I’ve lived in eight states as an adult which, aside from the physical slog of moving house so many times, has honestly been one of the bigger privileges of my life.
Experiencing both the good, and even the less good, of a variety of communities across the country has been an awesome opportunity to stretch beyond the comfort of my Maine upbringing. All the same, being a Maine native remains a proud part of my core identity, and I’m grateful for any chance to return.
Arriving on the coast is a visceral homecoming that taps all the senses: the shifting colors of the ocean, the familiar smell of salt in the air, hearing the cries of seagulls while bracing against a brisk wind off the water, and always, always enjoying the taste of native treats from land and sea. Have you ever tried a Needham?
We were in Portland last week, experiencing all of the above, and of course lots of art as well. Visits to the Portland Museum of Art and Cove Street Arts were a mid-winter chance to refill my cultural cup to the brim. What follows are a few of the beauties that caught my eye and that I thought you might enjoy as well.
The exhibit “As We Are” at the PMA showcases 14 emerging artists, each with strong Maine ties.
Rachel Gloria Adams, Every Morning, 2024, Acrylic, corduroy, linen, cotton and wool It was delightful to see Adams’ large scale quilts upon entering this exhibit – on purple walls, no less! The vibrant variety of colored walls throughout the museum showed off the work in each gallery beautifully, adding immeasurably to my experience .
Jenny Ibsen, Top Carrot, 2024, Terracotta, underglaze and luster This is one of a series of trophies that “explores ideas of sustenance and care, labor, and play”. As a gardener (who happened to experience a top notch carrot season last year) I love Ibsen’s sense of whimsy.
Jay Stern, Past, Present, Future, 2024, Oil on Canvas I was swept away by Stern’s paintings – both in their execution and by his nod to the quotidian. In his statement, he compared them to portraiture in that they show clear evidence of human presence and experience.
Jay Stern, Past, Present, Future, detail Purely from a rendering standpoint, I found myself happily getting lost in Stern’s patchwork of color and paint.
Tessa Greene O’Brien, Posted, Cape Elizabeth, 2024, Oil, bleach, wax resist on dyed canvas I have seen plenty of O’Brien’s work on Instagram, but rarely in person. This time I had the “aha” moment of realizing her work’s close relation to batik. Her use/reference to textile techniques creates a wonderful fusion that straddles genres.
James Parker Foley, Divers Approaching Infinite Density, 2023, Oil on linen The striking color and bold imagery of this piece commands the gallery in which it is hung.
And from elsewhere in the PMA:
Newell Convers Wyeth, Georges Islands, Penobscot Bay, Maine, 1928-29, Oil on canvas Myriad artists have captured Maine in as many ways. While this was painted on Penobscot Bay, and I grew up on Casco Bay, this work portrays the essence of what I think of as “Maine”.
Gabriel Frey, Nohonul Posonutiyil Kcicihtomuwakon (Three Baskets of Wisdom) 2023, Black Ash There is visual poetry between this beautiful piece and its setting: white oak and granite flooring against the charcoal gray wall. So lovely.
Reggie Burrows Hodges, Bathers and the Cleansed, Pearl, 2021, Acrylic and pastel on canvas After first becoming acquainted with Hodges work at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in 2022, I was happy to meet up with him again via this stunning piece.
Chantal Joffe, Jessica, 2012, Oil on linen. While there were several John Singer Sargents to enjoy on a lower floor, it was this monumental portrait (almost 8 x 6 feet) that spoke most strongly to me.
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Cove Street Arts, on the opposite side of Portland’s peninsula, is a beautiful warehouse-esque building that incorporates 4 separate gallery spaces within a greater whole, accommodating art of every scale and genre.
One view within Cove Street Arts
Michael Stasiuk, Lady With Pearls and a Red Purse Walking Her Dog, 2024, Baking pan, lemon reamer, bowling pins, old ironing board, assorted fragments. Humor and inventiveness best describe Stasiuk’s work that is oh-so-relatable and human.
Jeffrey Stevensen, Slip Between Custom House Wharf and Portland Pier, August 1982, Archival inkjet print on cotton paper. Such a beautiful moment of calm on the working waterfront.
Kathi Smith, Gull Rock, Monhegan (top), Gull Rock II, Monhegan (bottom), Oil on panel. While Stevensen’s photograph above uses black and white to best advantage, the colors of these two paintings make them sing.
Fred Lynch, Stepping Out, Watercolor on paper. I find work that skews to the abstract, while maintaining its figurative underpinnings, intriguing on numerous levels. The colors of this piece are unexpected and joyfully satisfying.
Kelly McConnell, In Out, 2022, Oil on canvas I keep coming back to this painting and wondering what it is about it that keeps grabbing my attention. The layers? the colors? the sense of space? Perhaps it’s that I somehow find it calming despite its chaos.
To have been able to see such a diverse selection of work while visiting only two venues is rather remarkable.
When I was growing up, my mother used to say in regard to Portland’s Maine Medical Center that we were beyond fortunate to have access to such great care and expertise in a relatively small and removed city. Portland has grown by leaps and bounds since then and is no longer so removed. And yet, while Maine has always attracted artists, I think Mom’s characterization could now be applied to the city’s art scene as well – it’s definitely hitting above its weight.