Patterns and Paintings – Artist Insights from Bethany Harper Williams

Posted on by Maine Art

When the front of a canvas isn’t enough, a pattern wraps around and extends something already so beautiful.

“I’ve started to think more about the side panels of the paintings,” explains Bethany Harper Williams. “I was at a show at the Guggenheim and noticed a glow of color above some of the paintings. As I ascended the gallery, I looked down on these same paintings and saw that the top panels had been painted a vibrant pink.”

If you are looking for inspiration, where else do you go but the Guggenheim?

“It inspired me to look at the sides of my paintings,” shares Williams.”I like the glow it creates without distracting from the painting itself. The stripes add to the whimsy of the paintings and allude to the stripes of a beach towel.”

The question always comes down to how the process works. What is the plan? Ironically, the answer is that there is no plan.

“I don’t plan where the patterns will go. They are just an expression of what I’m feeling now, ” Williams says.  “I often leave a painting and come back to it to see it from a different perspective and then add to it. That’s usually when the fun stuff happens!”

Bethany Harper Williams 2022 Summer Show ends September 15th at Shows on Maine Art Hill. Come in to check out these amazing little details. It’s always worth the trip. Remember, we carry her work all year long. This is just a blast of summer fun all in one place.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW VIRTUALLY

See our complete collection of each artist’s work by clicking the links below.

Bethany Harper Williams – Artist Page

To read more about each of these artists, click the links below

Bethany Harper Williams – Insights and Stories

 

Witbeck Revisited – Artist Insights from David Witbeck

Posted on by Maine Art

When an artist is as recognizable as David Witbeck, having him reconsider what worked a few years ago is always a welcome surprise. Be prepared to see a few familiar faces and friends.

“This year, I revisited some earlier ideas. Iggy, the fisherman in the boat with the larger-than-life fish, and Taking Out, a similar fisherman but with an entire basket of fish, are themes I haven’t done for a few years. So I thought I’d give them another try now that I’m a better painter,” laughs Witbeck.

For Witbeck, every painting, every class, every sketch makes him a better painter. The kicker…we reap the benefits of all that hard work. His willingness to share some of that process with us makes the “better” all the better.

Another piece that Witbeck revisited is Bustling Harbor from last year’s show. Below you will see Bustling Harbor centered between two new pieces.

“The two Downeast Geometry paintings are a bit of a spinoff of the large Bustling Harbor from last year’s show,” shares Witbeck. “Sometimes, after creating a complex painting, I dissect it for smaller paintings.”

“Late to Work is also a spinoff from Bustling Harbor with the man on the ladder becoming the main subject,” explains Witbeck. “He is more front and center than just something to complete a painting corner.”

It is so amazing to see how each piece has morphed from Bustling Harbor. Even though the original was sold during last year’s show, there are many new pieces that embrace the heart of this popular piece. It is also available as a print if your heart is set on the original composition.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW VIRTUALLY

See our complete collection of Witbeck’s work by clicking the link below.

David Witbeck – Artist Page

To read more about Witbeck, click the link below

David Witbeck – Insights and Stories

Exploring – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler

Posted on by Maine Art

“As I continue exploring what I can do with acrylics and collage, I’ve expanded my materials to include found papers, posters, maps, flyers, brochures, adverts, birthday cards, fortune cookies, and other found, saved, and collected papers,” shares artist Ryan Kohler. “You name it.”

Some of the materials Kohler uses were from when he was in high school and worked for a local record shop. The store had promo posters or cardstock adverts in the windows for new albums or movies to be released.

“The crew and I had first dibs on anything we wanted, so my bedroom walls were always covered with many pop culture references,” says Kohler. “Last year, my wife and I moved into our forever home. As we were unpacking, I came across an old tote with all my high school stuff, and all these colorful materials became a treasure trove of collage materials. All my old stuff suddenly had a new purpose.”

 These papers are used in abstract ways. Little unrecognizable bits of color is ultimately what he is after, but they are found in sometimes unlikely places.

“There is a particular color red of a Green Day promo background for their album in 2004 or a section of a purple gradation on Prince’s leg while playing guitar in a magazine clipping from the same era,” explains Kohler. “Then there is the colorful reflection of colors in Ray Charles’ sunglasses on the poster promo for the movie “Ray” that came out in 2005. I can’t list it all here. I hung onto some pretty random things.”

Each of Kohlers new works is a plethora of memorabilia best witnessed in person. His Summer Solo Show runs until September 8. Open every day at 10 am. Please visit.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW

To see all available work from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler –  ARTIST PAGE

To read more insights from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler – INSIGHTS AND STORIES

Ryan also has a collection of videos, including Secretly.

Ryan Kohler –  VIDEOS

 

 

 

Witbeck and Williams, Together Again – Summer Show Season 2022

Posted on by Maine Art

There is something special when creative people get together. ~ Joy Mangano

That is precisely what Shows on Maine Art Hill is celebrating from August 27 to  September 15 with artists Bethany Harper Williams and David Witbeck. Starting at 10 AM Saturday, August 27, this dynamic duo fills the walls at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk.

“We have showcased this talented pair a few times with great success,” shares gallery owner John Spain. “Both Witbeck and Williams revel in Maine’s summer, so saying goodbye to the season with these two artists seems perfect.”

From his first venture on a fishing boat, working behind his camera instead of in front of his canvas, artist David Witbeck fell in love with these hard-working folk. He captures their essence of work and play, along with so much more of Maine.

“I never know where my inspiration will come from, a piece of real life, a memory, a color, a moment,” says Witbeck. “My fishermen often remind me in a distant way of Andrew Wyeth. He celebrated the fishermen and their dories but in a way very different from my own. Still, we certainly share the same sense of respect for this demanding career.”

 

Artist Bethany Harper Williams finds inspiration in daily life. She uses small shapes to create her scenes of summer. Each small brush stroke is coupled with a collection of marks. The expanse of the canvas allows Williams to play with texture, shape, and color, abstracting the elements but using figures or boats to put everything into context. However, adding geometric patterns in her oil paint often spark questions.

 

“I prefer to go beyond what is expected. I keep the viewer intrigued, finding more, and wondering. I play with patterns. Polka dots, lines, circles,” explains Williams. “It is meant to be playful and whimsical, not focussed on representing the reality, but creating a joyful mood. This keeps the viewer continually involved, looking, and questioning.”

Starting on Saturday, August 27, at 10 AM, the gallery at 10 Chase Hill welcomes the public to view and purchase these stunning celebrations of color and summer. In addition, both artists will be at Shows on Maine Art Hill on Saturday evening from 5 – 7 PM. They are excited to share their process, inspiration, and new works. The Artist Reception is a free event.

Again, the show runs until Thursday,  September 15, and is open every day from 10 AM to 5 PM  Plan to stop into their other three locations. The Gallery at 14 Western Ave, The Grand Hotel Gallery at 1 Chase Hill, and Studios at 5 Chase Hill. All are open during the Artist Reception and every day this summer. Check the website for all summer hours. FMI www.maine-art.com or 207-967-0049

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW VIRTUALLY

See our complete collection of each artist’s work by clicking the links below.

Bethany Harper Williams – Artist Page

David Witbeck – Artist Page

To read more about each of these artists, click the links below

Bethany Harper Williams – Insights and Stories

David Witbeck – Insights and Stories

My Studio’s a Mess – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler

Posted on by Maine Art

“My studio’s a mess. There’s no logical way to organize all this stuff. So when I’m creating, the paper starts flying as I hunt for colors and patterns among the sea of scraps, then cut what I find into the appropriate shapes that fit the painting,” laughs artist Ryan Kohler. “After that, it’s all trial and error.”

Kohler’s studio may be a mess, but the organized chaos and a great rake instead of a broom, keep things contained.

“It’s not a streamlined process, and it’s not practical,” says Kohler. “The upside is that I have clean shapes of pure color and exactly the shape I want.”

“The process and results are a bit like palette knife marks, except I have much more control, and if I don’t like the piece I’ve just added to the painting, I simply remove it,” shares Kohler. “I have a window of time before the glue permanently adheres the paper to the canvas, and even if I am beyond that window, I still have the option to continue gluing more paper to cover up any mistakes I’ve made. ”

“Sometimes that leads to the most interesting results. When layers and layers of paper are added to each other, especially something with patterns, it can look like mixed paint from a distance,” says Kohler. “Again, very cool.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW

To see all available work from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler –  ARTIST PAGE

To read more insights from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler – INSIGHTS AND STORIES

Ryan also has a collection of videos, including Secretly.

Ryan Kohler –  VIDEOS

 

 

 

The Peacocks at Snug Harbor – Artist Insights from Claire Bigbee

Posted on by Maine Art

Artist Claire Bigbee made a short trip to  Snug Harbor Farm in Kennebunk to get some flowers for her open studio in the spring and was fascinated by the peacocks. She loves to paint birds and thought it a fun challenge and something different for her show. So with that, she looked up the symbolic meaning of a peacock.

The peacock is a possessor of some of the most admired human characteristics and symbolizes integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors. In history, myth, legend, and lore, the peacock symbolism carry portents of nobility, holiness, guidance, protection, and watchfulness. Contemplate the powers of the peacock when you need more vibrancy and vitality in your experience. The peacock can also help you on your spiritual path and breath new life into your walk of faith.

“I was reading my art journal,” shares Bigbee, “and this kept coming to mind while I was working on this painting. So get out of your way and access the source of your creativity.”

With this came the realization that children make art with no artist statement.

“They are in a particulate place, and their art is not predetermined. Our culture is articulate, analyzing, and knowing. We force experience, pushing us as adults away from the willingness to be in the unknown,” says Bigbee. “Being still settles the movie running in my head; in yoga, it shuts off the mind chatter. I like to call it the mind storm. Practicing yoga through meditation allows me to see what’s behind the curtain of my thoughts. It allows me to reveal what’s inside; it opens a pathway to follow my inner guidance. The essence of mystery in life can be conceived not by reason but through intuition.”

Another influence on this painting was when she visited the Van Gogh Boston Exhibit.

“I visited the Van Gogh  Immersive Experience in Boston with fellow artists  Ingunn Joergensen and Diane Carr. The animation and music of his paintings and drawings projected onto massive walls surrounded me in his flower paintings,” explains Bigbee. “It was exhilarating to see his brushwork on a large scale. The buttercup flowers as a stencil covering the peacock add another element to draw.”

For Bigbee, the peacock paintings manifest hearing those inner messages or intuitions.

“The phrase get going and see what happens guided me through this painting. So I titled it Sparkle on, Darlings, which permits me to be myself.”

Details for Claire Bigbee’s show follow this link.

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

Claire Bigbee

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

Claire Bigbee

 

The Paint Does All the Hard Work, and the Paper Gets All the Credit – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler

Posted on by Maine Art

When artist Ryan Kohler says, “The paint does all the hard work, and the paper gets all the credit.” He is not kidding. Watch the video below to see how a painting is born in Ryan Koher’s studio. Then compare it to the final product after the papers have been added.

 

“It should be noted that painting is still very much the root of what I do. I’m still in love with painting, and I’ve learned all my best works begin with the strongest paintings,” says Kohler. “No amount of paper is going to save a poorly done painting. I know this because I’ve tried.”

It’s easy to say “good enough” when he is in the painting phase, but he always regrets it when it comes to the secondary collage. “When I have a solid painting done, it forces me to add paper more thoughtfully and slowly, careful not to add an incorrect piece that will shatter the illusion.”

Each component added is like a revelation, revealing something that wasn’t as defined as before—the hull of a boat, a bird’s wing, the shadow’s edge. Sometimes it is necessary to walk back and forth from the easel after each piece, carefully observing how the painting changes from a distance.

“There are times I go unconscious and add a hundred pieces before I realize what I’ve done. But, no matter how I apply it, the paper is usually the brightest, most prominent, and most exciting part you see,” explains Kohler. “It is the top surface of the artwork, but the paint below is the foundation that props the whole thing up.”

There are a few reasons for using all these old paraphernalia.

“First, I don’t have the heart to throw it away. Who wouldn’t love to recycle in such an incredible way? It’s also nostalgic and a way to feel a personal connection. It’s my stuff, youth, influences, and personal past. Finally, it’s a way to subtly insert me as I create images I want to see,” shares Kohler. “It’s also a way to enrich the viewer’s experience. It invites them to take a closer look at my surfaces and notice little patterns, words, or textures. I want to keep the viewer looking longer.”

Oddly each piece rarely comes out as cool as he sees them in his head, but he is always learning to create better and, as time goes on, learning to create more and more like himself.

 

To see all available work from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler –  ARTIST PAGE

To read more insights from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler – INSIGHTS AND STORIES

Ryan also has a collection of videos, including Secretly.

Ryan Kohler –  VIDEOS

From Just Acrylic to Just Amazing – Videos from Ryan Kohler 2022

Posted on by Maine Art

Click any of the images below to see the finishing touches on several of Ryan Kohler’s new works for his 2022 Solo Show.

TETCHY

 

 

GENTLY

 

 

LULLING 

 

 

KIPPING

 

QUIETING

 

 

GUMBOOTS

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW

To see all available work from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler –  ARTIST PAGE

To read more insights from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler – INSIGHTS AND STORIES

Ryan also has a collection of videos, including Secretly.

Ryan Kohler –  VIDEOS

 

Reoccurring Themes – Artist Insights from Ingunn Milla Joergensen

Posted on by Maine Art

Many artists are well known for specific themes which marked their beginning years. Ingunn Milla Joergensen is not different. Three themes weave in and out of her work and are always present in one way or another in each body of work she creates. For her and her clients, they are classics.

Buildings

“I always return to structures, barns, and boathouses. I find them utterly beautiful. I need to rest in their uncluttered simplicity,” shares Joergensen. “It never ceases to amaze me how much people relate to these quiet buildings. Each person adds their interpretation.”

 

Nets

“Another returning theme is the nest. They are fascinating constructions on their own, so strong and fragile,” explains Joergensen, “Still, they also awake a feeling of being safe and surrounded. We all need that.”

Sheep

“I never get tired of these adorable creatures with skinny legs and fluffy wool coats,” Joergensen laughs. “These sheep happily rummaged around in a meadow by an old monastery.” 

Details for Ingunn’s show follow this link.

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

Ingunn Milla Joergensen

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

Ingunn Milla Joergensen

Painting with Paper – Ryan Kohler’s Solo Summer Show

Posted on by Maine Art

“Some would argue that a painting, just by being a painting, is automatically abstracted to a small degree, no matter how hyper-realistic it is,” says artist Ryan Kohler. “My work falls on the abstraction scale, sure, but where doesn’t matter to me. Tasteful expression matters to me; strong composition and accurate drawing matter; mixing color with integrity matters.”

Kohler’s one-person show will be open on August 13 at The Gallery at the Grand on Maine Art Hill, 1 Chase Hill Road, Kennebunk. The gallery opens at 10 AM, and this show is available every day through September 8.  Please note the artist is attending the opening reception from 5 to 7 PM on August 13. All are welcome.

Kohler has a BA in Art with a concentration in drawing from the University of Maine at Augusta. He practiced many mediums throughout college, but one continually came out ahead.

“While studying for my art degree, I was subjected to all sorts of torturous experimentations with various mediums,” Kohler jokes.  “I knew drawing would still be a relevant skill whatever avenue I chose to pursue in art, so I took just about every art class, sometimes unwillingly, but painting was always my favorite.”

 

If painting was his preferred outlet, acrylic was his first love. Yet, Kohler has found a new passion, quickly stealing space in his heart and studio.

“My process is evolving. My work continues to be acrylic, but I’m incorporating the use of papers,” he explains. “I’m treating my canvas as collage. Each piece demonstrates different levels of this aspect. Some are more extreme than others.”

    

Kohler began experimenting over the last few years and has found incredible success. However, even this new process evolves into something more with each piece he creates.

“I like the freedom of adding and removing physical pieces to the painting.  With this, I knew paint alone would never be enough for me,” shares Kohler. “However, I had to find a reasonable, sustainable option to combine with it.  Long story short, I found paper.  Completely safe to use, glue-able, paintable, flexible, archival, and millions of colors.”

The result of this work is similar to palette knife oil paintings. Parallel with distinct planes of color and various shapes layered over each other.  For Kohler, the paper’s advantage is the workability, clarity of color, and the ability to work in small areas without the risk of the muddiness that can sometimes come with an oil painting.

“It’s beautiful when the right shapes in the right color all come together just the right way. I’m proud of these paintings. They are my clearest vision yet in my career and my most cohesive body of work.”

This show is a must see in person, and all are welcome to The Gallery at the Grand in Kennebunk to visit. The opening is Saturday, August 13 at 10 AM, with an artist reception from 5-7 that evening. The show runs until September 8 and is open every day. FMI 207-967-2803 or maine-art.com/shows

Kohler says, “An artist can be anything but boring,” and this show is anything but that.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SHOW 

To see all available work from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler –  ARTIST PAGE

To read more insights from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.

Ryan Kohler – INSIGHTS AND STORIES

Ryan also has a collection of videos, including Secretly.

Ryan Kohler –  VIDEOS