Art on the Wall

Jennifer Steen Booher

April-May 2024

Jennifer Booher has been a Resident Artist with Acadia National Park since 2015, and Artist-in- Residence with the Mount Desert Island Historical Society since 2018. She is the recipient of two Maine Arts Commission project grants, a Frenchman Bay Partners Environmental Stewardship award, a Puffin Foundation grant, and a Kindling Fund award from the Andy Warhol Foundation Regional Regranting Program. She received her BA in Art History and Asian Studies from Vassar College, and her master's degree in Landscape Architecture and Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia. She can usually be found on the shore, turning over rocks to see if there’s anything interesting underneath.

THE BEACHCOMBING SERIES is a set of still life photographs of things Jennifer picks up along the shoreline, photographed on an oversized light table in her studio. Each photo in the series documents the things she found on a single day: the title of each photo is the name of the beach and the date on which she found those objects. Identifying the things she finds as specifically as possible - not just plants and animals, but rocks and garbage – builds up a portrait of the varied intertidal ecosystems. These still life photographs are a way of articulating her curiosity about the things she finds and of teasing apart the layers of natural history and human occupation on the shoreline.

Contact jennifer@jenniferbooher.com or see more at jenniferbooher.com.

Left: “Hulls Cove; December 8” and “Town Dock, Manset; April 22”

ArtWaves Member Exhibition

January 2024

This group show of ArtWaves members includes works in oil, watercolor, ink, collage, mixed media, and computer graphics. Featured artists include Bonnie Chase, Liz Cutler, Kelly Cutler, Neil Needleman, Rick Osann, Vicky Smith, Rebecca St. John, Joan Vienot, Malina Voter, and Jenny Walker.

The mission of ArtWaves is to provide residents and visitors of Mount Desert Island, and the surrounding area, with accessible, affordable, and dynamic art and movement experiences. Learn more at artwavesmdi.org.

Left: “Winter Majestic” by Bonnie Chase, “Forgotten Bouquet” by Marina Voter, and “Lucille” by Jenny Walker

Liz Cutler

October-December 2023

My paintings are inspired by the natural beauty of our area, in which there is always something beckoning me to linger. I avoid conflict and tension in life, but have learned that there is a delicious tension, an inherent beauty and balance, to including both within my work. I love capturing what transports me to being right there.

My paintings allow me to share and return to some spectacular places. My go-to medium is oil paint, it is fairly forgiving and allows variations in technique. At times, I take the opportunity to explore a similar motif in fiber, glass, or through printmaking. I find moving an image through a variety of media informs my painting practice, which keeps me exploring and re-presenting my spaces, both inner and physical.

See my work at lizcutler.com.

Left: Paintings by Liz Cutler

Rick Osann and Joan Vienot

August–September 2023

RICK OSANN

Rick Osann has been painting in watercolor since the early 1970s. After various careers as a professional scenic artist working for stage, film, and TV in New York City, and teaching art/theater/film at Bonny Eagle High School in southern Maine, Rick is not happily focusing on his painting in Bar Harbor, one of the beautiful places of our world, in his studio adjacent to Acadia National Park.

Rick is most interested in exploring light, shadow, and color through his painting. His work showcases the beauty of the natural world, on its own or in combination with elements of man’s built environment.

See his website for details: rickosann.com or contact him at rick@rickosann.com.

JOAN VIENOT

Joan Vienot moved to Maine last year specifically to practice painting the rocky coastline. Living just minutes from Acadia National Park, Joan often can be found outdoors at her easel working directly from the natural scene. She prefers painting in oils. In 2016, 2019, and 2021, Joan was named a Florida’s Finest Plein Air Ambassador for the Forgotten Coast en Plein Air, a 10-day invitational event for plein air painters in Northwest Florida, where she taught artists who were new to plein air. She was awarded the Artist Residency for the event in 2019. In 2021 and 2022 she served on the steering committee for Plein Air South, a nationally-recognized educational conference for plein air painters. She also served for 7 years as coordinator for the regional weekly plein air painting group.

Artist statement: There are places where I want to stand still, or to sit for a while. It is the spirit of the place that calls to me, perhaps the fragrance on the breeze, or the reminder of something nearly forgotten, the random beauty of the natural world, or the realization of the preciousness of that one moment in the eons of time. I want you to stop, to come in to my painting and sit for a while, to look, to feel, to hear the sounds, to remember, to imagine, to be transported.

Joan holds a BA in Fine Art. She offers private lessons, workshops, original fine art, commissioned works, and live event painting. See her website for details: joanvienot.com

Left: Details from “Shoreboats” by Joan Vienot and “Agamont Park, Summer” by Rick Osann

Charly Weir

June 2023

I call myself an "assemblage artist". Finding bits and pieces that fit together to become something else is how I describe it. If you could see my garage and basement you'd get an inkling of where my "assemblage" inspiration comes from. Organized chaos. Sometimes I begin a piece of art by rearranging and clearing the space finding things I had forgotten about. Other times it is a thinking process long before anything gets assembled.

I am particular about what goes where for balance and artistic value. It is a very intuitive process, there is something about things just feeling right in their new place. Occasionally, a project will be incomplete for a while just waiting for the right piece to reveal itself.

My cordless drill with a screw, a nail and maybe some glue attach things. If a screw shows, that is part of the character that is my signature. I mainly try using things in the state they come to me, like chipped paint, rust, dirt. Occasionally I will add paint if needed.

I am often asked where I get my pieces. Assemblage also refers to how and where I find the bits and pieces for my creations. It's the gathering of objects from antique shops, auctions to yard sales. I like the fact that I support those businesses for they too gather things.

I see potential in objects like rusty funnels (whale spouts), round cutting boards (heads), paint brushes (mustaches), and oars (whales). A doll cradle dismantled can easily become a woman's torso, an abacus can become a flag.

My creative excitement comes from simply letting my mind flow imagining a totally new, unseen before, creation. Training? I am my own teacher. I have done this all my life, creating things from things. Now it just is more "refined" into something called "art".

View my art at the Islesford Artists Gallery, or on-line at www.charlyweir.com.

Left: Sculptures by Charly Weir

Nicole Herz

April-May 2023

In both my paintings and woodblock prints I am interested in the simplification and abstraction of forms found in both natural and man-made structures.

Since 2014 I have mainly been working in the traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique (Moku hanga), which combines both painting and printmaking. Brushes are used to apply water-based pigments to carved blocks. The blocks are then hand printed in multiple layers, on dampened paper.

The Mokuhanga technique has become the best way for me to interpret my personal vision. Using color, texture and form, from the drawing to the carving and printing, a process unfolds, and series of tough decisions are made to create a strong and peaceful image.”

You can see more of my work at: nicoleherz.com

To contact me: nicole@nicoleherz.com

Left: “At Home," "Llangolan Cabins," and "The Loft, in Blue” by Nicole Herz

ArtWaves Member Exhibition

January-March 2023

ArtWaves serves as a center of learning, engagement, and community of individuals at every skill level to experience and create art. Their mission is to provide residents and visitors of Mount Desert Island and the surrounding area with accessible, affordable, and dynamic art and movement experiences.

Contact ArtWaves: office@artwavesmdi.org

This show includes work by the following artists:

1. Neil Ira Needleman
2. Richard Huck Octotree
3. Leeann Rhoades
4. Liz Cutler
5. Sue Christian
6. Rick Osann
7. Shannon Westphal
8. Emily Owens
9. Susan Boyer

Left: “She Who Welcomes” by Susan Boyer and “Crow in Red Night” by Leeann Rhoades

Leanne Nickon

October 2022–December 2022

I have been drawing and painting since childhood, and for the past 30 years have experimented with various ways of painting on fabric, especially silk. I have sold painted silk scarves, wall hangings and pillows at craft shows and galleries throughout New England, and have taught silk painting to adults and children.

I started hand-stitching a few years ago to pass the time at craft shows, and to use up some of my stash of painted, dyed and printed fabric scraps. I combine them with other bits of recycled fabrics and stitch them together to make collaged fabric pictures. I sometimes cut up finished works and incorporate the pieces into new images.

The work in this show combines a variety of techniques and materials (paint, dye, resist, cotton, silk, linen, thread, embroidery floss, hand stitching, machine stitching, appliqué) and depicts some of my favorite subjects - birds, fish, trees, the moon, and the sky.

Left: "Cosmos" by Leanne Nickon

Leigh Culver, Janet Elvidge, Jean Forbes, and Roxane Scherer

August 2022–September 2022

LEIGH CULVER is an art historian, teacher, and painter. She holds a doctorate in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania and taught American Art for the University of Notre Dame's Washington Program for over a decade. Prior to teaching, she worked in the curatorial departments at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and in education at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Leigh returned to her studio art roots in 2006, studying at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. She has won multiple watercolor awards in the Mid-Atlantic region and recently served as President of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists. She has taught advanced watercolor at The Art League School for the last two years and is currently teaching art through art history with online zoom classes. Leigh and her husband summer in Northeast Harbor.

JANET ELVIDGE grew up on MDI where her love of nature and art started early in a house of artists. Janet found art to be a way to express and fully absorb the light, textures and patterns of nature. She continues to explore all that nature evokes with a variety of mediums including oil, and gouache with cold wax. Janet’s preference is to start the piece working plein air and complete the piece in her Manset studio. She is currently in the Studio Art program at UMaine. Janet is employed as the librarian at the Indian Island School for the Penobscot Nation on Indian Island, Old Town, Maine. Her work has hung at The John Rohman Art Gallery, Southwest Harbor Public Library and the Bass Harbor Memorial Library. Janet and her husband summer in Manset.

JEAN FORBES is a retired art teacher and painter who holds a Masters in Art Education from Rhode Island School of Design and a graduate study certificate from Syracuse University in Art History where she studied The Major Paintings of Winslow Homer. Jean currently paints plein air landscapes, seascapes, harbor activities and gardens with friends using Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park as her subject matter. Jean uses digital and iPhone photography for creative compositions as well as references for her plein air and studio art. After vacationing and visiting friends in Down East, Maine for many years, Jean and her husband Mike retired permanently to Manset in 2012.

ROXANE SCHERER studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Pratt Institute. Roxane works in several media. Summer is devoted to pastels. This media allows her to work rapidly which is necessary because of the constantly changing tides and light. In winter Roxane paints with acrylic on panels in the studio setting. Each media has different challenges. However, whatever media she chooses, Roxane’s main goal is to express the beauty of the Maine Coast. Roxane lives year-round in Manset.

For more information and sales, contact Jean Forbes at jeanforbesart@gmail.com or 401-932-1675

Left: "Boat Yard" by Roxane Scherer, "Ship Harbor Morning" by Leigh Culver, and "Wild Roses" by Janet Elvidge

Beverly Bono

June 2022–July 2022

From a very young age, I’ve been interested in arts and crafts. My artistic Aunt encouraged me by enrolling me in a watercolor class when I was 8. I painted during high school, but decided to pursue a medical technology degree in college. When I married and moved to the Florida Keys, my artistic juices began to flow again. I painted full time for about a year, and won 2nd place in the Purple Isle Art Guild outdoor show.

As a painter, I am largely self-taught, learning from books and following other artists online. I’ve taken 2 workshops: one with Lois Griffel (Cape Cod School of Art) and one with Larry Moore, through Coastal Maine Art Workshops. But by far my biggest influence came from Emile Gruppe of the Cape Ann artist colony! I had the privilege of meeting him and was fortunate to purchase one of his paintings! Last year, I won 2nd place among 75 non-juried artists in the Quick Draw event at the Cape Ann Plein Air Festival in Massachusetts.

After 20 years in the Florida Keys, my husband and I moved to Maine to open our own business, the Christmas Spirit Shop of Bar Harbor, stocked with only American made items. For the past 30 years, I have been designing ornaments for my artists to render in the medium of choice. One of the artists in my shop invited me to go plein air painting with her and I was hooked! Nothing can compare to painting from life! Now that I am retired, I can go painting every day!

Living in Bar Harbor, near Acadia National Park provides boundless stimulation for my oil paintings. It is a wonderfully endless journey trying to capture the beautiful scenery of the island!

Contact Beverly at bevbono@yahoo.com or on Instagram @bev3445

Left: Details from paintings by Beverly Bono

Carol Shutt and Rocky Mann

April 2022–May 2022

CAROL SHUTT: I grew up in a family of artists in California and came to Maine in the late 1970s, after earning a degree in Fine Arts from Syracuse University in New York. I began my career as a quiltmaker, exhibiting my work at craft shows throughout Maine, before becoming a K-8 art teacher on Mount Desert Island for almost 30 years.

I am now a full-time artist with a daily creative practice and consider myself an artist of ideas. I work in a range of materials and techniques, including acrylic and oil pastel painting, collage and altered books, writing and poetry and even clay work, using local blue marine clay I dig on the island. My art has continued to grow over the years through the travels and solo retreats I’ve taken to make art in other countries and cultures.

Currently, I exhibit my work at Artemis Gallery in Northeast Harbor and the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor. I also show my work in the Hulls Cove gallery I share with my husband, Rocky Mann. In 2018, after my retirement from Mount Desert Elementary School, my work was exhibited in a one-person retrospective at College of Atlantic's Blum Gallery, which included a talk I gave titled "How Children!s Art Has Inspired My Work.” I believe I am most engaged and creative when I’m immersed in the process of exploring new concepts and ideas through my art.

Contact Carol at carolshutt11@gmail.com or on Instagram @cshuttart

ROCKY MANN: In the spring of 1966 the father of my best friend invited me to sit at his potter’s wheel. On that day I fell in love with clay and the potter’s life. After receiving a degree in art from the University of New Hampshire in 1971 (and a short apprenticeship in Denmark), I set up my own studio in Maine. For twenty years I made production pottery, went to trade shows and sold my work through galleries in the US and Japan. In the mid-1990’s, I moved to Mount Desert Island with my family where I built a house and studio/gallery and began working in clay with a new focus.

My work now revolves around using each clay piece as a canvas. My imagery is inspired by nature and I create unique graphic patterns and themes on each piece. No two are alike and my images are always changing and evolving. My work (as well as my wife, Carol Shutt’s paintings), can be seen in the summer months at our gallery in Hulls Cove.

Contact Rocky at rockymann48@gmail.com or visit rockymann.com

Left: "Birch Platter" by Rock Mann and detail from "Maine Landscape with Fox-Gloves" by Carol Shutt

Diana Roper McDowell

January 2022–March 2022

I explore both abstractionism and realism in art, and I work to combine the two art forms. The outline of my subject matter leans towards realism, but the shapes of color inside the subject, are abstract. I use color and line to meld the two art forms together.

Half the time I spend creating a work of art is spent drawing. I use this time to explore what interesting shapes it takes to make your eye move throughout the painting and pull the viewer in. Then I work with color to either solidify the realism, or give rise to more abstraction, depending on what works best to hold the viewer’s interest.

As I paint, I find the reality of the painting fades away, and I’m left with abstract shapes of color within a recognizable form. Because they cannot be defined, these abstract shapes tend to shut down the viewer’s internal dialogue and relax the mind in a wash of color and movement.

Contact Diana at dianaropermcdowell@gmail.com

Left: Detail from "Taxi in Rotterdam" by Diana Roper McDowell

MDI Island Quilters II

November 2021–December 2021

BHSL is pleased to feature more work from MDI Island Quilters. The organization was formed in 1992 and the chapter is a member of the Maine Pine Tree Quilt Guild. Members make baby and oncology quilts which are given to the MDI Hospital. They also collaborate on a pro-bono quilt, which is donated to a local nonprofit for fundraising.

They meet twice a month, sharing works-in-progress, learning different techniques, and work on "challenge projects" and their other collaborative quilts.

For more information contact co-chairs: Michele Daley 644-4237 or Tom Lee 244-0087

Left: "Fish" by Janice Kenyon and "Isolation In Indigo and Purple" by Kathe McDonald

MDI Island Quilters I

August 2021–October 2021

MDI Island Quilters was formed in 1992 and the chapter is a member of the Maine Pine Tree Quilt Guild. Members make baby and oncology quilts which are given to the MDI Hospital. They also collaborate on a pro-bono quilt, which is donated to a local nonprofit for fundraising.

They meet twice a month, sharing works-in-progress, learning different techniques, and work on "challenge projects" and their other collaborative quilts.

For more information contact co-chairs: Michele Daley 644-4237 or Tom Lee 244-0087

Left: "Wooly Sheep" by Michele Daley and "Maine and Me" by Jill Murphy

Vicky Smith Oil Paintings

June 2021–July 2021

Vicky Smith was born in Texas and grew up in Arkansas. Having spent her youth land-locked, when she began to travel at 17 she discovered her love of the ocean. When she arrived in Bar Harbor in the early 80’s she made it home.

Becoming an oil painter after raising her children, she is primarily self taught. She has been influenced by local artists Linda Rowell Kelly, Philip Frey and Judy Taylor along with others that she shares time with Plein Air painting. Her work has been in The MDI Open show, Artwaves shows, the Jesup Library, Southwest Harbor Library show, Tremont Library, MDI Hospital and The Nor’easter Restaurant.

She paints because it feeds her soul and brings her joy. She hopes you feel the joy in her work.

To contact Vicky: 207-460-1377 or vickysfern@gmail.com

Left: Details from "Farmland," "American Fog," and "Peggy's Cows" by Vicky Smith

Bob Thayer Photographs

January 2021–March 2021

Bob Thayer has been photographing Mount Desert Island since 1982 when he began working as a seasonal naturalist for Acadia National Park. Bob’s photographic interests are in capturing the natural world, but he also enjoys finding any scene that includes an interesting subject and a compelling composition. Bob seeks unusual lighting and scenes that express a mood and a sense of place such as foggy mornings, stormy weather, cold winter days and clear night skies. Close-ups and abstracts are some of his favorite subjects.

In 1999 DownEast Book published his first of three books on Acadia: “The Park Loop Road“, followed by “Beyond the Park Loop Road” and “Acadia’s Carriage Roads”. Multimedia programs for the park and of his travels are a rewarding outlet for combining his images with music and narration.

Bob is a native of Bangor. He graduated from the University of Maine and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. After two years in the Army he began as 30 year career teaching science in Massachusetts. He now lives on MDI with his wife Linda, where together they explore the beauty and uniqueness of the Maine coast.

To contact Bob: bobt08@yahoo.com

Left: Details from "Bass Harbor Marsh," "Schooner in the Fog, and "Across Eagle Lake" by Bob Thayer

Bob Pennington Photographs

September 2020

As a former art teacher from the Philadelphia area, Bob was always interested in photography as an art medium, even though he directed most of his time to painting watercolors. After retirement, he and his wife moved to MDI. Here he began exploring digital photography as an art form inspired by the beauty of this island.

In 2005 he attended a National Geographic Digital Photography Workshop on the Isle of Skye headed by professional photographer Jim Richardson. Richardson emphasized abstract realism and also demonstrated how to approach strangers for casual portraits. It was here that Bob began honing his photographic skills. The qualities of digital photography excited him because he could shoot to his heart's content without worrying about the expense of film photography, and he could always go back for further editing, color corrections, and sharpening.

To contact Bob: freshmeadow@roadrunner.com

Left: "Stonington Cat," "Brendon's Barn," and "Tree Trunk with Barbed Wire" by Bob Pennington

Charly Weir

June 2020-July 2020

Charly Weir calls herself an "assemblage artist," finding bits and pieces that fit together to become something else. Sometimes she begins a piece of art by rearranging and clearing the space, finding things she had forgotten about. Other times it is a thinking process long before anything gets assembled.

She sees potential in objects like rusty funnels (whale spouts), round cutting boards (heads), paint brushes (mustaches), and oars (whales). A doll cradle dismantled can easily become a woman's torso, and abacus can become a flag. Her creative excitement comes from simply letting her mind flow, imagining a totally new, unseen before, creation.

To contact Charly: cweir2@icloud

Left: "Angel with Metal Wings" and "Angel on Green Board" by Charly Weir

Field, Herz, McDonald, and Sprague

January 2020-March 2020

Featuring watercolors by Sonia Field, woodblock prints by Nicole Herz, textile works by Kathe McDonald, and mixed media by Roberta Sprague.

To contact Sonia or Kathe: kamcdpictureframing@gmail.com

To contact Roberta: 3roberta@gmail.com

To contact Nicole: nicole@nicoleherz.com

Left: “Long Legged Bird” by Kathe McDonald, "Little Red Barn" by Nicole Herz, "Picnic, Azalea Garden" by Roberta Sprague

Robert Pennington Watercolors

October 2019-December 2019

As an art teacher from the Philadelphia area, Robert Pennington devoted most of his creative time to watercolor painting. Upon retirement, he moved with his wife to MDI where he began a new venture in digital photography inspired by the surrounding beauty of the island. After several years, Pennington rekindled his love of drawing and watercolor. Now he produces about four watercolors a year, mostly landscapes, taken from his travels and scenes in Acadia National Park.

To contact Bob: freshmeadow@roadrunner.com

Left: “Heath, Northumberland, England;” "Thunder Bay, Bar Harbor;" "Bald Porcupine Island"

ArtWaves Community Art Instructors and their Students

August 2019-September 2019

ArtWaves began in a personal studio with a few painters enthusiastic about providing everyone the opportunity to create. Now, ArtWaves has now transformed into an arts campus in Town Hill that houses four programs: Fine Arts, Dance and Wellness, Children’s Art, and Exhibitions. While ArtWaves has evolved, it remains a space of learning, engagement, and community building. Our instructors, many of whom are local artists that show at various venues not limited to MDI, teach a variety of workshops, from alabaster carving to outdoor landscape painting. Our students, many of whom are also local artists, add the island’s vibrancy by showing their art in ArtWaves coordinated exhibits across the island.

Contact ArtWaves: office@artwavesmdi.org

This show includes work by the following artists:

1. Gloria Avner, instructor for batik-style painting
2. Mary Beth Bowers, instructor for Acadia Senior College class
3. Bonnie Chase, student of Liz Cutler and Mary Beth Bowers
4. Phillip Dvorak, instructor for drawing
5. Sally Littlefield, student of Rob Pollien and Phillip Dvorak
6. Kim Nadel, student of Gloria Avner
7. Rob Pollien, instructor for Drawing and Oil Painting
8. Ivan Rasmussen, student of Gloria Avner

Left: "Great Blue" by Ivan Rasmussen, student of Gloria Avner; "Speckled" by Bonnie Chase, student of Liz Cutler and Mary Beth Bowers; “Fall Joy” by Mary Beth Bowers, instructor for Acadia Senior College class

Paintings from the Strout Family Collection

June 2019-July 2019

When Raymond Strout was a school boy he saw an old photograph of Bar Harbor, and his life-long avocation for collecting was begun. Later he started buying paintings from artists who came for weekend plein air painting classes on Mount Desert Island in the 1950s. Photographs, old letters, signs, advertising art, memorabilia, they all tell a story.

Raymond has spent over fifty years gathering, organizing, and researching these pieces of Bar Harbor and Maine's past. Today his collection includes more than 500 works acquired from various sources including yard sales, estate auctions, and purchases from friends. He appreciates the thought and effort it took to make a painting, whether it’s from a well-known artist or a weekend painter.

The proprietor of Ahlblad’s Frame Shop in Bar Harbor since 1972, Raymond frames and mats many of the letters and prints he acquires, giving them a new life. Assisted by his sons Michael and Peter, they appraise each piece, and with an eye for color and form, preserve them for the future.

Left: untitled painting by unknown artist, untitled painting by A. Maxwell Leland, “Bass Harbor Light” by Howe D. Higgins

Beth G. Lambert: Plein-Air Oil Paintings of Coastal Maine

April 2019-May 2019

Beth’s colorful expressive style is a result of deeply listening to what speaks to her when she goes outdoors to paint. She allows her mind and heart to empty and soften so she can paint directly from a place of spaciousness, capturing with color the experience of connecting to nature. She often returns to the same location and always wonders what she will notice anew in the fleeting experience of painting.

Beth earned her BFA in Studio Art from the University of Texas in Austin. She married and moved to Maine in 1981 and stayed home to raise three children. Then she returned to fulltime painting, and especially enjoys working close to her home in beautiful Manset. Her husband Ray makes all her wood panels and float frames.

Contact Beth: 207-244-8090 or bethglambert@gmail.com

Left: "Burst of June" and detail from “Tall Lupine“ by Beth G. Lambert

Linda Rowell-Kelley: Paintings from MDI

January 2019-March 2019

A Mount Desert Island artist, Linda Rowell-Kelley lives and works on the Crooked Road in Bar Harbor. A life long student of the arts, she developed her vision and passion for the visual arts early in life and studied sculpture, painting, drawing, and graphics at the Portland School of Art, MECA (Maine College of Art). Linda works with canvas of all sizes, painting blended layers of color or using simple washes in oil, watercolor, and acrylic.

Contact Linda: 207-288-4311

Left: "Ferry Terminal," “Islands,” and detail from “Red Rock Corner“ by Linda Rowell-Kelley

ArtWaves Member Show

October 2018-December 2018

1. Nina Barufaldi-St. Germain
2. Margaret Beaulieu
3. Cristy Benson
4. Greg Mason Burns
5. Brian Caine
6. Liz Cutler
7. Carrie Eason
8. Janet Elvidge
9. Gabrielle Graham
10. Ed Hawes
11. Linda Rowell-Kelley

Left: detail from "Journey" by Cristy Benson, "Lollypop" by Carrie Eason, “Bass Harbor” by Janet Elvidge, and "After the Storm" by Gabrielle Graham

Nicole DeSimone

August 2018-September 2018

Nicole DeSimone studied painting in the figurative tradition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Originally from New Jersey, Nicole has spent the better part of the last decade out west or on the move. She recently settled down on Mount Desert Island, to a lifestyle more conducive to painting and watching plants grow. Nicole currently teaches Beginner Drawing and Introduction to Oil Painting Classes and can be found working in her studio in Seal Cove, Maine.

For more information see nicoledesimonepaintings.com or contact Nicole at DeSimone383@gmail.com.

Left: "The Composer," "Ella in Yellow," and detail from “Somes Sound” by Nicole DeSimone

Amy Gagnon

June 2018-July 2018

Amy Gagnon grew up in rural central Maine, surrounded by forest, fields, and dairy cows. She has been painting for much of her life. Recently she has been working in oils and pen & ink, exploring the scenery of Downeast and Central Maine. Her work ranges from small illustrations to wall-size murals. She graduated from the University of Maine, Orono in 2007 with degrees in Horticulture and Studio Art. In school she took courses in drafting, landscape design, and botany–subjects which frequently show up in her work. She is also a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, a group which has connected her with artists, scientists and explorers. She currently lives in Bar Harbor with her partner Kevin and their greyhound, Joy. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, cooking, gardening, and playing traditional fiddle music.

For more information contact Amy at kitteryjean@gmail.com.

Left: Details from "Autumn at Northeast Creek" and "Birch at Otter Cove" by Amy Gagnon

Roc Caivano

April 2018-May 2018

Roc grew up in Tarrytown, New York, and began painting as a teenager. Since then, he has been painting and drawing during free time to this day. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Yale Architecture School, Roc answered an ad in The New York Times to start a program in Environmental Design at College of the Atlantic in 1974 and has designed and built buildings on Mount Desert Island ever since. He enjoys painting in watercolor, gouache, casein and oils from life, from photos, and most often from imagination. He is inspired by MDI and the great group of artists who love the island.

Left: "Sand Beach" and "Winter Sunrise" by Roc Caivano

Jean Forbes

January 2018-March 2018

Painting in watercolors has been a part of Jean’s life from an early age. If weather permits she enjoys plein air painting and has taught several plein air watercolor classes on Mount Desert Island. When the weather turns cooler she paints in her studio using her photo files for reference. She is greatly influenced by her Maine surroundings. She enjoys capturing the light and colors of different times and moods of the day in her paintings of landscapes, seascapes, and harbor activities.

For more information visit Jean’s website at jeanforbesart.com.

Left: "Heading Out at Sunrise," "Sunset Lopaus Point," and "Fish House" by Jean Forbes

Robin Rier

October 2017-December 2017

Robin Rier lives on the coast in Jonesport, Maine. The scenery provides endless opportunities for interpretation. "Working on location is an invigorating and engaging experience. The challenge to paint quickly before the light changes or the tide comes in presents a situation where I must look hard, see, and apply paint to the canvas. The process requires concentration and attention. I remind myself to breath and have fun. Nature is complex yet joyful and ever changing, therein lies the difficulty to be at ease all of the time. I allow myself to laugh. When my paintings transport a viewer to a new or forgotten place, or evoke a thought, this is my bonus." Robin's oil paintings carry a unique quality of color and peacefulness.

For more information visit Robin’s website at robinrier.com.

Left: "Bill’s Trees," "Jack’s Garden, Sunflower," and "Birches, Indian River" by Robin Rier

Liddy Hubbell

August 2017-September 2017

Liddy Hubbell uses her art to convey complex concepts in ways which compel fresh observation and inquiry.

Her landscapes are designed to build associations between natural and built forms. They engage and challenge the viewer.

Rooted in her training in art and architecture at MIT, Liddy has a continued interest in the patterns of formal association and psychological exchange made between landscape, inhabitant, and viewer. She learned to see space and composition there and remains drawn toward dynamic transformations that build spatially from outcrops of anchoring forms.

She develops her work by making Asian brush paintings, meticulous ink drawings, and collages. These disciplines coalesce in the creation of landscape paintings which are specific, abstract, wild, and informed. Her compositions and use of color develop from that work and she is pleased when she captures some essential quality that she feels needs exploring. She makes art which reinforces the abstract and creative thinking that are hallmarks of engaged thinkers.

For more information contact Liddy at eliddy@gmail.com.

Left: "Park Street Sunrise" and "Shad" by Liddy Hubbell

Diana Roper McDowell

June 2017-July 2017

Diana explores both abstractionism and realism in art, and she works to combine the two art forms. The outline of her subject matter leans towards realism, but the shapes of color inside the subject, are abstract. She uses color and line to meld the two art forms together.

Half the time she spends creating a work of art is spent drawing. She uses this time to explore what interesting shapes it takes to make your eye move throughout the painting and pull the viewer in. Then she works with color to either solidify the realism, or give rise to more abstraction, depending on what works best to hold the viewer’s interest.

As she paints, she finds the reality of the painting fades away, and we’re left with abstract shapes of color within a recognizable form. Because they cannot be defined, these abstract shapes tend to shut down the viewer’s internal dialogue and relax the mind in a wash of color and movement.

Left: "Five 0," "Hike on Norumbega," and "Provider" by Diana Roper McDowell

Images from the Strout Family Collection

April 2017-May 2017

Please contact Ahlblad's Frame Shop for sales and more information: 207-288-3126

Left: "Aerial photo of Somesville" Giclee print from the original negative taken by Luther Phillips, c. 1955

Kaitlyn Metcalf

January 2017-March 2017

Kaitlyn Metcalf was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised on crawfish, po-boys, Bloody Marys, Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras. Kaitlyn was fortunate enough to be able to simultaneously attend Mount Carmel Academy and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, two of the best secondary schools in the city. After high school, this Southern Belle ventured north to further her art education, where she attended Maine College of Art in Portland. Kaitlyn graduated with Honors with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Painting and a minor in Art History. She currently lives and works in Trenton, Maine.

Contact Kaitlyn: 207-479-4858, kmetcalf@meca.edu

Deborah Page

January 2017-March 2017

Although I have been creative my entire life, I only recently began giving serious time to exploring how paint, paper, fabric and other materials can come together to create something new and unique. I feel remarkably happy when I am in the process of playful exploration; most of the time I do not plan out my work, preferring to discover things as I go. Color, form, texture, line, and pattern come together to create something previously unknown. I find this process of creation both mysterious and compelling. When a new piece emerges, I learn something about myself: my inner life, my perceptions, and my relationships to the outer world come together in visible and tangible form.

Contact Deborah: 207-664-8595, arjaluth@gmail.com

Top: "Dockside Dinghies" by Kaitlyn Metcalf, middle: "Berry Still Life" by Deborah Page, bottom: "Teacup, Vase, Pear" by Deborah Page

ArtWaves Member Show

October 2016–December 2016

1. Liz Cutler
2. Nicole De Simone
3. Janet Elvidge
4. Jean Forbes
5. Ellen Kappas
6. Jane MacKeil
7. Deborah Page
8. Linda Rowell-Kelley
9. Roberta Sprague

Top: "Bar Island" by Linda Rowell-Kelley, middle: "Somesville" by Nicole De Simone, bottom: "Communicating the Landscape of the Esoteric" by Liz Cutler

Bob Jay – Acrylic Artist

August 2016–September 2016

"Thirty thousand miles of cycling, fifteen years of sailing and kayaking, many years of hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing have all brought me close to nature. My creativity is fueled by the wonders of nature. The serenity of coastal marshes, the awesome power of the ocean, the beautiful mountains all fascinate me while the loss of our forests and farmlands concern me. Using painterly realism with a focus on detail, I am inspired to create my personal vision of a unique experience. I do not try to improve nature. I just want it to reflect a mental image created in my imagination. I incorporate established techniques and some less traditional, to achieve the light, colours, values, and hard and soft edges that I want." –Bob Jay

At 79 years of age, Bob Jay is a self-taught artist, painting for 10 ½ years. He came to Mount Desert Island as a biking and hiking tourist in 1986 and became a part-time resident 22 years ago. Art originally was a hobby in retirement. Bob uses his art now as a platform to express his love of the natural word, and his concern for its dwindling resources. Mount Desert Island, with its history of art and the celebrated Acadia National Park, is his favorite place on this planet.

Top: "Fascination" (detail), bottom: "Along Eagle Lake" (detail)

From Frogs and Flowers to the Forests and the Sea: What We Love about Acadia

June 2016–July 2016

1. Brenda Beckett
2. Nicole Herz
3. Meri C Fox-Szauter
4. Rocky Mann
5. Kathe McDonald
6. Kaitlyn Metcalf
7. Howie Motenko
8. Robert Packie
9. Tammy Packie
10. Cathy Rees
11. Michael C Rosenstein
12. Carol Shutt

These artists work in various mediums including quilting, photography, painting, ceramics, drawing, and printmaking all showcasing the beauty, wonder, and unique qualities that make Acadia National Park special to all of us.

Top: "Reflected Birches" by Howie Motenko, middle: "Wading" by Kaitlyn Metcalf, bottom: "Centennial Summer" by Carol Shutt

Woodblock Prints by Beth Pfeiffer

April 2016–June 2016

Woodblock printmaking is a process with many steps. Original drawings are reversed, multiple blocks carved, then printed in relief on a press or by hand. Mine is a haptic process, with knife strokes in the carved block as individual as my drawings and handwriting. My work explores the duality of combining the hand drawn and hand carved with the mechanism and multiplicity of printed output. I work both in western-style printing on a press using dry paper with oil or water-based inks, and in Japanese moku-hanga, printing by hand on wet paper with water-based pigments. I use exclusively hand-made Japanese paper (washi) and my printing press is a Takach Press.

Beth Pfeiffer lives and works in Southwest Harbor. Her childhood in rural Southern California and summers on Mt. Desert instilled closeness to nature that inspires her work. Her dual interest in process and creation brought her to printmaking. She holds a BA from Wellesley College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

For more information contact Beth at beth.pfeiffer@gmail.com.

Paintings by Kathleen M. Frank

April 2016–June 2016

I grew up in Illinois and studied four years at the Art Institute of Chicago for my BFA, where I developed a taste for Surrealism. De Chirico and Magritte among others were inspirational. The techniques and subject matter of the printmaker M. C. Escher also worked their way into my themes at that time. I have never given up on Surrealism and I am sure it will work its way into my landscapes.

Over the past ten years the subject matter of my paintings has changed from studio painting of the figure and still life to the landscape. I currently draw inspiration for my present ideas from walks with my dog through the woods near my home. There are wonderful opportunities even in the bottom of one’s rock garden (you don’t have to go far) and from my admiration for the works of Neil Welliver and Alan Bray.

For more information contact Annette Carvajal at mcpacadia@gmail.com.

Top: "Molecular Mandala I" by Beth Pfeiffer, center: "Cracked I" by Kathleen M. Frank, bottom: "Blue Ledge" by Kathleen M. Frank

Selections from "Island Quilters"

June 2016–March 2016

1. Carolyn Drew
2. Sue Graff
3. Mary Booher
4. Annie Diano
5. Michele Daley
6. Kathe McDonald
7. Elizabeth Hall
8. Edie Stanwood
9. Mary Vekasi
10. Shelia Smallidge
11. Leigh Ann Sheeley

Top: "Deer at Dusk" by Leigh Ann Sheeley, bottom: "More Than Four" by Mary Vekasi

Explorations in Fabric

October 2015–December 2015

Jeanne Seronde Perkins

Born and raised in New England, Jeanne Seronde Perkins has been living and making art on Mt. Desert Island for over thirty years. She exhibits in Maine as well as other states in the U.S. and abroad. Her work is in over 100 private collections. She also leads workshops for children and adults in watercolor, silk painting and collage in 2 and 3D.

Please contact Jeanne at: 288-4591

Leanne Nickon

Originally from Maryland, Leanne Nickon has lived on MDI since 1984. She has loved drawing and painting since childhood, and has been painting on silk for over 20 years. Leanne has sold her silk scarves, pillows and wall hangings at craft shows and galleries throughout New England, and teaches silk painting to adults and children. She also makes cards and collages.

Please contact Leanne at: 288-8361

Shira Singer

I have been working with cloth for many years and am increasingly drawn to the exploration of color, pattern and shape, how they intersect and overlap. Most often, I work on white silk or cotton. Using dyes and textile paints, I apply layers of color and pattern to the surface of the cloth. Some of the many methods I use include painting, block printing, screen printing, marbling, resist-dyeing and different types of fabric embellishment, such as beadwork, embroidery, foiling and quilting.

I enjoy making art with people of all ages and have taught art in local elementary schools and summer programs as well as in programs offering textile design workshops for adults. I also work in private practice as an art therapist.

For any art related inquiries you may contact me at: 207-288-8054 or shirajoys.com

Top: "Summer Light" by Leanne Nickon, center: "You Never Know" by Shira Singer, bottom: "Space Age" by Jeanne Seronde Perkins

Hooked Rugs

August 2015–September 2015

Mary Hays

Mary is self-taught and works from her own photos using only simple sketches as guides.

Rosemary Levin

Rosemary’s studio and gallery, featuring hooked works by Rosemary, hand dyed wool and rug hooking supplies, is located at Chapter Two, 611 Corea Road, in the Schoodic Peninsula village of Corea, Maine. Rosemary’s studio and gallery, featuring hooked works by Rosemary, hand dyed wool and rug hooking supplies, is located at Chapter Two, 611 Corea Road, in the Schoodic Peninsula village of Corea, Maine. Her work can be found on line at www.chaptertwocorea.com.

Karen McFarland

By creating her own designs, she found an outlet for expressing her love of nature on Mt. Desert Island as well as other interests. She seems to be able to “draw” with wool more easily than a brush or pencil. She also dyes a lot of her own wool and enjoys the contrasts of colors.

Top: At the Point, Rosemary Levin Bottom: Mary Hays, Home Port

Oil Paintings by Barbara Strubell

April 2015–June 2015

Born and educated in Connecticut, Barbara supported herself as a hairdresser. She moved to Maine in the late 70’s, being a she lived and worked in Maine driving trucks and working construction for the MDOT for several years before opening Artful Designs Hair Care at Southwest Harbor Shoppes in 1984. Barbara started painting seriously in 2008 after a long hiatus from art to raise my daughter.

Realism is her style now and she is looking forward to exploring abstract art. She hopes to be able to express herself through painting. She says, "I love to paint and am finding the more I paint and learn, the more excited I get about it."

You can find her on the web at www.barbarastrubellart.com

Oil and Watercolor Paintings by Theolyn Gilley

April 2015–June 2015

Theolyn Gilley was born and raised on MDI. As the daughter of a fisherman, she spent all of her young life on or around the water. A self-taught artist, Theolyn draws her inspiration from the beauty and nobility of the Island Communities. It was in these communities that generations of Theolyn’s family earned their living from the sea. Much of her work includes scenes from the small outer islands, which hold a special magic that she sees and expresses in her art.

Top: Barbara Strubell, Woodland Light DetailBottom: Theolyn Gilley, Rocks with Shell

Recent paintings on MDI by Roc Caivano

January 2015–March 2015

Roc Caivano was born in 1944. He has lived on MDI since 1974. All, but one, of these featured paintings are of scenes on MDI.

Garden Portraits by Dayelle Swensson

January 2015–March 2015

Dayelle Swensson enjoys recording the natural beauty of the surroundings that give her and other gardeners endless pleasure and interest. Each painting conveys an expression of the joy that went into building a particular garden display. Combining her love of gardening with her painting technique, a lasting momento of the blossoming energy is created to treasure long after the plants have bloomed and transpired.

How does Garden Portraits work? When you know your garden will be looking the way you are hoping it will, contact Dayelle. She will come take photographs, do some sketches, and discuss with you what you would like to have in your painting. She also works from already existing photographs you may have. A painting is created to the size and shape you desire in order to fit the place where you want it to hang. The portrait can be a whole gardenscape or just a small portion of the overall garden. A painting of a friend’s garden also makes a wonderful treasured gift. Please call 801-9059 to make an appointment to discuss what is desired.

Top: Roc Caivano, Winter Light Bottom: Dayelle Swensson, Hostas with Friends

George Stevens Academy Collection

October 2014–December 2014

The collection was begun thirty-five years ago by art teacher Katie Greene. The goal was to honor, preserve, and exhibit significant student works created as part of George Stevens Academy classes.

Over the years, as the Collection has grown, students and visitors to the Academy have enjoyed the extraordinary spectrum of student art, in hallways, administrative offices, and the school’s library. The Collection is a proud testament to, and celebration of, the artistic achievement of George Stevens Academy's students.

Julia Friend, Class of 2004,View From the Academy, foamboard, paper, and acrylics.

An Eclectic Mix of Media and Subjects

August 2014–September 2014

1. Beth Pfeiffer
2. James Wolf
3. Katherine Noble Churchill
4. Annette Carvajal
5. George Soules
6. Ben Lincoln
7. Howie Motenko
8. Nicole Herz
9. Kathleen Frank
10. Tamie Packie
11. Naomi Champlin
12. Avy Claire
13. Roberta Sprague
14. Robert Goodman
15. Jeanne Seronde Perkins

Robert Goodman's Summer Bouquet: Detail and Naomi Champlin's Somesville Bridge

Oil Paintings by A. J. Bueche

June 2014–July 2014

“Abstract art is distilled or derived from something and brought to a more essential level. Abstract art can be an insight into the aspects of feeling or emotion pulled from a presence. That presence can be based in realism or it can be solely intellectual. The plasticity of paint allows for the addition and subtraction of innumerable variances in form and color to reach the level needed to approach a level of success.

Creating a painted surface that may or may not be replicative and may take the obvious to a deeper emotion or thought pattern is my intent. Light, color and image combine to create the “abstraction” with relevance and impact at various levels.” –A. J. Bueche

Shoreline: Detail

Photographs by Michael Rindler

June 2014–July 2014

Michael Rindler is an accomplished nautical, landscape, and vintage automobile photographer with a profound appreciation for the art of Maine boats and scenes.

The nature of Maine light is uniquely pure. Maine boats in this special light are full of grace and beauty found nowhere else. Michael uses the stillness of early morning and late afternoon to capture the elegance of Maine working and pleasure boats and local landscapes. His photographs reflect an exclusively personal perspective and an abstract quality rarely present in nautical and landscape photography.

Michael also applies his eye for artistic detail in creating one-of-a-kind images of vintage automobiles. His close up photographs highlight the wonderful colors, shapes, and textures abundant in these classics.

Michael lives in Southwest Harbor, Maine. On many early mornings, he can be found capturing images of Maine boats from his wooden Ralph W. Stanley rowing boat. Michael’s photographs are made with Leica digital cameras and are not enhanced, modified, or manipulated. Michael Rindler’s photographs reside in private collections throughout the United States. michaelrindlerphotography.com 207-244-3141

Pink in the Pool: Detail

Watercolors by Polly Doyle

April 2014–May 2014

Polly Doyle, painter and printmaker, was born in Bar Harbor, Maine. She attended Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from 1948-1955. She is the widow of Professor Aaron Fleisher of M.I.T. Together they have a son and daughter.

For inquiries about Polly Doyle's work, please contact her daughter, Ann Fleisher at 857-413-7303

Eggplant and Friends

Assemblages by Charly Weir

April 2014–May 2014

Like so many women before me, I did not start my artful career until in my fifties. At first, I did not take it very seriously and would laugh when people actually bought the “oar stuck on a board” or the “croquet balls in a box.” But then I started getting interesting feedback, that it was creative and thoughtful art. I guess I was surprised that it “was” art.

My creative process continues to go through different stages. I have the women’s art, the anger art, the funny art, the religious art, the Maine folk art…It depends on what I feel like on that particular day or an issue I want to confront. Of course it also depends on what pieces I have to play around with. It isn’t like painting a picture with paint on a canvas, I have to wait until I find the perfect “thing” and then think about what it can/will be and what it will release in me.

My garage studio is a haven for mismatched objects waiting their turn to be reinvented. I collect interesting things of rust, color, patina, small, large, noisy, dirty and often have to walk sideways to get around. I have no time for fine joinery, measuring or exactness and always have to keep in mind the possibility of the actual assembly and attachment. Very often, what is pictured in my mind can’t be stuck together easily, so it changes. My style is really “simplicity” as I use as few pieces as possible to make the point. If I find myself getting too stuck in details, I back off and find another way around or end it completely. I usually have three or four projects going at the same time. I couldn’t live without my cordless drill.

As I am supposed to be writing a “bio," well, I never went to art school and frankly did not do well in art class in regular school. I took a couple of classes at the Rockport School of Craftsmanship and am thankful to have learned how to use hand and power tools.

When I first started creating these “masterpieces," I would sell them at the Big Chicken Barn. It gave me a reason to create and kept me at it. Everything I make isn’t going to be “gallery worthy," I still need to make the fun and crazy things. So, I’m back there selling birdhouses and other folk art. The rest, for now, is crowding the walls of my house. I plan to open my studio in Bass Harbor on occasions this summer, but am open to visitors with appointments.

www.charlyweir.com

Large Angel

Paintings by Linda Rowell-Kelley

January 2013–March 2014

My acrylic, oil, watercolor and egg tempera paintings reflect the settings in Maine that I love. It is a wonderful inspiration to live on Mount Desert Island, with our filling and emptying of people, varied weather conditions and views of water, cliffs, and open spaces to draw on. Living on the Crooked Road beside a dairy farm is a blessing. I am able to stop and look out at the open fields spotted with cows and apple trees on my way down the path to my studio. Much of my painting is on canvasses of all sizes inspired from the northern woods of Maine, the downeast coast and annual summer sabbaticals to Monhegan Island. My love of painting extends to tables, chairs, clothes pins and any other object nailed and not nailed down. Born in Keene, New Hampshire, I developed my vision and passion for art early on. I studied sculpture, painting and graphics at the Portland School of Art. –Linda Rowell-Kelley

Facebook: Linda Rowell-Kelley Art

Smithfield Square

Oil Paintings by Liz Culter

November 2013–January 2014

My paintings are all inspired by some sort of spark, something that wows me or quietly invites me to linger. Typically my spark is an area of contrast, and aren’t we all innately attracted to some degree of distinction or differentiation? I avoid tension and harshness in life but have learned that there is a delicious tension; an inherent beauty and balance to including both within my work. I love capturing and maintaining that spark, relating it to the balance of my painting and playing with how much more I need to give. –Liz Cutler

Boulders at Haystack