Maine Art Hill Blog

Meet the Staff – Ryan Cadigan

July 10, 2017 by Maine Art

For those of you that have been in and around Maine Art for a while, Ryan Cadigan’s face is not a new one. Ryan first came to work for us in the summer of 2008. “I did my undergrad at Hamilton College and worked at Maine Art all four summers during that time,” says Cadigan. “Now that I am back in New England for grad school it seemed like a good idea to come back and join the gallery team again.” In the photo below a much younger Ryan, left, helps install some of the first Lyman Whitaker Wind Sculptures.

Ryan Cadigan, John Spain, Dave Stone, Lyman Whitaker, and John Spain (left to right).

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.”

When Ryan called and said he was going to be back in the area and wondered if we had a need for him at the gallery, we jumped at the chance to have him join us, even if it is only for the summer. “Once I finish my masters I want to live abroad,” says Cadigan. He also has a few other aspirations. “Writing is in my future. Books and screenplays to be specific. I also would love to teach college-level writing & English.” In addition to writing and teaching, environmental conservation has been a lifelong passion of Cadigan’s, and one he hopes to weave back into his professional work sometime in the future.

“I am an environmental activist. If I can blend that love with work, I would be happy,” Cadigan says. He has experience in grant writing, digital marketing and copywriting.

Outside of work, writing and school, Ryan is most likely to be practicing yoga, meditation or martial arts, hobbies to help keep him focused and healthy in both mind and body.

Ryan is intelligent and extremely well-spoken. This makes him a wonderful part of our sales staff here at the gallery. His sense of humor and love of sarcasm are part of his charm. He does take lunch very seriously. We are aware of this and try our best to keep his appetite – for new food, as well as new people and stories – satisfied.

We are thrilled to have Ryan back for the summer. He has big plans and we are excited for him to continue to grow and learn. “I love the sun and the ocean, and one day I’d like to swim with whales and live on a house boat,” says Cadigan. “But my big dream is to see my name in the opening credit roll of a movie or the spine of a novel. That would be fantastic.”

Ryan has committed to being with us for the summer season. After that we shall see. If you are out and about in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, stop in and say hello. The gallery opens at 10 am every day. Check the website for seasonal hours.

“Celestial” by Craig Mooney – An Ode to William

July 6, 2017 by Maine Art

Craig Mooney has a variety of motifs he is known for. We love his skies, 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.

“In my mind, the cornerstone of this show is the piece I originally called Ode to William. It is an ode to William Trost Richards, the 19th century maritime painter,” says Mooney about the piece now named Celestial. “Trost had a distinctive style and was specially known for waves crashing on beaches.”

Richards’ work is much more realistic and detailed than Mooney’s, but the inspiration is obvious for those familiar with Richards’ work. When speaking about a particular painting of Richards’, Mooney said, “It was so interesting. His piece looked like three different paintings I had done in the past, but they were combined into one canvas.” It was a combination of a sailboat, a large cloud with light hitting, and a rocky shore. “Richards’ captured light beautifully. It is the first piece I thought of doing for the show.”

Ode to William was soon renamed Celestial, but the inspiration stayed with Mooney throughout his work for his summer show at Maine Art.

“Celestial is a little more tightly controlled and more detailed than my normal work. It began an ever-changing journey into subject matter for this show,” says Mooney. “The next few pieces were more expressive and abstract, but Richard’s work stayed with me throughout.”

To see our entire collection for Craig Mooney’s Solo Show visit Maine Art Shows on Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. We are open seven days a week from 11 AM to 5 PM. FMI call 207-967-0049 or www.maine-art.com

Read more about Craig Mooney here – Craig Mooney – Artist Insights

See all Mooney’s work at Maine Art here – Craig Mooney – Artist Page

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Craig Mooney Opens at Maine Art

June 29, 2017 by Maine Art

Artist Craig Mooney is stepping back to a time when art was an escape.

“People are always going to be in search of love. People are always going to be in search of adventure. People are always going to be in search of an escape,” says Mooney. “This show gives them all three.”

Maine Art Shows is hosting Craig Mooney’s one-man show beginning July 1st. This show will run for three weeks and contain not only his classic semi-abstract seascapes and landscapes, but also some fabulous new figurative works.

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. It’s 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. It’s more than just seeing it, it is feeling it. The work has to be sincere.”

Born and raised in Manhattan, Mooney left the city in 1988 to attend Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where he received a fine arts degree in 1992. He secured his first large commissioned work from New York Hospital in 1995. “The work for the hospital turned into a series of works and more commissioned pieces for Cornell Medical College,” says Mooney. “Thanks in part to this early success, I was able move to rural Vermont and set up a studio.”

He is inspired by all the places he has called home – his native New York, the mountains and farms near his studio in Stowe, Vermont, and the beaches of Maine and Massachusetts where he spends as much time as he can. Mooney imbues these semi-abstract renderings of place with emotions he feels are universal and timeless. “I love my studio in Vermont, but with all the time I spend in Kennebunk and the weekends I spend with family on Cape Cod, I have become a ‘coastal painter.’ I am not sure when it happened, but it is part of who I am now,” says Mooney.

The romance of his landscapes is also found in his figures. Amy Lewia, Maine Art’s Gallery Director, notes, ”I’m very excited about presenting some new imagery in this solo show. His figurative works and cityscapes are absolutely breathtaking, and we can’t wait to share more of them with our customers.”

Mooney looks forward to discussing his work and his process during his Artist Reception on Saturday, July 1st, from 5 to 7 PM. This show runs though Thursday, July 20th. Maine Art Shows is at 10 Chase Hill Road and is open from 11AM to 5PM daily. If you can’t make it to town, please visit the show online by clicking here. FMI visit www.maine-art.com or call 207-967-2803.

To read more about Craig’s process and past – Craig Mooney – Artist Insights

To see Craig’s entire collection – Craig Mooney – Artist Page

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6th Annual Choice Art Show – Liz Hoag and the Trees

June 28, 2017 by Maine Art

Come meet Liz at Toroso from 5-7. Click here for details.

Each artist in the Choice Art Show chooses a piece they are especially fond of. For Liz Hoag, it was Stand of Trees. However, it is hard to talk about it in a singular way. Her thoughts on this piece encompass our entire collection of her work

Hoag says, “We take a photograph of a sunset over a lake and realize later when looking at the photo that there are branches in the view? We subconsciously wipe them from view when looking out at the sunset, but they’re there.” She notes that they are part of the landscape that gives depth and frames the beauty. “They are an integral part of the beauty. We take them in without thinking about them.”

For Hoag, the warm light sifting through the trees, the colors of early morning or late afternoon, the cool blues and browns of the path all come together to give a sense of peace.

“When walking in the woods, we cannot see ‘the quiet,’ but we feel it. It is the light and color around us that makes the space quiet,” Hoag says. “At any time of day, even at midday with the bright light washing away some of the colors, the balance of the trees, the branches, the light and dark of the forest still manage to create calm.”

Paths, trees, branches, color, light, air, open space, water – we have it all here. From looking up at trees in our suburban neighborhoods to driving down country highways to walking trails by lakes and sea, we all have a visual peace and quiet within reach. Liz Hoag loves this and could paint it every day.

“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.”

To see more from Liz Hoag, visit Maine Art Shows from June 10th to June 29th to see the 6th Annual Choice Art Show in person. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

Click the link below to see the complete show online.

To view our complete collection of Hoag’s Work – Liz Hoag – Artist Page

To read more about Liz Hoag, her process, and her work – Liz Hoag – Artist Insights

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6th Annual Choice Art Show – “Peace on Earth” by Susan Wahlrab

June 27, 2017 by Maine Art

“Nature, as always, is my artistic muse. It is also where I connect to peace and well-being all around,” says Susan Wahlrab.

Wahlrab is a visually oriented person. When sitting in the presence of nature, she feels, energetically, a calm of deep connection. Yet she also loves the variety of color, shape and texture. In her mind, there are infinite possibilities to notice and explore through the art-making process.

“I am so stimulated and ready for the sometimes maddening process of attempting to describe, in paint, a tangible place that is made of energy, spirit, color and form,” Wahlrab says. “It is constantly shifting.”

At the top of the list of places she explores, of course, is the coast of Maine. She has been spending time here in the transition seasons. This is a time when things are quiet, and the hues are both subtle and vibrant.

“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. “Low tide was at six in the morning, so I was up at the crack of dawn. Everything was quiet, and the day was just beginning. At first, it was quite foggy. This is where Peace On Earth finds its more subtle tones of the early morning,” remembers Wahlrab. “I was walking across to the island, and I was in absolute bliss.”

After quickly exploring the tiny island, the sun rose and presented the fiery reds of the blueberries in fall. We see this in Fired Up, the Editor’s Choice for the show.

Wahlrab considers herself extremely fortunate to be an artist and to be able to spend all winter in her studio re-living such a day through her paint. “Paintings are truly impressions and memories of being alive and present,” she says. “I feel my job as an artist is to create something that then translates and stimulates whomever is in its presence, hoping they make their own inspiration and connection.”

To see more from Susan Wahlrab visit Maine Art Shows from June 10th to June 29th to see the 6th Annual Choice Art Show in person. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

Click the logo below to see the complete show online.

To view our complete collection of Susan Wahlrab’s Work – Susan Wahlrab – Artist Page

To read more about Susan Wahlrab, her process, and her work – Susan Wahlrab – Artist Insights

To share this on your own social media click the icons below.

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Ellen Welch Granter Explains the Boats

June 26, 2017 by Maine Art

Ellen Welch Granter has been with Maine Art long enough to be considered a veteran of the Choice Art Show. The quality of work Ellen gives continually exceeds any expectations and raises the bar. This year, things were no different.

Granter says, “When I received the invitation to join the 6th Annual Choice Art Show, I was determined to shake myself up a bit. I wanted to do something different than might be expected. After painting a good many birds over the years, it seemed to be time to change course. With a deep breath, I decided to focus on ‘Boats at Rest’ as my theme for this year.”

Shake things up, she did. All six pieces Ellen delivered to be considered for the Choice Art Show were spectacular. We knew of her love for her birds, but boats were a complete surprise.

“You might think that sailboats resonate with me because of a love of sailing,” shares Granter. “In fact, much to the disappointment of my father who was a world-class sailor and lover of all things nautical, I get extremely seasick. Growing up, I also may have been a little sick of hearing about how much fun sailing was.” In Granter’s family, the ’S’ word was Sailing.

She did survive several seasons in the Rochester Frostbite Association, an intrepid group of fierce competitors who braved the brutal, bitter cold of a Lake Ontario winter and sailed no matter the conditions. “That did not distill in me a love of boats, either,” she laughs. “The loud, and often hilarious, rules protest arguments in the bar afterwards were, however, almost worth the whole effort.”

Seriously, why the boats then?

“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.”

Upon looking at all of Granter’s work for the Choice Art Show, one would never expect such a story. Yet, we are glad of her father’s influence, even if it was in an indirect way.

“I do enjoy the sailing life,” she admits. “I just enjoy it from solid land.”

To see more of Ellen Granter’s work, visit Maine Art Shows from June 10th to June 29th to see the 6th Annual Choice Art Show in person. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

Click the link below to see the complete show online.

To view our complete collection of Granter’s Work – Ellen Welch Granter – Artist Page

To read more about Granter, her process, and her work – Ellen Welch Granter – Artist Insights

To share this on your own social media click the icons below.

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Abbie Williams on Loosening Up and Having Fun

June 25, 2017 by Maine Art

Abbie Williams considers herself a traditional New England artist. With strong family ties in Maine, she has spent many years calling it home. Recently, however, things have changed. With a move to Taos, New Mexico, the biggest change is where she calls home, but with this comes an altering of her work, as well.

Williams says,”I am painting more loosely. My work has a more abstract look, and I am loving it.”

Sheepscot Meadow, her Artist’s Choice for the Choice Art Show, is the perfect example of this. The colors are brilliant and woven together in a stunning tapestry of Mother Nature’s finest work. A semi-abstract piece that blends the colors of New Mexico with the flora of Maine.

“This is my pasture in Nobleboro. The wild flowers are stunning. I tried not to get too caught up in the detail, however, but focus more on the color and the texture,” says Williams. “Weaving colors together is something I gave up when I went into acrylic, but I am trying to bring it back. Sometimes the details suck me back in, and I have to make the conscious effort to stay loose.”

Williams doesn’t like painting on a white canvas. She tones each in a variety of colors, from brilliant orange to yellow to ochre. This gives her a place to start, even though very little of that base color still shows through when she is finished.

“The colors draw me in. It is why I paint. Although, I try not to have so much narrative in my work,” she says. “I believe in leaving more of the story up to the viewer. I am getting back in touch with my imagination, and I hope the viewer uses their own imagination while taking in my work.”

Abbie is completely enjoying herself these days. She is the first to tell you that she has been “playing” more in her work. “To put it simply,” says Williams. “The best part is it’s so much fun.”

To see more work from Abbie Williams visit Maine Art Shows from June 10th to June 29th to see the 6th Annual Choice Art Show in person. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

Click the logo below to see the complete show online.

To view our complete collection of Williams’ Work – Abbie Williams – Artist Page

To read more about Abbie Williams, her process, and her work – Abbie Williams – Artist Insights

To share this on your own social media click the icons below.

6th Annual Choice Art Show – “Enchanted” by Jennifer Clement

June 24, 2017 by Maine Art

For Jennifer Clement, paintings are difficult to put into words. They are more about emotion, and the desire to share these emotions.

Clement says, “I don’t seem to have the correct language. I guess that is mostly because my works have less to do with words and more to do with feeling. They are a product of how I experience this world around me.”

Jennifer believes her work is born from a visual moment where she becomes a part of it. It moves her both emotionally and spiritually. Often inspired by dreams remembered, her work is always somehow familiar. “It is like a memory or déjà vu,” she says. “I can never quite place my finger on it.”

Enchanted, her Artist’s Choice in this year’s Choice Art Show, was created after a similar type of dream. “The place was vast, and I was surrounded by colors I had never seen before. They were alive and continuously shifting, but so subtly and softly my eyes could not capture them long enough to study them or commit them to memory,” says Clement. “It was magic.”

Jennifer’s work is quite subtle, with very gentle transitions of color and shape. The paintings do not grab you from across the room, but rather softly whisper. They are a gentle welcome to the viewer. They provide time to relax, let go and take a moment.

“I want people to stop thinking, to get out of the mind and into the heart,” says Clement. “My paintings offer the viewer what they need, not necessarily what I feel. They are not about me, but rather about the viewer finding their own meaning.”

Clement describes her paintings as poetry without words, and she mostly paints for herself. She says, “For me, the process of painting is a gift, a retreat and a practice, like a meditation, prayer or religion.”

To see Clement’s work and the rest of the 6th Annual Choice Art Show, visit Maine Art Shows from June 10th to June 29th. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

Click the logo below to see the complete show online.

To view our complete collection of Clement’s Work – Jennifer Clement – Artist Page

To read more about Jennifer Clement, her process, and her work – Jennifer Clement – Artist Insights

To share this on your own social media click the icons below.

**** In addition to painting Jennifer donates her time fundraising to rescue horses in danger of slaughter. She works directly with Hidden Pond Equine Rescue, a 501(c)(3). The mission of Hidden Pond Farm Equine Rescue is to rescue, rehabilitate, and ultimately re-home equines that are at direct risk of slaughter. Please contact Jennifer directly for corporate, personal donations or to set up a fundraiser.

6th Annual Choice Art Show – “Beyond the Horizon” by Jill Valliere

June 23, 2017 by Maine Art

**Come meet Jill at Toroso on Tuesday, July 11th from 5-7. Click here for details.

Jill Valliere is a Maine artist who has a unique and interesting process, but for anyone who knows Jill’s work, it may be a surprise to see her newer pieces. In some, the metal leaf is absent. But, as always, there is a story behind this new inspiration.

Valliere says, “I had a bumpy start in the studio this winter. A hearty case of Artist’s Block. Every now and again this happens to all of us, so I am told, but this one was a doozie. I tried different things to work through it, but nothing was breaking the spell.”

Then Valliere received some advice from one of her dearest friends and things changed. At the time, this friend was going through an aggressive round of chemo and what started as a concerned call, soon morphed into a pep talk for a blocked artist. “I can’t explain why, but this conversation flipped the switch for me. It put things into perspective. I spent the rest of the winter happily, and obsessively, working in my studio. The better news, my wonderful friend is now cancer-free and moving on to happier times in her life.”

Being the kind of artist who needs to continually experiment with her paintings, this new, fresh perspective allowed her to push the boundaries a bit more than normal. “Whether it is trying out a new tool, a new material, changing a technique or experimenting with subject matter, change keeps me engaged and excited in the studio,” says Valliere.

This is when Jill decided to set the metal leaf aside, and try something a bit different. “I am still applying the usual layers of tinted gels and glazes, as well as the use of sandpaper and scraping tools,” she says, “but just with a lighter hand.” Her Artist Choice piece, Beyond the Horizon, exemplifies this new process.

“I love the idea of seeing a dramatic sky, but only in the reflection. With the water being so unusually calm and quiet, it was a perfect mirror image,” says Valliere. “This was the first piece I tried without the metal leaf behind it, and the first time I tried this composition. I am thrilled with the results.”

We are assured this certainly won’t be the end to the metallics for Valliere, but we may see more of her new work intermingled with her metal leaf pieces in the future.

Visit Maine Art Shows from June 10th to June 29th to see the 6th Annual Choice Art Show in person. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

Click the logo below to see the complete show online.

To view our complete collection of Valliere’s Work – Jill Valliere – Artist Page

To read more about Jill Valliere, her process, and her work – Jill Valliere – Artist Insights

To share this on your own social media click the icons below.

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Cliff House and Roses by Janis Sanders

June 19, 2017 by Maine Art

**Come meet Janis at Toroso on Tuesday, June 20th from 5-7. Click here for details.

“This spot at the end of land at Bailey Island, Maine is continually overflowing with beauty and drama. The surf somehow dips and pounds the shore even on, what appear to be, calm ocean water days,” says Janis Sanders. “The thud and thunder resonate through you.”

Sanders stumbled upon this location a few years ago when en route to home from mid-coast Maine in late in June. “The sun was getting low, casting gold like chiffon over every surface,” he remembers. “It was seemingly palpable in the crisp, cool, soft breeze. I wanted to savor it, absorb it.”

Like all artists, Sanders takes liberties in this painting to portray the contrast and juxtaposition of this scene the first moment he took it in. “I have these ‘Aaah!’ moments. They are filled with glee and delight,” says Janis about the inspirations for Cliff House and Roses. “The movement of something so grand, while we are so small. It happens in seconds. Then I have to figure out how to take those few fleeting moments of emotion, observation and interaction and put them to paint.”

Sanders emphasis is on the movement of the wind and tenaciousness of the grasses. He has bold, broad gestures to indicate the sway and the strong stance of the flora. “This place is not timid, nor is my application of paint. The paint can pile up, and does, adding an element of three dimension and power, “ says Sanders. “Theory says I could smooth it out, instinct says to leave it alone, let it speak.”

To see more of our Janis Sanders collection visit Maine Art Shows from June 10 to June 29 to see the 6th Annual Choice Art Show in person. We are located at 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. The gallery is open every day from 11AM – 5PM. FMI, please call at 207-967-0049 or email at info@maine-art.com.

To see the complete the complete show on-line

To view our complete collection of Janis Sanders’s Work – Janis Sanders – Artist Page

To read more about Janis Sanders, his process, and his work – Janis Sanders – Artist Insights

To share this on your own social media click the icons below.

Blog

Meet the Staff – Ryan Cadigan

“Celestial” by Craig Mooney – An Ode to William

Craig Mooney Opens at Maine Art

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Liz Hoag and the Trees

6th Annual Choice Art Show – “Peace on Earth” by Susan Wahlrab

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Ellen Welch Granter Explains the Boats

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Abbie Williams on Loosening Up and Having Fun

6th Annual Choice Art Show – “Enchanted” by Jennifer Clement

6th Annual Choice Art Show – “Beyond the Horizon” by Jill Valliere

6th Annual Choice Art Show – Cliff House and Roses by Janis Sanders

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