FAVORITE THINGS
CURATED BY THE MAINE ART HILL STAFF
A NEW POP UP AT STUDIOS ON MAINE ART HILL
May 5-18
We, the staff, have written a brief description of why a particular piece of work is our favorite. Some of us chose works for personal connections, others for color palette or composition, and others for technique and skill.
We have curated these pieces into a week-long show at the Pop-Up Gallery at 5 ChaseHill Rd in Kennebunk. We welcome all to come in and visit and check out the show online.
The Pop Up Gallery is open every day at 10 AM. FMI call 207-204-2042 or email info@maine-art.com
SCROLL TO SEE THE FAVS
Pablo
Boys of Summer by William B. Hoyt The experience of the beautiful relies on the notion of susceptibility to the world, a sensitivity that we cannot always contain, and a relationship with others that we cannot break. Sometimes you cannot find it. Sometimes, you can see it in the enigmatic portrait of two men gazing at each other. Beauty is a puzzle for all of us. But, for me, Boys of Summer puts all the pieces together.
Day’s End by David Witbeck It is in its simplicity that I find the perplexing meaning of life. A Day’s End displays the beauty of nature and our use of natural resources based on our greater power. It is a reminder to acknowledge our casual role in the changes happening to the earth and understand that nature can strive for what is good for life as a whole. A day is an end and also the beginning of another. It is the fate of the new day we can work on.
Nate
Picture Perfect Day by Margaret Gerding Simply because it depicts my Maine experience. Seasons are changing on the marsh. Not too bright. I feel that I’m looking I’mough a window and onto one of my favorite places (even though I don’t know where the painting represents). Margaret always has a way of making me wish there was more painting to be enjoyed. I almost wish all her paintings had no edges and continued to infinity.
Remote Cove by Craig Mooney I chose this one for the same reason as Picture Perfect Day. There was a spot I used to visit regularly in Ogunquit before Marginal Way was redone. that I’m reminded of when looking at this painting. I can still hear the sounds of the rocks moving with every wave.
Natalie
Morning Still by Liz Hoag I imagine that a quiet walk along this wooded path opens an unexpected scene as I look at this painting. The tone and hues of Liz’s color instill a sense that the promise of spring is just under the surface.
Day Break, Parson’s Beach by William B.Hoyt I enjoyed the time capsule feeling this painting presents. A day in the life of Summer. You can imagine the feelings, sounds, and smells of a day well spent through your memories. I am wondering what tomorrow will bring?
Fidae by Ellen W. Granter We’ve all done it. We’ve. We’ve all felt it. Everyone, young and old, finds joy in discovering a shell at the beach, and to find that one perfect shell is sublime.
Blue Skies by Alex Dunwoodie The color gradient of the water is so delicious! Simple elements on display, Air and Water.
Alex
Making My Music by Ellen Welch Granter Granter’s woGranter’stantly striking with its radiant golden leaf branches set against a pale sky. The small bird perched is wonderfully rendered, full of life. The music it’s making must be as beautiful as the painting itself.
Mosaic Forest by R. Scott Baltz In this piece, Baltz leads us through a forest of pleasing shapes and colors that fit intricately together. It creates a unique perspective and draws me deeper into the piece.
Ali
Contented Dragon by Mark Davis Ever since I was a kid, metal and wirework have always fascinated me because of the many outcomes the artwork made from these materials could turn into. Davis’ mobilDavis’ metalwork throughout the gallery always leaves me in awe due to all the works’ fragility and balance. Contented Dragon is a favorite of mine because of the whimsicalness of the piece. While looking at the piece from a distance, you could assume that the work is just made of abstract shapes, but looking closer, it uncovers the wire outline throughout the metal shapes. Truly mystical and unforgettable.
Tracey
Kaleidoscope #2 by Claire Bigbee When I’m viewing I’mody of artwork, my first view is a quick scan. I know a piece speaks to me when this quick scan is interrupted, and I want to look at it longer. I’m drawn to the artist’s bold attitude – whether a permanent one or a moment in time – in the use of large brushstrokes and a bright palette. The lack of fine detail in this piece is eye-catching, allowing me to bring my interpretation of detail to it.
Boys of Summer by William B Hoyt Again, my quick scan of a body of artwork was interrupted by Hoyt’s Boys Hoyt’smer painting for its theme rather than style. It’s my interpretation that these men are in a relationship, which speaks to my belief that love is love.
Louann
7 Triangles by Susan Bennett This reminds me of my seven siblings and our strong connections. The delicate balance of the triangles imitates life.
Trisha
This Place Has Known Magic, Revisited by Ryan Kohler. As for the piece…art is about a connection, an immediate connection. This is it. I had that immediate wow factor with This Place Has Known Magic, Revisited. From the title to the subject to the pallet, remember this place, this time, this feeling. As for the artist, Ryan Kohler is not only one of our newest artists. He is one of our youngest. He is continually growing and changing and isn’t afraid to take risks, personally and professionally. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious and spill onto his canvas in a way that speaks volumes of his love for his art.
Wind and Her Sister by Susan Bennett Susan Bennett works magic with stainless steel. She creates softness and flow that is counterintuitive when thinking of this medium. Wind and Her Sister is a beautiful, simple, and balanced piece that fluently represents the invisible force Mother Nature creates. The details force the viewer to lean in and notice the tiniest of features and appreciate each for what they add to the whole.
Taylor
Set of 11 Flamingos by James Rivington Pyne As an enjoyer of both flamingos and creepy things, I love the dissonance present in this sculpture. Flamingos are generally associated with tropical vibrance, but this flock has more of a grungy, eerie feeling.
April Softness by Margaret Gerding This painting does such an excellent job conveying the ambiance of a chilly April morning. The strip of land between the two pools gives the viewer an inviting path into the scene, and the misty atmosphere provides the piece with a sense of distance.
Loretta
Opening by Liz Hoag There are so many levels and values within this painting that invite the viewer into the woods. Using her brilliant technique, Liz has the ability to give us diverse aesthetics of both abstract and reality depending on the viewer’s distance to her work. This is Liz Hoag’s brilliant Zen quality that is quiet, contemplative, and magical.
Coast Cove by Janis Sanders A painting by Janis is instantly recognizable because of his “Janis blue” skies, painted smoothly at a distance with his palette knife. Then, the cool, distant blue contrasts with the foreground, which always has that sharp, warm yellow with hidden and blended palette values painted with a moving impasto to welcome us. Janis’ unique painting quality creates that warm, welcoming place that is isolated but not lonely in the expansive universe. Beautiful balance.
Evening Hour by Karen McManus Evening Hours brings us closely into the intricate, delicate quality of one of the best watercolor artists here in Maine. Her perfect brush strokes and applications are so masterful, and her applied vision of the actual locations gives them a jewel-like, intimate quality. But, then, the definitive light further separates her work from other watercolorists, allowing us to know the locale, the time of day, and the year.
December Afternoon by Karen McManus This is a prime example of how Karen McManus is able to adeptly translate her perfected medium into oil paints with perfection. Karen is able to beautifully adapt to this unctuous medium while retaining the crispness and clarity of her watercolors, which is not an easy task. Again, recognizable locals and specific times of day and time of year.
FAVORITE THINGS
CURATED BY THE MAINE ART HILL STAFF
A NEW POP UP AT STUDIOS ON MAINE ART HILL
May 5-18