After an incredibly successful artist reception during the summer of 2022, Falmouth art teacher and Kennebunk local Nancy Goldstone connected with Skowhegan artist Ryan Kohler. The rest, as they say, is history, or in this case, art.
“I fell in love with Ryan’s work the moment I saw it. His process is so interesting and unique,” says Nancy Goldstone. “During his artist reception last year, we connected for a few minutes and decided we needed to reconnect again over the winter when things slowed down a bit.”
Kohler calls Skowhegan home, but like all Mainers, a road trip is always an adventure. After speaking with Goldstone over the phone, the two hatched a plan for a classroom visit and a time for sharing. Kohler brought a blank canvas to begin during class and a “finished” piece to start the collage component of his process.
“I was able to give them my thoughts about paintings and show them how adding mixed media and collage elements can bring their paintings to a higher level,” shares Kohler. “I was nervous during the actual painting part of the demo, but I think it went really well.”
The students asked great questions and seemed incredibly interested and very into it to the point where a room full of high school students was actually quiet.
“I believe they truly enjoyed seeing how easy and fun it was to add all sorts of things to the painting’s surface. They were shocked that I use album covers and posters for materials,” shares Kohler. “It’s cool to think I helped to inspire younger artists. I would have loved to have been exposed to it at that age.”
Five of the pieces Goldstone’s students created are available to view during Kohler’s Solo Summer Show on Maine Art Hill in Kennebunk, ME. Please visit at 5 Chase Hill Road. The entire show is a must-see in person, and all are welcome to Maine Art Hill to visit. Again, the opening is Saturday, July 22, at 10 AM, with an artist reception from 5-7 that evening. The show runs until August 16 and is open daily at 10 AM. FMI 207-967-2803 or maine-art.com/shows.
To see Kohler’s Summer Solo Show virtually.
To see all available work from Ryan Kohler, click the link below.
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.