How It Happens – Artist Insights from Janis Sanders

“The painting experience is a process in its truest and simplest sense. In this case, give, assess, and give again,” says artist Janis Sanders. ” In some instances, nearly simultaneously, an action of small gestures, each often unintentionally, perhaps subconsciously or instinctually, setting the stage for the next gesture, stage, step, or action.”

For Sanders, painting is an activity of spontaneous concentration, feedback at its finest, with split-second fraction instinctive decision-making and stop-on-a-dime attentiveness contrasted and integrated with full-force steaming ahead paint application in large swaths of full tilt ahead.

“Sometimes, painting is the tiniest, thinnest streak or dot of the correct color of paint that completes a painting. Emotion is the finishing touch that finalizes and completes my visual symphony of colors,” says Sanders. “The excitement of the interaction of colors and relationships forming in front of my eyes as the painting develops is the driver and the reins that allow steerage. All this is in a process that largely drives itself as it comes through. I am largely, and  often simply, an instrument of the formulation.”

The show opened on Saturday, August 19, at 10 AM at Maine Art Hill at 5 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. This show runs for almost a month, ending September 6. All are welcome.


Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR.

 

 ARTIST INSIGHTS – Janis H. Sanders.

 ALL AVAILABLE WORKS – Janis H. Sanders

Composition, Mood, Idea, Palette, and Perspective – Artist Insights from Michele Poirier Mozzone

For artist Michele Poirier Mozzone, the window of opportunity to capture sun-filled pool photos here in New England is limited. Having models at the ready when the weather cooperates can also be challenging. She takes videos from her GoPro camera when she has models, sunlight, and a warm summer day. From them, she can select images that have the potential to be paintings and manipulate them to her liking on the Procreate app.

“My work begins with many conscious decisions in hopes of achieving a plan – a composition, a mood, an idea, a palette, a perspective that makes an interesting, successful painting,” shares Mozzone. “If I have done a good job with preparation, the painting portion is often free-flowing, where I am in a zone free of constraints and open to exploration within the parameters of my original plan.”

Her studio is a light-filled converted bedroom in her home. Afternoon in the studio is her productive time. However, she has been known to head to the studio in her pajamas with a cup of coffee in the morning and not emerge until after five o’clock – still wearing pajamas and completely satisfied after a full, productive day. Time passes quickly while painting.

“I am grateful that this subject matter, which I have been exploring for the past twelve years, also resonates with many people,” she shares. “It has been immensely gratifying to get feedback from someone who sees themself as a child and relives happy summer memories through my work.”

People have expressed their love of the water, their passion for swimming, or their children’s likeness has drawn them to Mozzone’s paintings. It feeds an artist’s soul to get this feedback, and it probably has kept her on this series when she might have otherwise drifted to something else.

“Thankfully, I have not tired of exploring variations on this theme. I have introduced new elements over time, such as drapery, flowers, and stencils,” explains Mozzone. “When creating a new painting begins to feel like a formula for what has been successful, it is time to try something new.”

When her painting practice starts to feel stale, the work reflects this. So, she keeps evolving within this series to remain excited about the next painting. Beyond the apparent concepts of capturing the transient nature of water, its transformative effects, and the simplicity of summer fun and freedom, other internal themes have repeated throughout this series, depending on the painting.

“Body image, relationships, female empowerment, moments of meditation and renewal, self-reflection, and finding inner peace are all internal themes I reach for,” says Mozzone.

Mozzone’s show opened on Saturday, August 19, at Maine Art Hill at 5 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk, ending on September 6. We are open every day at 10 AM. All are welcome.

Click to see the PREVIEW on August 16

Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR on  August 18

 

 ARTIST INSIGHTS  – Michele Poirier Mozzone.

ALL AVAILABLE WORKS –Michele Poirier Mozzone.

Claire Bigbee – Summer Show 2023

 

CLAIRE BIGBEE

September 2 – 27

Artist Reception September 2,  5-7 PM

Gallery at the Grand

1 Chase Hill Rd. Kennebunk, Maine 04043

“On the shore of nature’s magic, I dreamed summer knew no end.” -Angie Weiland-Crosby.

Join Maine Art Hill in ushering out the last beautiful rays of summer sunshine through the eyes of local female artist Claire Bigbee beginning September 2. This is the last show of the summer season and runs the fall welcomes it in on September 27 at the Gallery at the Grand at 1 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. On Saturday, the doors open promptly at 10 AM for viewing and sales. Join the gallery staff and the artist for a complimentary public reception from 5-7 PM. All are welcome.

No matter what time of year, the palette and subject of Claire Bigbee’s acrylics and oils bring an endless summer to canvas. With colors that push even Mother Nature’s boundaries, Bigbee captures memories of places in Maine and New England that hold warmth and beauty for all.

“My approach to painting borderlines on an abstract viewpoint. I aim to achieve something more permanent, or my inner landscape,” explains Bigbee. “The views around me are classic Maine, a lulling sea with long-range tides, wind-swept clouds framed by Maine’s unmovable rocky coastline.”

For Bigbee, Maine and her landscapes are just a part of her. They have known each other for as long as she can remember, and their connectedness is evident in her painting.

“Around the turn of the century, Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, where I grew up, was settled with fishing boats and farmlands along the sandy, rocky coast,” says Bigbee. “There is comfort in the permanency of the Maine landscape. It’s my home, and I have been painting it since I was young. It is intimate and personal.”

Milton Avery’s landscapes have influenced Bigbee. His exactness in locking the picture planes together inflects distance without shading and flattens nature but retains nature’s integrity.

“Avery eliminated anything decorative and found the innate impression of a view,” explains Bigbee. “He was going after the solid, monumental, and impactful feeling behind nature.”

This show is a must-see for locals and out-of-town visitors from September 2 to 27. Every day from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Gallery at the Grand at 1 Chase Hill Rd in Kennebunk. The artist reception is from 5 -7 PM on opening day. If you can’t visit the gallery,  see the show virtually at www.maine-art.com/shows. FMI 207-967-2803.

Click for the  VIRTUAL TOUR 

To read more about this talented woman, click the link below.

Claire Bigbee – Artist Insights

To see our present collection from this artist, click the link below.

Claire Bigbee – Complete Collection

 

 

The Emotion Behind the Work – Artist Insights from Janis Sanders

“Every painting is a portrait of something, whether a person, a place, or a close-up of a detail, but ultimately, it is an expression of an interpretation of an emotion,” said Janis Sanders.

Over the years, artist Janis Sanders has shared stories, inspiration, and process. Today, he shares some of his mental approach and experience as an artist.

“Whether stated with traditional painting materials and methods in traditional applications, stretched to the edges in abstraction, abstract expressionism or even minimalism, the representation of the artist’s experience is, of course, rendered through the filter of that artist’s being, experiential and instinctual, combined, mixed and balanced,” explains Sanders.

Knowing what you want to express is half the battle for this artist. Ideally, does an artist want others to see what he sees, feel what he feels, and then move on to make it their own?

“A painting speaks a thousand words,” says Sanders. “Yet, a thousand words can fall short of expressing a painting.”

The show opened on Saturday, August 19, at 10 AM at Maine Art Hill at 5 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. This show runs for almost a month, ending September 6. If you are in town, please consider stopping by at 5 Chase Hill Road, Kennebunk. All are welcome.


Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR.

 

 ARTIST INSIGHTS – Janis H. Sanders.

 ALL AVAILABLE WORKS – Janis H. Sanders

Michele Poirier Mozzone – Artist Insights on Medium

From watercolors to pastels. From acrylics to oils. Things change, but they appear to become more beautiful.

“For years after college, I worked in watercolor. I still love the medium for its translucence and inherent beauty,” Mozzone shares. “I became accustomed to ‘saving the whites,’ the practice of using the white of the paper as your lightest light in a watercolor painting and allowing pieces of white paper to remain, adding life and sparkle to a painting.”

In 2010, Mozzone decided to try something different and began taking pastel workshops. She quickly came to appreciate the medium’s expressiveness and immediacy.

“I began to layer pastel over watercolor under paintings on pastel paper,” she explains. “Similar to ‘saving the whites’. I let pieces of the underpainting show through the pastel to add richness and contrast.”

Since 2016, she has translated her ‘Fractured Light‘ series into oil paintings.

“I often begin with a bright underpainting – usually in acrylic – and build up layers of oil paint while letting the underpainting enhance and peak through,” says Mozzone. “Those early years of working in watercolor taught me to think and plan a few steps, especially regarding color. Cobalt Teal from Gamblin is probably my most-used pigment.”

It is often a combination of steps – either panned or by chance – that achieve the desired effect in her work.

“My favorite tool is an old palette knife that I mix with, paint with, and clean my palette with. I have many other new palette knives of various shapes and sizes sitting unused,” she explains. “This palette knife comfortably fits my hand and has the perfect amount of give. I would be heartbroken if I lost it.”

Mozzone’s show opened on Saturday, August 19, at Maine Art Hill at 5 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk, ending on September 6. We are open every day at 10 AM. All are welcome.

Click to see the PREVIEW on August 16

Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR on  August 18

 

 ARTIST INSIGHTS  – Michele Poirier Mozzone.

ALL AVAILABLE WORKS –Michele Poirier Mozzone.

Colors are Starting to Pop – Fall Pop -Up Schedule on Maine Art Hill

It’s not only the trees expecting pops of color. As our summer season winds down, our fall pop-ups begin. It is a time for new, fun, and exciting artists to celebrate cooler nights, colorful days, and beautiful art.

Scroll down to see the schedule of Pop-Ups and click the links to learn more about each.

Robin Swennes & Phil Ouellette

August 31 – September 13

The Gallery – 14 Western Ave, Kennebunk

Artist Reception Saturday, Sept 9, from 4-6 PM

Heather Fountain, Angelique Luro, and Amalia Tagaris

September 9 – 28

Shows #1 and #2 – 5 Chase Hill Rd Kennebunk

 Van Tassell Art

September 14 – 27

The Gallery – 14 Western Ave Kennebunk

James Mattison

September 29 – October 29

Gallery at The Grand – 1 Chase Hill Rd Kennebunk

 

 

Ingunn Joergensen – A Little History

 Ingunn Milla Joergensen lives in town and has found a special place in our love community. Even though she was not born here, she has chosen Maine to call home, or maybe it is more like Maine chose her.

“Growing up in the southern parts of Norway, I was that child who always spent time creating something, that is, if I wasn’t wandering around in the woods picking wildflowers,” Ingunn shares. “I remember waking up thinking, ‘Today I will make a masterpiece unlike anything anyone has ever seen.’ Then I’d venture off to my granddad’s wood workshop next door to hunt for treasures to use.”

She was allowed to explore and create through her childhood and school. “I am still grateful for all those teachers who let me go on with my ideas,” she remembers. “Frequently, they were things other than what we were assigned to do. Maybe that is why I later became an art teacher myself.”

For many years, Ingunn enjoyed teaching her students and still painting when she had the moment to steal. Then, fifteen years ago, she moved to Maine.

“What was supposed to be a two-year stay has become more permanent now – a house, a huge garden, another dog, and numerous chickens later.” Ingunn was finally in a place where she could focus solely on her work. “Quickly, I fell deeply in love with the place and its kind and friendly people,” she shares. “Each a little rugged, very resilient, and so authentic.”

The beauty of the Maine landscape, the constantly changing elements, and the ocean are a never-ending source of inspiration for all of Joergensen’s art and design work. “It is the little things that catch my attention, a piece, a fragment, a texture, a thought, a word. Sometimes taking it all in is so much, it is almost overwhelming,” Igunn shares. “One little shell tells the story of the ocean. A piece of wood tells the story of lived life. Beauty is found in the most unexpected places.”

Joergensen has met and worked with many inspiring and talented people. Her road trips around the state searching for beautiful barns to paint have led her to the most interesting conversations. She tells the story of an older gentleman and his lovely old horse farm.

“Windows were broken, roofs were sagging, and he was having difficulty keeping up. The barn swallows were cheerfully flying around while rays of sunshine streamed through the ceilings. He still had a few retired horses and much evidence of a proud life. We spent hours chatting,” says Ingunn. “A few weeks later, I returned with an invitation to my show. He saw his barn on the invitation’s cover and started to cry.”

This and many similar stories make Joergensen grateful to live and paint in Maine, yet her gratitude does not end there. She has a deep appreciation, profound thankfulness, and great humility, not only when it comes to her ability to paint but also when paintings have found their “forever homes.” All across the United States, from San Diego to Seattle, Florida to Maine, Ingunn Jorgensen’s work can be found. She may be lucky to have this life, but her talent and hard work have brought her to where she is now.

Artist Igunn Jorgensen

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FInding Inspiration – Artist Insights from Janis H. Sanders

“My paintings begin long before any paint is applied to the canvas or panel on the easel. I always begin with a question,” shares artist Janis H. Sanders.

“What do I love about Maine?”

“Is it the sun’s first glow casting myriads of colors gently, quietly across a pre-dawn yet unlit sky? Yes!”

“Is it a silver morning glimmering on the ocean with near-blinding intensity reflection across a bay? Yes!”

“Is it the deep mellifluous bass rolling roar of lobster boat motors, lobstermen checking their pots on a rocky coast in the earliest daylight while the world has yet to awake?   Yes!”

“Is it the calm lapping of midnight quiet waves kissing the shore in a lulling meditation? Yes!”

“Is it the insistent repeating cyclical sound of rolling stones at Owl’s Head with each hefty wave’s entry and exit from shore? Yes!”

“Is it the glorious shores of Rosa Rugosa in the bright refrain or rainbow-colored Lupine casting their cheer to the world? Yes!”

“Is it the choral braying of dozens of near-sunset evening cows in a meadow in late May, breaking the otherwise quiet, cool evening stillness and capturing all your attention in the sweet spring air? Yes, yes, and yes!”

So many experiences and dozens of other landscapes along the Maine coast from the amalgam of rich, visceral visual and emotional inputs provide the fodder for Sanders’s paintings.

“I am inspired by the deepest, darkest of night and the most profound quiet on Earth while standing on the sidewalk on Rt. 1 at midnight in Searsport, smiling and delighting as the occasional lone 18-wheeler, breaking that indescribable silence, rolls as unobtrusively as it can at twenty-five miles per hour through town,” laughs Sanders. “Or maybe it’s an artist at this hour across the street in her second-floor white studio, yellow-cast incandescent lights in an overhead ceiling fixture, in her linen white Victorian vaulted ceiling home, vigorously painting a large canvas, immersed from the rest of the world.”

The show opens on Saturday, August 19, at 10 AM, at Maine Art Hill at 5 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. These two shows run for almost a month, ending September 6. If in town, please consider the Artists’ Reception on Saturday, August 19, from 5-7 PM at 5 Chase Hill Road, Kennebunk. All are welcome.


Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR.

 

 ARTIST INSIGHTS – Janis H. Sanders.

 ALL AVAILABLE WORKS – Janis H. Sanders

 

Michele Poirier Mozzone – Artist Introduction

At Maine Art Hill, we love to help make that connection between our clients and visitors with our artists. With that, a new us artist, Michele Poirier Mozzone, has shared a bit about herself.

Mozzone was born and raised in Massachusetts. She lives and works in Rehoboth, a lovely rural town in southeastern Massachusetts. There are farm fields, cow pastures, and horse stables, yet they are a 15-minute ride from great restaurants and city life in Providence, Rhode Island. They also have a cottage in Falmouth on Cape Cod, where the family loves to gather year-round.

“Painting and drawing were always something I did – from when I could hold a crayon. Although I majored in Fine Art in college and have painted for most of my life, I began to focus intensely on my art practice in 2010 after my dad’s sudden passing,” shares Mozzone. “It was a time of creative rebirth and experimentation for me as it became painfully clear that life is uncertain, and if this was what I was meant to do, it was now or never.”

She took classes and workshops, joined art organizations, subscribed to art journals, became involved in the Providence art community, and began teaching pastel classes at the Providence Art Club and RISD Continuing Education. She also became a lover of Instagram.

“I confess I am a bit of an Instagram addict. But I have found it inspires me to discover contemporaries creating fantastic work I would never have known about,” she says. “It has allowed me to enrich my knowledge of current artists and, in many cases, to have a dialogue and be acquainted with them.” 

Mozzone also belongs to the Providence Art Club in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the second oldest art club in the country and a vibrant organization. The membership and staff are welcoming and supportive. It is an inspirational beehive of creativity.

There was little time for art in the beginning, but as we know, that didn’t last forever.

“My husband and I were fortunate that his career allowed me to stay home with our three daughters. It was hectic and challenging to do more than an occasional watercolor painting,” says Mozzone. “During those time-strapped years, my creative outlets were gardening, cooking, and selling hand-painted tees, sweatshirts, and mailboxes at Christmas craft shows!”

So now that there is free time, yes, artists have free time, she fills her cup with Mother Nature and friends.

“I love spending time with my friends and family – my husband and I have three daughters and two great sons-in-law. We spend a lot of wonderful family time on Cape Cod,” she shares. “Yet my perennial flower garden has always been another interest-bordering-on-obsession for me and a source of replenishment when I’m feeling spent.”

Mozzone’s show opened on Saturday, August 19, at Maine Art Hill at 5 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk, ending on September 6. We are open every day at 10 AM. All are welcome.

Click to see the PREVIEW on August 16

Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR on  August 18

 

 ARTIST INSIGHTS  – Michele Poirier Mozzone.

ALL AVAILABLE WORKS –Michele Poirier Mozzone.

Discovering the Landscape – Insights from Artist Ingunn Joergensen

Artist Ingunn Joergensen has a distinct style and often a different subject matter. She wanted to do something a little more for her summer show at Maine Art Hill.

“In this show, I have explored different landscapes, a subject I love,” says Joergensen.

The new landscapes also come with a pop of color which even Mother Nature would approve of. The peaceful and serene scapes hold swatches of blues and greens and teals that grab the eye and hold interest.

“Color. It is truly how I see many things, not so much in shapes or lines but in patches,” says Joergensen. “This may surprise many, as I am known for a somewhat neutral palette in my work.”

As someone who spends much of her time outside, landscapes are a natural choice. This spring and summer, Joergensen spent many hours alongside the Kennebunk River observing the constant change of colors. 

“I watched how deep indigo turns into a rich turquoise or the brightest of blue fades into a soft purple,” she says. “I have so many favorite spots right here in my immediate surroundings. Whether it is the woods, rivers, marshes, or by the ocean, it is here.”

Even though Joergensen does not strive to recreate the landscape in a photo-correct way, she certainly captures it. 

“Instead of photorealism, I rather focus on the emotion the landscape brings out, the transparency or translucency of it,” she says. “I try to recreate my impressions in a simple, and hopefully to the viewer, peaceful and contemplative way.”   

For those of you who love Joergensen’s Barn Series, have no fear. There are several works from her Barn Series and a few other themes in the show.

“I could not entirely let go of my passion for barns in this show,” shares Joergensen. “They are more of a shelter or a homestead safely rooted or grounded. A sense of belonging to something deeper.”

Click to see the VIRTUAL TOUR. 

You can click to read more about Joergensen.

You can click to see Joergensen’s entire collection.