Exhibition at the State House

The Portrait Project moves on to the State House in Augusta, Maine March 15th. Gallery talk mostly by Rebecca Buyers-Basso, on April 1st! But I'll introduce myself and say a few words about how the project came to be. We hope to have some of our Legislators attending.

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor

The art looks wonderful matted and framed; there are 10 in a row on the long wall. Underneath is the biographical information and a paragraph taken from Becky's stories.

Gallery talk and Reception scheduled for January 28th!

Exhibition at the Blum Gallery

The Great Cranberry Island Portrait Project hits the road (or takes the ferry) to neighboring Mount Desert Island for an exhibition at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor.

In addition to the Portraits and Stories from twelve islanders, visitors to the Blum Gallery will be able to view a set of photo posters which will give them a glimpse of the island, its people, and the artists at work.

The Great Cranberry Island Portrait Project

The Project is complete, and yet it is only the beginning. Our exhibition on the island was a success. It was the last weekend before the ferry goes to winter schedule. Plenty of visitors on the island for the Harvest Supper at the church, and the exhibit was well-attended.

Every last one of "our" islanders, the subjects for the written and etched portraits, came to see the show. Most of them liked everyone else's portrait, but not their own. I totally understand that!

Now it is our task to get this fine body of work out in front of a wider audience, in the State of Maine....and Beyond!

Great Cranberry Island Portrait Project

Our demonstration on Great Cranberry August 29th went very well. Lots of people came in spite of the wind and rain! They learned that an etching can take over 30 minutes to wipe and print...that I don't just "run them off."

This linoleum print is based on a photo Becky took of me there on the dock at Northeast Harbor, before boarding the ferry for our first visit to Great Cranberry for the Project. There she is, reflected in my sunglasses.

Now I am printing editions of my Islanders, for the exhibition Columbus Day weekend. Our Magnum Opus is nearly done.

Return to the Cranberry Isles

Here I am practicing for my part of the lecture, on Islesford. It was a glorious day, as you can see by the picture taken later from the patio of the restaurant where we had dinner that evening.

The next day, back on Great Cranberry, we had wind and rain, thanks to a hurricane out in the Atlantic. But a good number of intrepid Islanders attended my printmaking demonstration, enjoying that and the wonderful photos Becky displayed. I don't have a photo because, well, my hands were all inked up!

On the Island

I'm a Resident with the Heliker-LaHotan Foundation on Great Cranberry Island, off the coast of Maine. Which means I am able to visit the island to collect the materials and inspiration I require for portraits of some of the Islanders, and come home to my studio and create the art.

Here I am at the kitchen table, brainstorming, deciding on the day's course of action. Photo-Journalist Becky Buyers-Basso is my partner and is documenting our process.

It's exciting, energizing, and I so enjoyed sketching the islanders and chatting with them.

In late August I will go back, do a printmaking demonstration, and show what projects I have completed.

From the Virgin Islands, to Antigua, to Great Cranberry...what a wonderful journey!