Tag Archives: Portland Museum of Art

Maine-ly Art

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.

Adams Every Morning

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 .

Ibsen Top Carrot

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.

Stern Past Present Future

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.

Stern Detail

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.

O'Brien, Posted

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.

Foley, Divers

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:

NC Wyeth, Georges Islands

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”.

Frey 3 Baskets of Wisdom

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.

Hodges, Bathers

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.

Joffe, Jessica

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.

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.

Cove Stree Arts

One view within Cove Street Arts

Stasiuk, Lady with Pearls

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.

Stevensen, Slip Between

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.

Smith, Gull Rock(s)

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.

Lynch, Stepping Out

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.

McConnell, In Out

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.

Lesson 13

Sometimes the smallest thing will spark an idea which begins (or reignites) a line of thinking that ultimately impacts what happens in the studio.

A couple of weeks ago, while thinning out the overly abundant Lady’s Mantle in our back garden, I was struck by the way it develops. Unlike most plants which sprout baby leaves that are a miniature version of their full-grown selves, the new growth of this perennial is something of an engineering wonder. Each tiny leaf emerges intricately compressed in a series of accordion-style folds, perfectly designed to open into the wide, dew-catching, platter-like leaves that characterize the plant. I couldn’t help but think of this as a prime example of nature-made origami.

Lady's Mantle

Lady’s Mantle leaves in three different stages

That reminded me of when we first met Quinn at the dog shelter and they allowed us to take her for a quick walk around the block before deciding to adopt her. I was walking behind her and noticed that as her ears jauntily bopped up and down with every stride, they exquisitely folded in upon themselves. Smitten by this wonderful quirk, I thought of them then, and still do, as “origami ears”.

Origami Ears

 

A quick search online about the origins of origami makes it pretty clear that it’s an art that has been around for so long that pinning down a comprehensive history is nearly impossible. But I’d be willing to bet it was originally inspired by nature.
With all of the above in mind, it’s not a huge leap to wonder how I too might adapt origami-type folds into my work.

Origami Dye 3

 

A couple of years ago I began experimenting with basic folds as a way to enhance dye patterns. At the time I was using a wrapped resist (Arashi Shibori) technique with interesting results. But I never quite figured out how to take my test samples to the next level. I’m thinking that this summer might be a good time to revisit and push the idea to see where it might lead.

Origami Dye

Coincidentally, and in that same light, last week I listened to the art critic Jerry Saltz on The Upgrade  (How to be Creative Right Now) as he talked about “his secrets to finding inspiration in these isolating times, as well as how he imagines the art world will emerge from this global pandemic”. It’s an interesting interview, but even more importantly, it alerted me to his newly-published book How to Be an Artist. Take a look at the list he has compiled — I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to much of what he outlines.

origami dye 2

 

Saltz’s Lesson 13 makes me feel like I’m on the right track.

 

Eve

Eve    ©2020 Elizabeth Fram, Ink and colored pencil on paper, 11 x 8.5 inches  When I emailed Eve her scan of this drawing, I told her that I’m finding this project simultaneously very fruitful and extremely humbling. The question that’s always in the back of my mind is: am I doing this person justice? And while that’s not something you have to spend too much time worrying about when drawing an anonymous model, I think it’s something to strive for nonetheless. With someone I know, I’m happy if I can get into the mere neighborhood of a likeness. The bigger lessons lie in the nuts and bolts of pushing my understanding of color and how to best use my materials. I think I need to do about 100 more of these to make any true progress, but it’s very motivating to work with the images of folks who inspire me. Eve is currently meshing her previous career as an election law attorney with her current path as a full-time artist by spear-heading Knit Democracy Together – a project connecting people with ideas and each other through art and knitting.

I am grieving a bit over having to miss a planned trip to Maine last week due to the virus. In an effort to get a remote fix, I’ve been paying special attention to Maine galleries and museums on Instagram and then following up online. Discovering Carrie Moyer’s and Sheila Pepe’s fabulously titled exhibit Tabernacles for Trying Times at the Portland Museum of Art has offered some thought-provoking inspiration, despite the distance. Don’t miss their short video on the Museum’s website.

 

Outside the Studio

Happy June!    …month of the summer solstice and the Beta Taurids meteor shower.

I am really looking forward to being part of two exhibitions that open this month, one here in Vermont and another in Portland, Maine. No matter the venue, there is always a sense of liberation in getting work out of the studio and in front of public eyes. I am particularly excited about the Maine exhibit because it’s my first opportunity to show in Maine’s “big city”, the town next door to where I grew up.

Wild Fibers

Wild Fiberswhich opens locally on June 2, will be on view through July 9 at the Emile A. Gruppe Gallery in Jericho. It’s a collection of work from members of the Vermont chapter of the Surface Design Association, an international organization focused on “inspiring creativity, encouraging innovation, and advocating for artistic excellence … in textile-inspired art and design”.

We who are part of SDA Vermont are fortunate to have a very active committee that has devoted countless volunteer hours securing and organizing exhibitions across the state in an effort to expose the public to the wide range of possibility that exists within the world of surface design.* I think the growth of our membership can be directly attributed to the success of these shows. I am always amazed at the breadth of skills among our members, so if you have a chance to stop by the Gruppe Gallery in the next 5 weeks, I’m sure you too will be struck by the diversity of work and process on display.

For those of you who might be interested in activist artists who use knitting as a means of voicing their ideas and concerns about the world, let me give a quick plug to my friend and fellow SDA member, Eve Jacobs-Carnahan, who will be presenting the talk “25 Years of Knitters Speaking Out” in conjunction with Wild Fibers. Her talk will be on Friday, June 16th from 6:30-7:30pm, also at the Gruppe Gallery.

Knitters

Knitters at Town Meeting Day, Waterbury, VT     ©2016 Elizabeth Fram

Next week I will be shipping five pieces to Able Baker Contemporary for the upcoming show Selvedge, which runs from June 16 to August 5, 2017. If your travels take you anywhere near Portland this summer, I hope you will stop in. Curator Tessa Greene O’Brien has assembled work from nine artists, all of whom incorporate textiles in their practice while strongly maintaining a fine-art approach. The work is process-driven and carries a strong conceptual component. I’m thrilled to have been included and can’t wait to head to Portland in July to experience the show in person.

Selvedge

Able Baker Contemporary is on the Portland Stage block, within 300 yards of The Maine College of Art, Space Gallery, and Space Studios and the Portland Museum of Art, (where I’m excited to see Hans Hofmann; Works on Paper will be showing from June 16 to September 3), — in other words, a cultural hotbed that, combined with Portland’s fine restaurants and oceanside location, makes for an excellent weekend getaway!

Meanwhile, back to the unglamorous…I am slogging my way through an update of my website, and, as is probably to be expected, it’s way more time-consuming than I’d anticipated. There’s no escaping computer chores! However, to leave you on a happy note, I came across this  worthy diversion — a wonderful mix of metaphors and animation by Greg Condon that made me smile; I hope it will amuse you as well.

Radish

First Harvest     ©2017 Elizabeth Fram

*Surface design encompasses the coloring, patterning, and structuring of fiber and fabric. This involves creative exploration of processes such as dyeing, painting, printing, stitching, embellishing, quilting, weaving, knitting, felting, and paper-making.