BLUEBERRY FAIR

Saturday, July 30 • 9am-Noon

Pies ~ Baked Goods ~ Crafts ~ Basket Raffle

Tables Available For Rent! Order Your Pie Ahead at 207-646-7775

Call for Celebratory Art

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The art exhibit “Celebrating Our Differences” will show at the Ogunquit Playhouse while performances of the musical “Mr. Holland’s Opus” run from August 12 through September 17. At its core, the story of the musical is about celebrating diversity. Art exhibited in the theater lobby will echo the beauty, value, and strength found in the many ways people differ.

This art call invites New England artists to submit work supporting the ideals that differences are strengths to be embraced, and that individuality should be celebrated. The artwork will be selected and curated by Anita Loomis, of Loomis Gallery in Kittery, who is also acting as exhibit manager. All two-dimensional media are eligible, though there are size limits so that as many pieces as possible can be fit in the available space. Submissions are due by July 15, and there is no submittal fee. To see the exhibit prospectus, visit www.loomisgallery.com.

Intimate Abstracts and Immigrant Triumphs

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He never smiled on camera, earning him the nickname of “the Great Stone Face.” But Buster Keaton’s comedies rocked Hollywood’s silent era with laughter throughout the 1920s. Acclaimed for their originality, clever visual gags, and amazing stunts, Keaton’s films remain popular crowd-pleasers today.

“Battling Butler” (1926), one of Keaton’s landmark feature films, will be screened on Wednesday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. (Route 1) in Ogunquit. Admission is $12 per person. Live music will be provided by accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

In the 1920s, boxing rivaled baseball as the nation’s most popular sport. Neighborhoods, communities, and ethnic groups all rooted for their favorite fighters, and heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey ranked as an international celebrity. Because of this, boxing stories were popular with early movie audiences as well. “Battling Butler” tells the story of pampered millionaire Alfred Butler (Keaton) who tries to impress the girl of his dreams (Sally O’Neil) by pretending to be a championship boxer with the same name. The masquerade leads to knockout comedy both

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During the 2022 season, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art (OMAA) will offer ARTfullness, a diverse set of programming that includes workshops, classes, and lectures for visitors of all ages and experience levels to fully engage in the beauty of the indoor and outdoor spaces of the museum. The season includes plein air painting in the gardens, figure drawing, KIDZART, children’s story time, mindful sketching, and a lecture series on the history of ballet, among other offerings. Programming takes place until late September.

“The museum developed the ARTfullness initiative to increase awareness of the power of art and place,” said in and outside the ring, giving Keaton ample opportunity to display his gifts for physical and visual comedy.

Keaton, along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, stands as one of the silent screen’s three great clowns. Many critics regard Keaton as the best of all; Roger Ebert wrote in 2002 that “in an extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, [Keaton] worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies.” While making films, Keaton never thought he was an artist, but an entertainer trying to use the then-new art of motion pictures to tell stories and create laughter. All those talents are on display in “Battling Butler,” which holds the distinction of being the top-grossing title of Keaton’s silent features. For more information, call 207-646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com and www.jeffrapsis. com.

Buster’s “Battling Butler” at Leavitt “Artfullness” Classes at OMAA

the museum’s executive director, Amanda Lahikainen, PhD.

“In addition to offering opportunities to learn about art and art history, OMAA’s exhibitions, oceanside location, and

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On Tuesday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m., the Kennebunk Free Library will host Morgan Rielly, one of the authors of “Dear Maine: The Trials and Triumphs of Maine’s 21st Century Immigrants.”

Rielly is the state representative for House District 34, which includes part of his hometown of Westbrook. He coauthored the book with Reza Jalali, a former refugee and executive director of the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center. The book recounts the trials and triumphs of twenty immigrants who have arrived in Maine over the past few decades, and it includes black-andwhite photographic portraits by Portland photographer Lilit Danielyan.

Starting July 2, for the entire month, the library will host an exhibit of works by Seacoast artist and former Marshwood High School art teacher Patricia Sevigny-Higgins titled “Up Close and Beyond.” It is a compilation of two years of art work in four different series, both realistically and abstracted executed using watercolor, acrylics, and mixed media. In her artist’s statement, Sevigny-Higgins says, “My work can come from a hike out to a marsh, my travels, or the feeling I get when I see an old neglected landscape provide a setting for regeneration, thoughtfulness, solace, and inspiration.” barn in a field. It is how I choose to solve the visual problem that varies. . . . I have taught K-12 and adult education for 38 years and find joy in watching others find their creative side. I have taught a variety of classes, techniques and have had to manipulate many different materials. This in turn has led me to my love of mixed media and the myriad of experimental approaches.” There will be an open house showcasing the exhibit on July 15 from 1 to 4 p.m.

For a class schedule and details, visit www.ogunquitmuseum.org/artfullness.

Both events are free and wheelchair accessible. The Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main Street in Kennebunk. For more information, call 207-985-2173, or email kfl@ kennebunklibrary.org.