WE’RE A BANK FOR EVERYONE.

Whether you’re starting your first job or retiring from your last, we understand that every financial situation is different ... just like the people we serve.

We invite you to experience the difference.

Arts In Bloom

Friday, May 5 + Saturday, May 6; Free

Join us for a fun and creative celebration of spring! Kicking off with May’s First Friday festivities, this year’s Arts in Bloom is a multi-day affair featuring art making, live music, movies, story walks, giveaways and more. Presented in partnership with community partners, activities will be held in locations throughout Waterville. Visit watervillecreates.org for the most up-to-date program details.

Art In The Park

Thursdays, June 15–August 17, 3–5pm; Free Castonguay Square, Waterville*

Summer in Waterville = Art in the Park! Presented in partnership with the Waterville Public Library and the Colby College Museum of Art, Art in the Park offers guided, outdoor art-making activities for all ages in a relaxed setting. Each Thursday, participants will create works inspired by the Library’s summer reading theme, “All Together Now: Todos Juntos,” with activities focused on unity, kindness, and togetherness. *In the event of heavy rain or extreme heat, Art in the Park activities move to the Paul J. Schupf Art Center.

Business After Hours

Wednesday, May 17, 5:30–7pm

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce members are invited to join us in our new home at the Paul J. Schupf Art Center for an evening of tasty snacks and beverages, door prizes, and networking.

Summer Volunteer Orientation

June 8, 5:30pm; Studio 1902, 2nd floor

Paul J. Schupf Art Center

Interested in joining the Waterville Creates volunteer corps? Learn about all the unique opportunities and special benefits at this orientation event. For more information, visit watervillecreates. org/volunteer

The Play That Goes Wrong

March 31, April 1, 7, 8, 7:30pm + April 2, 9, 2pm; Tickets: $24–$26

This 1920s whodunit “play within a play” has everything you never wanted in a show—an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences!

TAPE FACE

Wednesday, April 12, 7:30pm; Tickets: $38–$48

The one-of-a-kind viral sensation from America’s Got Talent! This totally unique silent comedian transforms every object and audience member into an active plaything. Shoes sing, empty dresses dance, and electrical tape blossoms into roses; he creates a world of possibilities where the only certainty is laughter.

WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY?

Wednesday, April 19, 8pm; Tickets: $58–$78

90 minutes of hilarious improvised comedy and song all based on audience suggestions. Cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray will leave you gasping with the very witty scenes they invent before your eyes. All ages are welcome, but please note that some “PG-13” language will be used during the performance.

The Sixties Show

Saturday, April 22, 8pm; Tickets: $28–$38

This cross-generational crowd pleaser is a high-energy trip back in time that reminds the audience how uniquely inspirational, entertaining, and historically significant the music and events of the 1960s were and continue to be. All of the music is performed live on vintage instruments with no samples, backing tracks, or prerecorded music of any kind.

BÉLA FLECK, ZAKIR HUSSAIN, EDGAR MEYER WITH RAKESH CHAURASIA

Sunday, May 7, 8pm; Tickets: $68–$78

Most musicians hope at most for proficiency in their chosen form, but these gentlemen move from bluegrass to Western classical to Indian classical to jazz, transmuting genres into something uniquely their own. It’s music that transcends description; ineffable, indefinable, and very beautiful.

SCHOOL SHOW: THE UGLY DUCKLING

Tuesday, May 9, 9:30am + 12pm

We all know the fable of the swan who grows up “ugly” in a family of ducks, later to find his appearance changing as he discovers his true identity. Follow along as our “duck” finds friendship with other unlikely misfits: a mole that hates dirt and a bald eagle with a full head of hair. These “misfit” heroes work together to find the selfconfidence that only friendship and accomplishment can provide.

Blues Traveler

Tuesday, May 23, 8pm; Tickets: $63–$73

Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people, and, in “RunAround,” had the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history. Also expect to hear the band’s other smash singles like “Hook” and “But Anyway,” as well as their new, jam-infused renditions of some of their favorite classic blues songs.

Rock Of Ages

June 16, 17, 23, 24, 7:30pm + June 18, 25, 2pm; Tickets: $27–$29

Featuring all your favorite smash-hit songs from the 1980s! It’s the tail end of the big, bad 1980s in Hollywood, and Aqua Net, Lycra, lace, and liquor flow freely at one of the Sunset Strip’s last legendary venues. But when German developers sweep into town with plans for a capitalist strip mall, the rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale could all come crashing down. This musical contains adult themes and profanity.

LISTENING TO FILM FREE + OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Each screening will be preceded by a Colby Music student presentation about the film’s soundtrack. Sponsored by Colby Departments of Music and Cinema Studies and the Center for the Arts and Humanities.

My Neighbor Totoro

Sunday, April 2, 12pm | 1988 | G

Hop on the Catbus to experience this beloved collaboration between director Hayao Miyazaki and composer Joe Hisaishi for the first or the hundredth time. To-to-ro, Totoro!

Forbidden Planet

Wednesday, April 12, 7pm | 1956 | G

This classic sci-fi film features the first fully electronic Hollywood film score, composed by Bebe and Louis Barron. Come for a young Leslie Nielsen in a dramatic role, stay for Robby the Robot and tons of special visual and sonic effects.

The Fits

Wednesday, April 19, 7pm | 2015 | NR

This coming-of-age film features brilliant collaboration between choreography and soundtrack, reflecting the increasingly common digital practice of blurring score, effects, and ambient sound. These techniques help illustrate the story of Toni, who becomes curious about the “fits” experienced by teenagers in a local dance troupe.

Batman

Sunday, April 30, 12pm | 1989 | PG-13

Move over, Superman: Danny Elfman’s music for Batman marks a split from older methods of scoring heroes, highlighting Batman’s emotional trauma and guilt and allowing the chaotic Joker to control the soundtrack. Come enjoy a romp through Gotham City, part noir, part camp, all Bat.

ONE SHOW ONLY!

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

Sunday, April 2, 6:45pm | 1968 | G | Regular ticket prices apply; Free for members

Truly made for the big screen, Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece follows Dr. Dave Bowman, Dr. Frank Poole, and their increasingly nefarious HAL 9000 computer as they embark on a space mission to determine the origin of a mysterious monolith.

I KNOW A MAN…ASHLEY BRYAN

Saturday, April 8, 1pm | 2016 | NR | Free

Followed by a tour of the exhibition Ashley Bryan / Paula Wilson: Take the World into Your Arms at the Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery, this documentary tells the story of a Maine illustrator who used art his entire life to celebrate joy, mediate the darkness of war and racism, and create a loving community. Sponsored by the Colby College Museum of Art.

C’È UN SOFFIO DI VITA SOLTANTO (A BREATH OF LIFE)

Sunday, April 9, 2:30pm | 2021 | NR | Free

This film retraces the life of Lucy, a 96-year-old (a)typical Italian grandmother, who is the oldest transsexual woman in Italy and among the few who survived Dachau concentration camp. Sponsored by the Colby French and Italian Departments.

THE LUNCHBOX

Sunday, April 16, 1pm | 2013 | PG | Free

After a mix-up with Mumbai’s famous lunch delivery system, an older man mistakenly receives the lunchbox that a young woman had packed for her husband. Followed by a discussion with the film’s editor, John Lyons.

FOUR WINTERS

Saturday, April 22, 2pm | 2020 | NR | Free

In partnership with the Maine Jewish Film Festival. Shattering the myth of Jewish passivity, the last surviving Jewish renegades tell their stories of resistance in Four Winters, revealing a stunning narrative of their heroism against the Nazis from deep within the forests of Eastern Europe.

PORPORA

Sunday, April 23, 2:30pm | 2021 | NR | Free

In a road trip across Italy, Porpora Marcasciano relives the discovery of her own identity as a trans woman and her political activism as a leading figure of the Italian trans movement. Sponsored by the Colby French and Italian Departments.

Tickets: adults: $19 seniors, students, military: $17 children (12 + under): $16

Met Opera Encore

LOHENGRIN (WAGNER)

Saturday, April 1, 12pm

Wagner’s soaring masterpiece makes its triumphant return to the Met stage with an atmospheric staging that once again weds director François Girard’s striking visual style and keen dramatic insight to Wagner’s breathtaking music.

FALSTAFF (VERDI)

Saturday, April 15, 12:30pm

Baritone Michael Volle stars as the caddish knight Falstaff, gleefully tormented by a trio of clever women who deliver his comeuppance, in Verdi’s glorious Shakespearean comedy.

DER ROSENKAVALIER (STRAUSS)

Saturday, April 29, 12pm

Set in an idealized Vienna of the past, Strauss’s most popular opera concerns a wise woman of the world who is involved with a much younger lover but ultimately forced to accept the laws of time, giving him up to a pretty, young heiress.

CHAMPION (TERENCE BLANCHARD) - LIBRETTO

BY MICHAEL CRISTOFER

Saturday, May 13, 12:55pm

Oscar-nominated composer Terence Blanchard comes to the Met with his first opera. Ryan Speedo Green is the young boxer Emile Griffith, who rises from obscurity to become a world champion, and Eric Owens portrays Griffith’s older self, haunted by the ghosts of his past.

DON GIOVANNI (MOZART)

Saturday, June 3, 12:55pm

Tony Award-winning director Ivo van Hove makes a major Met debut with a new take on Mozart’s tragicomedy, re-setting the familiar tale of deceit and damnation in an abstract architectural landscape and shining a light into the dark corners of the story and its characters.

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (MOZART)

Saturday, June 17, 12:55pm

One of opera’s most beloved works receives its first new Met staging in 19 years—a sublime fairy tale that moves freely between earthy comedy and noble mysticism that The Wall Street Journal’s Paul Levy declared “the best production I’ve ever witnessed of Mozart’s last opera.”

Tickets: adults: $16 seniors, students, and military: $14.50 children (12 + under): $13.50

National Theatre Live

These are pre-filmed theatrical productions, presented on-screen at MFC.

OTHELLO

Saturday, May 6, 12pm

An extraordinary new production of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy. Desdemona is a bright, headstrong daughter of a senator, elevated by her status but stifled by its expectations. Othello is a refugee of slavery; having risen to the top of a white world, he finds love across racial lines has a cost.

KING LEAR

Saturday, June 10, 12pm

Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear sees two ageing fathers—one a King, one his courtier— reject the children who truly love them. Don’t miss Ian McKellen’s “extraordinarily moving portrayal” (Independent) of King Lear, captured live from London’s West End in 2018.

GOOD

Saturday, June 24, 12pm

As the world faces its Second World War, John Halder, a good, intelligent German professor (David Tennant), finds himself pulled into a movement with unthinkable consequences.

In The Clay Studio

TEEN CLAY CLUB (AGES 13-16)

Tuesdays, April 11 + 25, May 9 + 23, 3–5pm; $30 per session

In this bi-monthly exploration of clay, students will learn wheel throwing, hand building, glazing, surface design, and more! Each young artist will be encouraged to find their own unique approach to clay in a supportive environment. Healthy snacks provided. Tools, glazes, firings, and all other materials are included.

BEGINNING CLAY: INTRODUCTION TO WHEEL THROWING

$175 per session

In these 6-week sessions, participants learn the basics of shaping, trimming, glazing, and more in a fun and supportive environment. Tools, materials, 25-pound bag of clay, glazes, firings, and studio access are included with class registration.

SESSION 1

SESSION 2

Wednesdays, May 3–June 7, 5:30–7pm

Wednesdays, June 21–July 26, 5:30–7pm

VISITING CLAY ARTIST SERIES: PINCH POTS

Saturday, May 27, 10am–2pm; $130

Instructor Siem Van Der Ven will lead a series of joyful exercises in which students will use simple techniques to experience mindfulness while making art. All materials included.

FIRST FRIDAY: CLAY PLAY

Friday, June 2, 4–6pm; Free Participants will learn ways to creatively express themselves through the medium of clay. Open to all ages. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

VISITING CLAY ARTIST SERIES: CERAMIC BIRDHOUSES

Saturday, June 24, 10am–2pm; $100 Instructor Cherie Giampietro will lead step-by-step instructions to make a unique birdhouse that can be hung outside. All materials are included.

Clay Memberships

Clay studio memberships are available for ceramic artists who can work without supervision. Membership includes access to the studio, tools, glazes, use of pottery wheels, and kiln firings. The Studio is equipped with 2 kilns, 7 wheels, a slab roller, and a full complement of materials and glazes.

All clay used in the Ticonic Clay Studio must be purchased through Waterville Creates. Access to the studio is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Clay members must be at least 18 years old.

Membership Fee: $130/month; 3 months/$350 ($40 discount) 25-pound bag of clay: $30

To learn more, contact: Yvonne Brown, Clay Studio Coordinator, ybrown@watervillecreates.org

In The Classroom

FIRST FRIDAY: TRY! MAKE! CREATE!

Fridays, April 7, May 5, June 2, 4–6pm; Free Stop by the Ticonic Studio classroom at the Paul J. Schupf Art Center to try, make, and create! Follow the guided activity or choose your own adventure using a wide variety of materials in the studio.

INTRODUCTION TO 3D PRINTING

Saturday, April 8, 10–11:30am; $35

Learn the basics of 3D printing with Stephen LaRochelle of Kennebec Valley Community College. Open to all; ages 10-16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

SPRING ARTIST + MAKER CAMP (AGES 8-12)

April 17–21, 9am–12pm; $175

Release the inner artist in your child! Inspired by the exhibitions on view at Ticonic Gallery and the Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery, campers will create art using a variety of materials. Visiting artists and teachers will be present during the week to provide fun workshops!

3D PRINTING FOR BEGINNERS

Tuesdays, May 9–30, 5:30–7pm; $110

Learn to use a 3D printer, become familiar with 3D software, learn how to “slice” pre-existing models and how to design your own model. Led by instructor Stephen LaRochelle of Kennebec Valley Community College. Open to all; ages 10-16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Outside The Classroom

COMMUNITY DRAW

Wednesdays, April 5, May 10, June 14, 6–8pm; $10 per session

Studio 1902, Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 2nd floor

Seasoned and aspiring artists are invited to participate in these costumed figure drawing workshops. Costumes provided courtesy of the Waterville Opera House.

Slice

STUDENTS LEARNING INNOVATIVE + CREATIVE ENDEAVORS (AGES 13-18)

Wednesdays, May 3, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, 3–5pm; Free Offered in partnership with arts professionals throughout the state, this program showcases career opportunities in the creative arts for young adults. Each afternoon will be packed with information, inspiration, and pizza!

MAY 3

MAY 17

MAY 24

MAY 31

JUN 7

SOUND EFFECTS FOR MOVIES

Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street

MUSEUM CURATION + SOCIAL MEDIA

Colby College Museum of Art, 5600 Mayflower Hill, Waterville

LEARN TO MAKE A MOVING PANORAMA

Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street

COMBAT + MOVEMENT FOR STAGE

Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville

CARPENTRY

Waterville Public Library, 73 Elm Street, Waterville

Exhibitions

THE GREAT STATE OF ILLUSTRATION IN MAINE

April 17–July 16, 2023

Opening reception: May 5, 4–7pm

Curated by the Illustration Institute, The Great State of Illustration in Maine will showcase the past, present, and future of illustration in our state, representing history and contemporary culture through narrative imagery. By viewing historic work alongside contemporary illustration, visitors will experience the depth of possibility in narrative art and gain a further appreciation for the enduring, beautiful work created in the state we call home. Featured artists include Barbara Cooney (pictured), Lucky Platt, Daniel Minter, Ashley Bryan, Rockwell Kent, Dahlov Ipcar, Bruce Hutchison, Edward Hopper, and many more.

UNTITLED BY KARINA STEELE

December 17, 2022–July 1, 2023

Maine Film Center Lobby

Karina Steele is a Maine-based woodworker who experiments with bending wood to create one-of-a-kind sculptural wall pieces for the home as well as large-scale installations for commercial spaces. Steele also crafts beautifully handmade wooden spoons and kitchen tools.

FIELDS ALIVE WITH POLLEN + WINGS

BY TESSA GREENE O’BRIEN

Commissioned by Waterville Creates and the Colby College Museum of Art, Fields Alive with Pollen + Wings is a spectacular, largescale mural by Maine-based artist, curator, and 2022–23 Lunder Institute of American Art Residential Fellow Tessa Greene O’Brien. Located in the main lobby of the Paul J. Schupf Art Center facing Castonguay Square, this two-story painting grounds the new art center in its surroundings with a collage of flora and fauna native to the Waterville region and geometric shapes that subtly reference artwork by Alex Katz and Sarah Cain at the Colby College Museum of Art.

O’Brien works in a variety of mediums and scales that range from architectural exterior murals to postcardsized watercolor paintings and is perpetually interested in the possibilities of paint. The title of her mural is an excerpt from Stuart Kestenbaum’s poem, “In Praise of Hands.”

“I view painting as a framework through which I can deepen my understanding of life and of the world around me. My painting practice prompts me to observe my surroundings, to look slowly at the details of the places I inhabit, and to give attention to the energy and characteristics of the people around me. I am not beholden to any specific genre or style; rather, I root my practice in observation, storytelling, and a lifelong dialogue with the history of painting. This leaves room for play, experimentation, and discovery, all of which I value over formulaic sameness.” —Tessa Greene O’Brien watervillecreates.org

O’Brien has shown through the United States, including solo exhibitions at Dowling Walsh Gallery and Elizabeth Moss Galleries, and has attended residencies at Surf Point Foundation, the Tides Institute, Monson Arts, Open Studio Residency at Haystack, Hewnoaks, Vermont Studio Center, Joseph A Fiore Art Center, and the Stephen Pace House residency. Her practice has received support from a variety of funders, including the Maine Arts Commission, Ellis Beauregard Foundation, and SPACE Gallery’s Kindling Fund. She is a co-director of Able Baker Contemporary Gallery and lives in South Portland, ME.

It’s not a lump of clay. It’s a ticket to a two hour vacation.

Making art centers us. It calms us. It helps us to see the beauty in our world. It helps us to find the beauty in ourselves. It’s why we believe art should be experienced by everyone.