With Support From:
CONTEMPORARY ART CYNTHIA WININGS GALLERY 2 4 PA R K E R P O I N T R OA D BLUE HILL 917 204 4001 C Y N T H I A W I N I N G S G A L L E R Y. C O M
Year-Round
Boothbay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail
July 27 – August 4, 2019
Maine Stone Symposium
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Points of View Art Auction
SCULPTUREBOOTHBAY.COM S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
July/August 2019
| Art New eNglANd 47
COASTAL MAINE Mountain School of Crafts, resides The Turtle Gallery, now in its 37th year. This summer, the gallery will be showing an eclectic grouping. Running through July 6 is a show featuring Barbara Sullivan’s frescoes, Wayne Hall’s sculpted furniture, Ed Bing Lee’s whimsical knotted fiber sculptures and woodblocks by both Gene Shaw and Torres Garcia. The next show features Howard Fussiner’s colorful, folk-art like paintings, Jeff Loxterkamp’s contemporary, hyper-visual impressionistic landscapes and Stephen Haley’s works on paper (July 7 to August 3). The final exhibition of the summer (August 4 to 31) features Adele Ursone’s realistic, almost photographic, paintings; Janis Goodman’s nature-based abstractionist paintings and Barbara Petter Putnam’s meticulous monochromatic prints. Leaving Deer Isle and returning to the mainland, we venture north to Bangor, one of Maine’s larger cities. Home to author Stephen King and boasting a vibrant library, Bangor’s downtown is in the midst of a revitalization as art spaces, music venues, local bookstores and coffee houses spring into being. Here, in the very heart of the downtown, with an entrance set within an historic park bordering the river, we find the University of Maine Museum of Art. The museum’s mission contains an emphasis on education and community involvement, as evidenced through its programming. In addition to the rotating exhibitions, the museum boasts an impressive permanent collection that includes works by David Hockney, Andy
Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Edward Hopper, Pablo Picasso, George Inness and Edward Burtynsky as well as renowned Maine artists such as Berenice Abbott, Marsden Hartley, Winslow Homer, John Marin, Carl Sprinchorn and Andrew Wyeth. On view now, the figurative portraiture of Harold Garde in When There Was Another Me, the abstract expressionism of Alison Weld in Symphony of Passion, and the realist paintings of Julie Beck in Our Hands Are Full of Color. Also on view, 2019 Young Curators: Through Restraint. All shows on view through August 31. Turning back to the coast and travelling south, we arrive in Belfast, a town filled with historical architecture, a bustling waterfront, local brewpubs, organic farms, a popular co-op, some of Maine’s best Celtic music and the Maine Farmland Trust Gallery. The trust, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Maine’s working farms, launched the gallery in 2008 to increase an awareness of, and reverence for, the farming way of life. The Summer Stable Show is a multi-media group exhibit highlighting new work by artists within the collection (through August 9). The 20th Anniversary Show is a retrospective exhibit looking back over the past ten years and featuring the work of Lynn Karlin (photography), Jude Valentine (pastel), Jacinda Martinez (vegetable fiber dresses) and Robert Shetterly (portraiture), among others (August 19–October 11). In addition, the gallery is hosting Artist in Residence: The First Three Years (through September 29) as well as open studio days for
the current artist-in-residence (certain Sundays through September 29). Just slightly further south from Belfast and surrounded by rolling farms and open coast, lies the village of Lincolnville, a lesser mapped haven for artists. Among those who make their home here is artist Dudley Zopp. Zopp is a prolific artist who paints across many subject matters and content, including broad landscapes and intimate studies of oysters, and media, including oil, watercolor and charcoal. A common thread throughout her work is its relation to the natural environment, be it the exotic surroundings of a residency abroad or the familiar shores of the beach near her Maine home. Zopp is an avid observer of the natural world from which she draws inspiration. In addition to paintings, Zopp works in monotype and book format, as well as large installations. Visitors are welcome to her studio by appointment to observe her process and gain a deeper understanding of the day-to-day life of a working artist. Just down the road from Zopp’s studio, we find the studio of Petrea Noyes. Noyes, a digital/ mixed-media artist, builds her pieces using an artistic approach and philosophy similar to conventional painting, yet she uses a digital drawing tablet instead of a brush. Her most recent work begins with vintage family photos (circa 1916) that are then built into a digital collage, and printed onto a canvas using archival pigment inks that, once set and stretched, are covered in multiple layers of acrylic matte varnish, materials and processes. Within Noyes’s work, the same central
The Art of Hospitality
207.236.4200 | camdenharbourinn.com
48 Art New eNglANd
|
July/August 2019
|
Celebrating 40 Years!
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
COASTAL MAINE figures appear again and again with altered settings and color palettes. Sweet Bird of Youth, for example, features a black-and-white figure in oversized dark glasses, large coat and striped hat set against a colored backdrop of horizontal planes and textures—with one small bird off on the far left of the canvas. Noyes’s studio is not open to the public, yet her work may be seen at River Arts Gallery in Damariscotta, The Maine Farmland Trust Gallery, the Belfast Framer & Betts Gallery and the Portland Art Gallery. Continuing south from Lincolnville, we enter the postcard-perfect village of Camden, home to numerous arts and culture institutions, including the Carver Hill Gallery. The gallery is celebrating its 14th year with a new location at 28
Bayview Street where it continues its tradition of showcasing artists from across the state, the nation and the world with abstract and representational paintings, sculpture and photography. The gallery specializes in career artists and art professionals who have taught in some of the finest institutions worldwide. In addition to the work hung in the gallery, Carver Hill welcomes commission requests and corporate sales. Besides the standing work of gallery artists, on view now is the work of America Martin, Jon Byrer and Philip Frey (through July 21). Later this summer, a group show will feature artists John Winship, Ted Keller and Chris Roberts-Antieau (July 25 to September 3). A special pop-up show at 20 Winter Street in Rockland, ME, will highlight Rose Umerlik from
Vermont and Juan Escauriaza from Spain (July 5 to 20). While in Camden, why not stop and recharge? The Camden Harbour Inn, recently named one of World’s Best Hotels by Travel and Leisure Magazine, combines the quiet atmosphere of a classic Maine bed and breakfast, with the luxury and attention to detail of a boutique hotel. Each of the 20 guest rooms is appointed in its own unique style bearing a modern, contemporary aesthetic and a clear view to comfort. Those seeking further relaxation may wish to take advantage of the on-site spa featuring tailored skin treatments or a specialty massage. For dining, Natalie’s at Camden Harbour Inn, a five-star restaurant among the top 100 best restaurants in the U.S.
SLOW ART
Paintings, Pottery, Social Impact Gifts, Victorian Tea-Time Art, Co-Working Space
Haley Art Gallery
178 Haley Road, Kittery, ME | 617.584.2580 http://bit.ly/HaleyGallery
Marcia Crumley POP-UP SOLO EXHIBIT AT MAINE ART HILL 5 Chase Hill Road, Kennebunk, ME
August 20–26, 10am–5pm
40 Harlow Street, Bangor, ME 207.581.3300 umma.umaine.edu
Maine’s Modern and Contemporary Art Museum Located in the heart of downtown Bangor
The University of Maine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution
ArtNewEngland_5.186 x 2.75 .indd 1
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
ARTIST RECEPTION Saturday, August 24, 4–7pm marciacrumleyart.com marcia.crumley@gmail.com 617.794.6497
5/22/2019 11:42:10 AM
S E C T I O N
July/August 2019
| Art New England 49
COASTAL MAINE Jessica Lee Ives, Not Through Theory, 2019, oil on canvas, 48 x 48". At Courthouse Gallery Fine Art, Ellsworth, ME.
(Diner’s Choice Award), presents a menu based upon the freshest ingredients sourced from local farms, fishermen and the inn’s own on-site organic garden. Visitors may take advantage of the online Maine concierge which allows them to design their stay. Local offerings available a la carte include sailing, hiking excursions, cooking classes and more. Rockland, once known as an edgy industrial port-town has, in the past decade, become known as the emerging art hub of Maine. Leading this charge is the bold and experimental Center for Maine Contemporary Art. On view from June 29: Dreams Can Come True, an interactive exhibit created by Tectonic Industries, a creative collaboration of artists Lars Boye Jerlach and Helen Stringfellow, in which visitors answer questions to build “the life of their dreams”; Human Topographies by Dan Mills presents paintings and works on paper mapping and visualizing topics such as current
50 Art New England
|
July/August 2019
|
wars and conflicts, colonialism and life expectancy by state; and Birds We Know— the first Maine exhibition of the work of Ann Craven, a diarist painter who creates lush portraits of subjects such as birds, flowers, the moon and other iconic images. Finally, presented on screen is Monochromatic, two of Andrew Elijah Edwards’s new 3D animations that use light to create perceptual landscapes. A short walk from the CMCA, housed in an historic 19th-century carriage house on Elm Street is CRAFT Gallery, home to a curated collection of fine art and craft, displayed with an intentional elimination of distinction between the two. Indeed, the gallery is dedicated to presenting serious collectors with handcrafted objects as serious art. Within the exhibition space, painting, encaustic, collage, drawing and photography intermix with ceramic and fiber arts, jewelry, book arts, glass and sculpture
Celebrating 40 Years!
created by artisans working in Maine. In addition to normal gallery hours, CRAFT participates in Rockland’s First Friday Art Walks from July through October. Just down the coast from Rockland in the town of South Thomaston, artist Sandy Weisman, in partnership with the Center for Maine Contemporary Art and The Georges River Land Trust, has launched 26 Split Rock Cove and aims to create a space where artists may both retreat from the larger world and find community with other artists. In addition to workshops, available to both beginning and practicing artists and writers, the space offers studio space for rent to local or visiting artists as well as live/work space available for rent by the week, month or longer. Weisman lives on the property, and visits by appointment are welcome. This summer, a three-day workshop entitled Book Arts Intensive will take place on the first weekend in August. The workshop explores both the physical construction of a book and less tangible elements as well. Turning slightly inland from South Thomaston, we arrive in the charming, quiet town of Waldoboro where we find two extraordinary artist-owned galleries. Heywood Gallery, located on Main Street, features the work of American realist Anne Heywood. Named an Eminent Pastelist by the International Association of Pastel Societies, Heywood’s body of work includes landscapes, still lifes, object portraiture and custom pet portraits. The gallery, located downtown in the historic, elegant brick “Governor’s Mansion,” showcases original works, limited edition prints and notecards. In addition to the works on exhibit, Heywood accepts commissions for finished art, and offers teaching through workshops and private instruction. Private tours of the gallery are available upon request. Heywood Gallery is also a proud participant in the town-wide ArtWalks, from 4 to 7 p.m. every second Saturday from June through October. Further down on Main Street in Waldoboro you will find the Philippe Guillerm Gallery. Guillerm has exhibited an impressive body of work across the globe including large-scale sculptures, murals, fine furniture and on-site
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
COASTAL MAINE installations. However, the gallery is best known for its annual unveiling of each year’s collection of sculpture, the result of winter travels, adventures and collection. Meticulously carved, and often portraying a fantastical take on musical expression or instrumentation, the finely carved pieces begin their lives as driftwood, found and collected by artist Philippe and his wife and gallery manager, Jacqueline, during their winters spent touring the Caribbean aboard their sailboat. The parallel processes, the first of the voyage itself, and the other of finding and carving the wood, are documented by Jacqueline in films released with the new season. Begun on site in the Caribbean, each sculpture is then finished and presented at the couple’s gallery
and summer home. Exhibitions go on view with the gallery’s opening in June. Head over to charming Port Clyde now, and hop aboard the ferry for beautiful Monhegan Island, long famed as an artists’ haven, and visit the Monhegan Museum of Art & History to see A Life Made in Art: Maud Briggs Knowlton. One of the few women artists in the late 1800s to come to the island to paint, Briggs Knowlton was also one of the first women to lead a major American museum of art. As director of the Currier Museum of Art, Briggs Knowlton held numerous exhibitions of the work of artists she met on Monhegan and organized the first museum exhibition of watercolors by the then 21-year-old Andrew Wyeth. A Life Made in Art presents more than 40
watercolors, oils, etchings, drawings and painted porcelain created by Briggs Knowlton during her time on Monhegan and in New Hampshire. Co-organized with the Currier Museum of Art, the exhibit also contains photographs, cyanotypes and glass plate negatives by her husband, Edward, capturing everyday life on Monhegan in the 1890s. (July 1–September 30). Back on the mainland, and a little further south along the coast, we arrive in beautiful Boothbay, home to the Maine Coast Stone Symposium. Organized by the Maine Stone Workers Guild with support from numerous area businesses and organizations, the event has grown each year. In 2017, the concept expanded to establish a permanent sculpture trail. This
PETREA NOYES
Breakfast for the Aunts, digital collage, pigment inks on canvas, 30 x 30".
petienoyes@aol.com • petreanoyes.com
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
July/August 2019
| Art New England 51
COASTAL MAINE year, the event has relocated to Boothbay Common where nine of Maine’s “most notable living stone sculptors,” along with international guests from Japan and Canada, will work side by side carving granite blocks into works of art. The public is invited to interact with the artists as they work and see the pieces evolve. Participating this year will be Andreas von Huene, William Royall, Isabel Catherine Kelley, Dan Ucci, Dick Alden, Roy Patterson, Mark Herrington, Chris Lewis and Lance Carlezon along with Vasilis Vasili, Mai Morita and Shotaro Misaki. Finished works will be available for sale, or incorporated into the Boothbay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail. Public hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (July 27 to August 4).
Mathias Fine Art is a quick hop from Boothbay, in Trevett. This charming gallery reflects owner Cordula Mathias’s lifelong dedication to the best in contemporary art. Featured artists range from the well-established to new and emerging and Mathias is happy to work with museum professionals as well as serious collectors—and those new to the idea of a personal art collection. Mathias places an emphasis on welcoming visitors both to see the art on exhibit, and to the larger conversation surrounding the practice of collecting. This summer’s exhibit is a group show, Trees—an artistic exploration of their essence and beauty. Included in the show are works by Chris Alexander, Martha Bartsch, Max Martsch, Brenda Bettinson, Kimberly Callas,
Michael Culver, Paul Feyling, Patt Franklin, Brigitte Keller, John Lorence and Lesia Sochor (through September 8). Just a short trip inland from Boothbay is Wiscasset, “the prettiest little town in Maine” where we find the Maine Art Gallery. Founded in 1954, this nonprofit organization is dedicated to the advancement and preservation of painting, sculpture and graphic arts through exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations and educational programs for children and adults. Abstract Art: Looking at the World Through a Different Lens is an exhibition dedicated to the pure joy of creating art. This large group show features the work of Marjorie Arnett, Susan Bennett, Peter Bennett, Michele Caron, Stew Henderson, Jay Sawyer
Patrick Pierce
free range sculpture Saco, ME | PatrickPierce.com | #artfarm
Sunday 1–5 Monday–Saturday 10–5 1112 Main Street, Somesville Mount Desert Island ME galleryatsomessound.com Craig Mooney, Sea Islands, 48 x 48"
52 Art New eNglANd
|
July/August 2019
|
Celebrating 40 Years!
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
COASTAL MAINE and Abby Shahn (through July 29). Realism— On the Edge features the mixed-media canvases of Dan Snyder and the underwater photography of Bath artist, Heather Perry (August 3 to 24). In addition to the exhibitions, the gallery will host Plein Air Painting Paintout and Show, open to all artists from August 29 to 31. The gallery also participates in the town ArtWalks. Heading south from Wiscasset, we arrive at the shipbuilding town of Bath. Located on Front Street, in the heart of Bath’s energetic and historic downtown, the Green Lion Gallery features work in a wide array of media, with a distinct focus on printmaking and artist-made prints. In addition to exhibitions, the gallery maintains a roster of artists whose work rotates
throughout the space. This summer, the gallery is exhibiting Olga Merrill’s abstract photographs (through July 14); Printmakers of Circling the Square Press, a group show of 14 of Maine’s top printmakers (through July 19); Richard William Blanchard’s contemporary abstract landscape paintings (August 16 to September 15); Cecilia Ackerman’s cut-paper installations (September 20 to October 13) and the dramatic and detailed woodcuts of Gene Shaw (August weekends). In addition to being an exhibiting gallery, the space hosts community events and doubles as a working studio that offers classes, workshops and demonstrations utilizing the gallery’s fully functioning printshop. Also in Bath, we find the studio and gallery
HEYWOOD GALLERY
of Anne Hebebrand. The word “lyric” is often found in association with Hebebrand’s abstract paintings, which focus on shape, line and color. Hebebrand herself speaks of a kinship with the joyful work of Paul Klee as an inspiration behind her form, a sense heightened by her upbringing in Germany. In addition to her own work, Hebebrand is an active teacher, offering private instruction (for groups and individuals), group classes and workshops at her studio in addition to her role as an instructor at The Art Loft in Rockland. Hebebrand notes the importance of speaking with artists and seeing the work outside of a formal gallery setting. She welcomes visitors to her gallery by appointment. Hebebrand’s work is on view in several gallery
D. Anselmi
Diane Bowie Zaitlin
Featuring the work of American Realist Anne Heywood
EBB River Park I, pastel diptych, 21 x 17.5"
and
921 Main Street, Waldoboro, ME • 508.982.6166 anne@anneheywood.com • anneheywood.com
FLOW Frank Brockman Gallery
Brunswick, Maine
SPLIT ROCK COVE
Fine Art, Sculpture, & Contemporary Crafts Rt 15, Deer Isle, Maine
A R T I S T RETREAT
2 07 3 4 8.9 97 7 Open: June 2 Ð Sept 29 Tue s Ð Sun: 12:00 Ð 5:30 closed Monday
Workshops, Live/Work Space for Artists and Writers, Studio Rentals
Workshops include: Abstracting the Landscape—an oil painting workshop with Julie Houck, and Artist Book Intensive with Abbie Read, Cynthia McGuirl, and Sandy Weisman, plus Poetry of Place with Barbara Helfgott Hyett.
26splitrockcove.com
call for spring & fall hours TheTurtleGallery.com person @ tur tlegaller y.com
A D V E R T I S I N G
140 Lindsay Road, York, Maine
26
Turtle Gallery
S P E C I A L
George Marshall Store Gallery
Wazzle
digital print, Peter Kemble
SOUTH THOMASTON, ME Overlooking Mussel Ridge Cove
S E C T I O N
July/August 2019
| Art New England 53
COASTAL MAINE
maine
CAMDEN Carver Hill Gallery Camden Harbour Inn
University of Maine Museum of Art
ROCKLAND CMCA CRAFT Gallery WALDOBORO Heywood Gallery Philippe Guillerm Gallery
Petrea Dudley Noyes Zopp
Maine Art Gallery
BATH Green Lion Gallery Anne Hebebrand Gallery
Frank Brockman Gallery
|
July/August 2019
|
YORK George Marshall Store Gallery Rocky Mountain Quilts
Celebrating 40 Years!
The Gallery at Somes Sound
Maine Farmland Trust Gallery Maine Coast Stone Symposium Mathias 26 Split Rock Cove Fine Art
The Wright Gallery
54 Art New England
Courthouse Gallery
Turtle Gallery
Elizabeth Moss Galleries SACO Two Diamond Artfarm Saco Museum/Dyer Library Ogunquit Museum Haley Art Gallery
Cynthia Winings Gallery
Monhegan Museum of Art & History PORTLAND Marcia Crumley Maine Museum of Photographic Arts
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
COASTAL MAINE shows later this year, including a winter show in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and at the Jewish Museum in Portland in January/February 2020. Next door to Bath is the energetic, growing town of Brunswick, home to Bowdoin College and the art-centric Fort Andross/Cabot Mill complex. Brunswick is known for its strong art ethos and so it is not surprising to find the Frank Brockman Gallery tucked onto the top floor of an elegant building along the town’s wide and bustling Maine Street. Up three flights of stairs visitors enter a calm, well-curated space on a mission to highlight the best in abstract, contemporary art with a focus on Maine artists, particularly those still emerging. Diane Bowie Zaitlin, known for bold, gestural abstractions, will have her encaustic work on paper and board featured in Ebb and Flow (July 6 to 27). Underlying Structure exhibits the work of Kelly McConnell, a fellow abstractionist. On her canvases, line and layering take the stage with a distinct and evocative color palette. This show features paintings on paper and board (August 3 to 31). Falmouth, just a little further south, is home to Elizabeth Moss Galleries, named one of “the top 500 Galleries in North America” by Blouin International’s website ArtInfo. Moss is a passionate advocate of art and the deliberative practice of collecting. The gallery exhibits and represents an extensive and diverse group of artists, and Moss herself has earned a dedicated following of appreciators and collectors. In addition to the the gallery’s ever shifting exhibitions, Moss also
does custom framing. In July and August, she will have four exhibitions: Walking Green, Anne Ireland’s landscapes with their distinct layering of color and use of light; Sunlight on Sweet Clover, John Knight’s light, sweeping and airy floral portraits and landscapes (June 28 to July 27); Beyond the Trees, Liz Hoag’s contemporary impressionistic woodland and landscape paintings and Connections, Annie Darling’s encaustic geometric abstractions (August 1 to 30). From Falmouth we drop down to Portland, Maine’s largest city and known for its rapidly growing community of craft beer, coffee roasters, amazing food, great music and a cutting edge arts scene. It is here, in this bustling, quirky city, that artist Marcia Crumley makes her
Craft and Comfort: Furniture for the Saco Home
May 18-September 1, 2019
Saco Museum
EATING FLOWERS: SENSATIONS OF CIG HARVEY
home and studio. Working primarily in acrylics, Crumley is known for her vivid, contemporary landscapes saturated in color. She freely alters color, light and perspective to more accurately capture the mood of the scene, rather than a strictly literal depiction of the landscape. Having recently moved to Maine, Crumley is settling in quickly. Her first solo show, featuring Maineinspired seascapes and landscapes will run at the Studios at Maine Art Hill in Kennebunk (August 20 to 26). Additional shows at other galleries are scheduled for the fall. While she now makes Maine her home, Crowley also maintains a working studio in Boston’s SoWa Arts District. Also in Portland, the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts is a nonprofit organization located
July 18 - October 31
Cig Harvey Graham’s Teeth, Rockport, Maine, c. 2016 Chromogenic color print, 20” x 20” Courtesy of the Artist
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
ogunquitmuseum.org
S E C T I O N
July/August 2019
| Art New eNglANd 55
COASTAL MAINE on the campus of the University of Southern Maine. It is entirely volunteer led, and carries the mission “to inspire, engage and educate, through the exhibition, preservation and collection of photography, film, videography, installations and new media.” On exhibit now are works from the Barbara Morris Goodbody Collection. “Barbara Goodbody has long been a leader in support of the arts in Maine. Her collection reflects her commitment and dedication. Featuring some of the best makers in Maine, Santa Fe, Europe, and beyond, this compilation is idiosyncratic and optimistic and mirrors her world philosophy. It is also curious and egalitarian. Goodbody values the artist as much as the product, and the monetary value, or, the prestige of a piece is not what
compels her to acquire it. It’s the content of the work that matters to her most,” says director Denise Froehlich. The collection includes crisp, detailed nature studies, painting-like cyanotypes, stark photojournalism images and surreal assemblages captured on film. Heading into southern Maine we arrive at the town of Saco where on historic Main Street, we find the Dyer Library and Saco Museum. Opened in the “era of exploration” as a repository for natural and cultural historical knowledge, both institutions house artifacts and elements of historical significance, as well as fine art. The museum maintains a permanent collection of contemporary art by Maine artists as well as rotating exhibitions. Craft and Comfort: Furniture
for the Saco Home (through September 1) features fine furniture from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This exhibit will showcase various pieces from talented local cabinet makers such as Joshua Cumston and David Buckminster (Cumston and Buckminster) and locally owned pieces built by John and Thomas Seymour, as well as furniture made in York County and Massachusetts. Down the road from the Saco Museum is Two Diamond Artfarm, the working studio and sculpture park of artist, Patrick Pierce. Set on four bucolic acres, what was once a working farm now hosts Pierce’s studio and gallery space, as well as Artfarm, the outdoor sculpture park. A painter, poet and sculptor, Pierce’s studio highlights his
Courthouse Gallery Fine Art
Betsey Telford-Goodwin’s Rocky Mountain Quilts rockymountainquilts.com York, ME • 207-363-6800
ANNE HEBEBRAND
Ice Wagon, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 inches
Charlie Hewitt august 14 – october 13, 2019
Songs of the City, 2019, oil on panel, 24" x 24"
Bath, Maine
annehebebrand.com
courthouse gallery Fine art 6 court street, ellsworth, Me courthousegallery.com 207 667 6611
56 Art New England
|
July/August 2019
|
Celebrating 40 Years!
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
COASTAL MAINE
work in wood and metal. His process involves working with raw materials, often found objects, seeking a sense of authenticity and connection. Throughout the post and beam barn, where once was livestock there is now art. Pierce’s gallery showcases his work, hung indoors on walls, as outdoor sculpture and functional art. Beyond his own work, Pierce’s gallery often hosts artistic events and performances. Pierce welcomes explorations of the work and space. The barn and the grounds are available for event use as well. Kennebunkport, known to many as the vacation spot of the late Barbara and George H. W. Bush, is also the gateway to the quaint village of Cape Porpoise and home to The Wright Gallery. Originally founded by Charles Wright as a fine art gallery, the 19th-century post and beam gallery has expanded over the years and under the careful eye of Wright’s daughter, Bree, now includes curated home furnishings and gifts in addition to paintings, photographs and prints. This summer boasts several shows, each preceded by an artists’ reception on opening night. Mike Maron, whose paintings focus on working boats and lobstermen and women and Dawn Maron, whose paintings portray Maine landscape and nature scenes, will be featured in a Two Person Show (July 20 to 27). Later in the summer, Inspiring Art, a large group show containing the work of over a dozen artists depicting a place, feeling or time that inspires them, will be on view (August 17 to 24).
LION
Maine Art Gallery Wiscasset
Thurs, Fri, Sat 10AM - 4PM 15 Warren Street, Wiscasset maineartgallerywiscasset.org
MBK
The first major retrospective of watercolors, oils, porcelains and more by Monhegan’s pioneering woman artist.
G A L L E RY
104 Front Street, Bath, Maine www.greenlionart.com
S P E C I A L
new and recent acquisitions. Opening July 18, Eating Flowers: Sensations of Cig Harvey, is the first solo museum presentation in the U.S. of contemporary artist Cig Harvey. This exhibition presents 10 years of Harvey’s work including photography, video, mixed media and the written word. Also, artist Sebastian Martorana places contemporary culture into ancient medium with his carved stone sculptures on view in Subject Matters: Sebastian Martorana in Sculpture. In the southern Maine town of York, right along the water’s edge sits the George Marshall Store Gallery. Curator and director Mary Harding is revered for her unerring eye for art and for combining the work of various artists into
A Life Made in Art: Maud Briggs Knowlton
Bernadette de Cesare Cesare: Beauty, pastel
Fine printmaking and other intriguing art
GREEN
The charming, welcoming town of Ogunquit boasts many attractions, among them the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. Dedicated to preserving and showcasing American art, the museum mounts “innovative modern and contemporary” exhibitions throughout the summer season. Among the large selection of this summer’s offerings, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: Henry Strater at Home & Abroad explores the influence of the museum’s founder within the artistic emergence following WWI. The exhibit includes paintings, photographs, rare books and archival materials. The View from Narrow Cove offers visitors a second installation of the museum’s permanent collection and features
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N
monheganmuseum.org 207-596-7003
28 Bayview Street Camden, Maine carverhillgallery.com America Martin, Man with Guitar, 69 x 33"
July/August 2019
| Art New eNglANd 57
COASTAL MAINE cohesive and informative exhibits. This summer features a group show with artists Lincoln Perry, Craig Hood and Derrick Te Paske; a solo show featuring Noriko Sakanishi and the exhibit Following DeWitt featuring artists Ken Fellows, Bill Paarlberg and Russel Whitten (July 13 to August 18). Later in the summer, the gallery will feature the work of Sachiko Akiyama, Daniel Anselmi, Paul Bowen and Duncan Johnson as well as Philip Frey and Scott Schnepf (August 24 to September 29). On view until July 7 are three shows: Fiction Follows Function presents the carved and painted wood / found object sculptures of Jessica Straus. New Work features the paintings of Michael Palmer, with Maine seascapes captured in an imaginary bird’s eye view. Imrich / Keen / Williams is a three-person
show grouping the abstract and architectural sculptures of Don Williams with the aerial viewpoint paintings of Steve Imrich and the abstracted sea and landscape paintings of Richard Keen. Down the road in York, we find the astounding establishment of Rocky Mountain Quilts, owned and operated by Betsey Telford-Goodwin. The gallery is entering its 33rd year, during which time Telford-Goodwin has acquired a reputation across the globe for her knowledge of quilts, quilt construction, restoration and care. Within the 18th-century barn that houses the gallery, visitors will find more than 700 quilts dating from 1780 to 1950, as well as a quilters’ room filled with original quilt tops, blocks, feed sacks and fabrics. Among the collection are doll quilts, crib quilts, Folk Art, African American, Amish, original designs, Civil War period and early American quilts. Telford-Goodwin, who sells and lectures across America as well as in Japan, England and Europe, guarantees the authenticity and condition of each quilt she sells. Snugged up against the New Hampshire border is the lovely coastal port of Kittery, home to Haley Art Gallery. Housed within a turn of the century renovated barn, and open April through November, the gallery features original art by local, national and international artists— and aspires to an impact beyond the work itself. Haley Art Gallery is engaged in creating a different culture through immersive art and
life practice. Towards this end, the gallery has launched the Slow Art experience, encouraging patrons to learn about the stories behind the pieces themselves. In addition to the art on view, the gallery offers select and curated gifts from around the globe, sourced through organizations aimed at empowering women and displaced populations. The gallery, available for private rental, furthers its aim at building community through discounts to decorators and businesses, and a coworking space with classical music, coffee, and wifi. The gallery also hosts Victorian Tea-Time Art Events, two-hour experiences with gourmet teas and locally sourced delicacies. Maine’s rich and multi-layered history with art is solidly established. As we have seen from this tour, Maine has a bright, vibrant and exciting artistic present as well. Not to mention a future that is thrilling to contemplate. The close of the summer season will not be an end to artistic happenings. All throughout the fall, winter and spring galleries will continue hanging shows, art lovers will be gathering to experience and converse, artists will be busy creating and collaborating. There is a power to the quiet season, to the enforced inward contemplation of cold winds and deep snows. Perhaps that’s the true secret to Maine’s creative force. Explore this summer’s offerings, and revel in the glory that is the art of Maine. —Heather Martin
Paul Caponigro, Backlit Sunflower, 1965, Silver print, 5 x 4 in.
MMPA presents:
Barbara Morris Goodbody Collection ON VIEW
OPENING RECEPTION
June 27– October 30
June 27 6–8pm
University of Southern Maine Glickman Family Library, 5th Floor 314 Forest Avenue, Portland Maine 04103
Richard Keen, Fern Glenn, No. 3, oil on canvas, 24 x 30". Courtesy of Elizabeth Moss Galleries.
Made possible by
58 Art New eNglANd
|
July/August 2019
|
Celebrating 40 Years!
S P E C I A L
A D V E R T I S I N G
S E C T I O N