Way back in 1991, John Spain, owner of Maine Art Paintings and Sculpture, decided to take a little vacation to Kennebunkport for the first time. His grandmother had fond memories of the area, and he thought he would check it out for himself. At the time he was working at a small gallery in New York City and was interested in the oceanside artwork Kennebunkport had to offer.
He wandered into Kennedy Studios and immediately noted the “Sell to the Walls” and “Going out of Business” signs prominently displayed around the gallery. This is when his mind started to spin.
After a lengthy discussion with Jane Ross and a quick question about what she thought the value of the gallery was, John said goodbye and crawled into his rental car to head down the highway. He had a job and a life to get back to New York. However, his mind and a bit of his heart were still in Kennebunkport.
Over the course of the five-hour drive back to the city, John made a deal with himself. When he returned home he’d call the gallery and offer up his life savings to this woman and her little coastal town. If she took it, it was meant to be. If she didn’t…then she didn’t, and his world would go on as normal.
Life from then on has been far from normal. In 1996, after five years of ownership, John changed the name to Maine Art Paintings and Sculpture. Four years after that, on Memorial Day of 2000, the gallery moved across the street to the newly designed building on 14 Western Ave, which has been its home for the last fifteen years.
It is here you will find John and his amazing staff. It is here you will find over thirty-five artists with strong inspirations from, and connections to, Maine. It is here you will find a perfect place to leave a little piece of your own heart.
See for yourself at www.maine-art.com
