Maine Course 20x40 $3600
For Trip Park, painting has always been about finding the story within the scene. His background in advertising, gained while working at the legendary Leo Burnett agency, still influences how he approaches the canvas today. “My approach still traces back to my first job in advertising at Leo Burnett, where the goal was always to find the ‘inherent drama’ in every product,” Park shares. “Why do we love a brightly colored beach chair? What makes a lonely dinghy look like an adventure waiting to happen? What makes the inside of an oyster… oddly engaging?”
Modern Lobster 48x60 $5600.
Buoys Messing Around 30x24 $2400
This way of seeing turns everyday coastal imagery into something more, something that invites curiosity, nostalgia, and even a smile. His latest collection, part of Vacationland at Maine Art Hill, reflects this vision with playful energy and a painter’s eye for detail. “In a way, these paintings are just evolved versions of all my old print ads, only now, they are more playful, more colorful, and maybe a little saltier?” he explains.
For Park, a painting must be more than decorative; it must hold attention. “Like advertising, painting is really just show business in a quieter format,” he says. “If I expect someone to hang one of these pieces in their home, it needs to earn that space. I try to pack in details you might miss the first dozen times you look. Sometimes not even the second dozen.”
Pop Favorites 24x24 $2600
Cone Love 24x24 $2600
That sense of entertainment is at the core of Park’s creative process. Each canvas becomes its own stage, alive with color and character. “If a concept is going to make it from my brain to the canvas, it better entertain me first,” he laughs. “I get bored way too fast. If I am going to take on a 36x40 or a 60x48 stage, it had better be a good show!”
Trip Park’s work for Vacationland is precisely that, a good show filled with movement, wit, and a deep affection for coastal life. It is an invitation to look closer, linger longer, and find the inherent drama tucked into Maine’s summer scenes.
The show Vacationland is on view from August 30 through September 17 at Maine Art Hill, located at 5 Chase Hill Rd in Kennebunk, Maine. The gallery is open daily at 10 AM. For more information, visit maine-art.com, email info@maine-art.com, or call 207-967-2803.