This weekend we have invited Lyman Whitaker and Whitaker Studios to visit. We are celebrating ten years with them. Lyman will be here Friday the 28th for a coffee talk, but don’t miss the party on Saturday night.
“It all begins on July 22 with the biggest opening reception party Maine Art has ever thrown,” says Spain. “There will be music, food, and of course, art.” The reception will be from 5-7 PM. Additional events are posted on Maine Art’s online calendar. “We have a great deal to be thankful for here. Our goal is to truly celebrate our artists, our customers, and our community every day for these twenty days.”
We kick this weekend off with Craig Mooney. He will be back again, after his fabulous solo show in July. He will be in the gallery all day Saturday. Stop by for a visit. Also be on the look out for Shakespeare amongst the Sculpture on Tuesday evening. Our local Shakespeare group will be performing in and around Lyman Whitakers sculptures. It is sure to be a treat.
All told, we have over thirty artists at Maine Art Gallery and many have new pieces that have been or will be featured in shows this summer. New works arrive every week. Our website is real time and is always up to date. Be sure to watch our Facebook page, as well, for new additions to our inventory. If you want to be contacted when new work comes in from any specific artist, please add your name to our email list, indicate which one, and we will be sure to contact you.
Born in Portland, Maine and raised in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, Ryan has the distinction of being a local. Even though he has lived in New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut and California, Maine is still the place he calls home.“I went to Hamilton College in New York. I received my BA in English and Creative Writing with a minor in Environmental Studies in 2011,” says Cadigan. “Now I am a University of New Hampshire Creative Writing MFA candidate and entering my second year.”
Craig Mooney has a variety of motifs he is known for. We love his skies and sails and coastlines. Normally, each motif is focused on separately. There was a special inspiration, however, that nudged him into bringing three of his favorites into one piece.
Mooney says, “In this time and age we are entering, people are looking for an escape. This new series of work offers that. My recent works are more romantic motifs. I want to give people a place to go for a bit of peace. Its that feeling found when spending time with a painting, then suddenly it captures you. It holds on, and you are there, even if only for a while. Its more than just seeing it, it is feeling it. The work has to be sincere.”
“Stand of Trees is a view from a country road. I don’t even know what town I was in,” Hoag laughs. “The beautiful snowy field was visible through the trees lining the road, and I remember being out on an adventure with my family on a sunny winter day.” A common occurrence for Hoag. “I love the simplicity of the idea that we can find calm and beauty right along the road almost anywhere in Maine.”
“My new favorite place is Schoodic Point, a part of Acadia National Park. A dear friend of mine let me know that if I am there at dead low tide, there is an island just off the coast I can walk to and explore,” Susan explains. Many of her new pieces come from, what she describes as, one amazingly magical morning.
“I began painting boats because I love the way they evoke a sense of peace and calmness,” says Granter. “Whether they are in the fog, in the sun, or in a busy harbor, their curvy lines and sense of possibility are always an invitation to paint.”