You may make a powerful case that the Maine panorama is a pure murals in and of itself. However there’s no want. As a result of numerous others have already made it abundantly clear. They’re among the many multitude of visible artists, performing artists and writers whose souls have been stirred and minds impressed by the land and folks of Maine.
Artist Colonies & Artistic Facilities
Artists of all stripes have been drawn to Maine for almost two centuries. Many shaped lifelong connections. A particular few established Maine’s authentic summer time artist colonies.
The primary was Ogunquit, that means “stunning place by the ocean” within the Native Abenaki language. Based by artist Charles Woodbury because the Ogunquit Summer time Faculty of Drawing and Portray, it was a magnet for American artists whose works are celebrated within the most interesting American and worldwide museums at present.
Ten miles off the mid-Maine coast, Monhegan Island would turn out to be a Who’s Who of nice American painters, from Robert Henri and Edward Hopper to Jamie Wyeth and Elena Jahn. The inspiration burns vivid at present by means of artist residencies and the collections of the Monhegan Museum of Historical past & Artwork.
On the Canadian border, in Eastport, artists have lengthy been drawn to the Passamaquoddy Bay space, together with an intrepid group of painters, sculptors, musicians and poets who ventured north from New York within the Seventies. Additionally on the Canadian border at Eastport – in actual fact, reaching throughout – is Tides Institute & Museum of Artwork. This cross-border cultural institute and museum encompasses a variety of disciplines, together with artwork, historical past, images and structure. Down the coast, southwest of Acadia Nationwide Park, Deer Isle is dwelling to the world-renowned Haystack Mountain Faculty of Crafts and an artist residency program based in 1950.
Based in several years however united in inventive endeavor are Maine’s up to date facilities for artists, craftspeople and performers. Amongst them are Skowhegan Faculty of Portray and Sculpture; Watershed Heart for Ceramic Arts in Edgecomb, Kneisel Corridor in Blue Hill, Celebration Barn in Paris, Bates Dance Competition in Lewiston, and Heart for Maine Furnishings Craftsmanship in Rockport.
Maine Artwork Museums
Together with Maine’s homegrown artists, the numerous others who got here to Maine created their very own paths to find their inspiration. At the moment, Maine has made it straightforward so that you can discover their work in addition to various collections of artwork from world wide by way of the 9 museums of the Maine Artwork Museum Path. We provide a fast preview right here, in alphabetical order.
Devoted to the historical past and tradition of Maine’s Native folks, the Wabanaki, the Abbe Museum has two places — one within the middle of Bar Harbor and the second close by in Acadia Nationwide Park. Bates School Museum of Artwork in Lewiston affords a various assortment that features Chinese language, African and pre-Columbian artwork in addition to the Marsden Hartley Legacy Assortment. In Brunswick, Bowdoin School Museum of Artwork was one of many first collegiate artwork collections within the nation. At the moment, it’s dwelling to greater than 20,000 objects from prehistory to the current.
In Waterville, the 5 wings of Colby Museum of Artwork function almost 8,000 works of American and up to date artwork, Chinese language antiquities, and European work. The Farnsworth Artwork Museum in Rockland is devoted to Maine’s historic and dynamic function in American artwork, with one of many nation’s largest collections of Maine’s Wyeth household and works of sculptor Louise Nevelson. Situated on the historic Monhegan Mild Station, the Monhegan Museum of Artwork & Historical past shines with greater than 1,300 works created by residents of the legendary artwork colony.
The Ogunquit Museum of American Artwork includes greater than 3,000 items, together with work, sculpture, graphic arts, images and new media, with a sculpture backyard overlooking Slim Cove. The Portland Museum of Artwork homes an expansive assortment of twenty-two,000 artworks, together with work by American artists Winslow Homer, Marsden Harley and Robert Indiana. The PMA additionally options works of European actions, from impressionism to surrealism. In downtown Bangor, the Zillman Artwork Museum-College of Maine affords guests a large spectrum of artwork, from Maine-associated artists Winslow Homer, Berenice Abbott and Andrew Wyeth to Twentieth-century items by Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso.
Go to the Heart for Maine Modern Artwork in Rockland (throughout the road from The Farnsworth). The CMCA presents altering exhibitions of latest and rising Maine artists together with instructional packages and workshops. John Bisbee, David Driskell and Shoshannah White are among the many artists whose works have been featured.
Nice artwork is aware of no bounds. That’s very true with the performing arts in Maine. Take into account the truth that two venues, the expansive Thompson’s Level outside theater in Portland and the little timber-frame Stone Mountain Arts Heart in Brownfield, each provide nationwide music acts and comedy. Or, that the state has not one however two world-class orchestras — the Portland Symphony Orchestra, and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.
In Bangor, the Penobscot Theater Firm affords year-round skilled theatrical performances at historic Bangor Opera Home, with further productions from their schooling program, The Dramatic Academy. Additionally year-round are the packages of Portland Stage, an expert theater firm with a dedication to new works. Educating the following technology of theatrical artists by means of their sturdy internship program and Theater for Children can be entrance and middle.
The underside line is that there’s no ceiling for the standard, range and pure pleasure of the performing arts in Maine.
Historic Venues
Let’s begin with a bit historical past, starting in Monmouth, Maine, with the opening of Cumston Corridor in 1900. At the moment this legendary venue is the house of Theater at Monmouth, a year-round repertory firm of theatrical artists from throughout Maine and across the nation. Revolutionary staging of Shakespeare and different traditional performs are the specialty of the home, together with instructional excursions and neighborhood packages.
Scene shift to Harrison, Maine, and Deertrees Theater, based by opera director and singing coach Enrica Clay Dillon in 1936. Individuals proceed to sing its praises at present for its vibrant summer time theater program, and because the dwelling of the Deertrees Theater Competition and Sebago-Lengthy Lake Music Competition.
In Rockland, the Strand Theater is a uncommon instance of Egyptian Revival structure. In-built 1923, this jewel sparkles vivid as ever at present, presenting movies, musicals and theatrical productions. In the event you’re within the temper for one thing artwork deco, you’ll be in design heaven at The Grand in Ellsworth. In-built 1938, the supersized marquee and shimmering metal and glass tower are as spectacular because the stay theater, movies and music inside.
The Saco River Theater in Buxton started its existence in 1897 as a Universalist chapel. At the moment it’s blessed with a resident skilled theater firm, “The Originals,” providing every little thing from cutting-edge dramas to full-scale musical productions. Johnson Corridor in Gardiner, Maine, had a unique type of begin. Its proprietor and namesake, Benjamin Johnson, transformed it from a livery steady right into a efficiency corridor in 1864. At the moment the theater presents year-round skilled music and artwork packages however, not less than for now, no horseback using.
Summer time Theater
You gained’t discover folks extra passionate concerning the theater — from Shakespeare to Broadway musicals — than the professionals and volunteers who pool their skills and enthusiasm in summer time theater productions in Maine. Besides, in fact, for the individuals who come to get pleasure from them. Right here’s only a sneak peek of theaters and playhouses in your viewing and listening pleasure.
Established in 1933, the Ogunquit Playhouse produces a number of musicals every season. An extended checklist of Broadway performers have graced its stage. Its youngsters’s theater program is inspiring the following technology. Only a bit inland, in Berwick, Hackmatack Playhouse is a traditional summer time inventory theater on a scenic, Seventeenth-century farmstead. Performances are staged in a classic repurposed barn and showcase skilled and growing regional expertise.
Primarily based in Brunswick, Maine, the Maine State Music Theater is Maine’s premier skilled music theater devoted to schooling and growing new expertise in stay theater for the reason that 1950’s. MSMT presents a summer time program of 4 totally staged musicals in addition to youngsters’s musicals. In Madison, Maine, Lakewood Theater is the oldest continuously-running summer time theater within the nation. With a historical past of attracting the best expertise from Broadway, movie and tv, the theater continues the custom with excellent drama, musicals and comedy at present.
Music Festivals
The salt air of the coast. The refreshing pine of the forest. Shouts of outside adventurers. Laughter of youngsters on the seaside. It’s all within the air in Maine. And, in fact, there’s music. No matter fashion or kind they’re on the lookout for, music lovers will discover their excellent matches at music festivals all through the state. Listed below are some samples to obtain into your getaway planning.
In Maine, all roads result in nice music, one thing the organizers of the All Roads Music Competition will need to have had in thoughts. This ultra-eclectic gathering in Belfast consists of indie rock, people, pop, bluegrass, indie people, different nation, punk, hip hop and, little question, a style or two that haven’t been named but. At County Bluegrass Competition in Fort Fairfield, there’s a superb likelihood you’ll be making some new associates. Dubbed “New England’s Friendliest Bluegrass Competition,” the venue combines tenting underneath the celebs with bluegrass gamers who’re stars in their very own proper.
A number of the high names in blues music have performed their songs and bared their souls at The North Atlantic Blues Competition on the Public Touchdown in Rockland, Maine. Overlooking picture-perfect Rockland Harbor, the annual two-day pageant options nationwide blues performers doing what they do finest. On a classical be aware, The Portland Chamber Music Competition encompasses a two-week summer time pageant each August. The occasion brings collectively internationally famend chamber musicians, performers, educators, composers and ensembles from across the nation.
Arts Festivals & Artwork Walks
In a state well-known for its artwork historical past and creative current, you’d determine its folks would craft some inventive, partaking methods to honor and have fun the traditions and persevering with legacy. Listed below are a number of of these methods.
Maine Craft Weekend is an annual statewide tour of Maine craft studios, companies and occasions. Non-public artist studios, glass blowing studios, craft-based faculties, craft breweries and pop-up outlets will probably be open throughout the state in your schooling and delight. Turning the web page, the Phrase Blue Hill Literary Arts Competition is a three-day celebration of the literary arts, on Maine’s stunning Blue Hill Peninsula. It options writer readings, writing workshops, panel discussions and, for these so inclined, a poetry crawl.
The streets of downtown Brunswick are a stunning setting for the annual Brunswick Out of doors Arts Competition. A showcase for work, sculpture, images and wonderful crafts, the pageant feeds the inventive spirit and, with specialty meals distributors on-site, has one thing particular for each type of urge for food. At The Portland Positive Craft Present, native, nationwide and worldwide craftspeople will showcase their wonderful touches in an array of media. Amongst them: baskets, ceramics, fiber-decorative, fiber-wearables, furnishings, glass and jewellery.
Do you like a pleasant, stress-free stroll? Are you actually into artwork, or perhaps a little into it? How about scrumptious treats? An awesome cup of espresso or tea? In the event you answered sure to any of these questions, there’s an artwork stroll in Maine ready for you. The place to start out? The First Friday Artwork Stroll in Portland appears pure. On the primary weekend of the month, galleries all through downtown Portland and Outdated Port open their doorways with an open invitation to browse, discover and buy their works.
Take that very same idea — and a snug pair of footwear — and luxuriate in artwork stroll experiences in cities and cities all through Maine. From Bar Harbor to Belfast, Kennebunkport to Kingfield, Peaks Island to Presque Isle, Maine has made artwork walks into an artform.
Heritage Festivals
The historical past of Maine, like its rivers, lakes and neighboring ocean, runs deep. Starting with the historical past and tradition of Maine’s Native folks, the Wabanaki. The Acadian (French and French-Canadian) and different European international locations have their very own distinctive tales to inform. Every year, these histories and traditions are honored and celebrated at heritage festivals across the state.
In Biddeford, the annual La Kermesse pageant celebrates Maine’s Franco-American heritage. Music, demonstrations, a parade and fireworks are a part of the festivities, together with French-Canadian meals favorites like fried dough and lobster rolls.
Madawaska, Maine, is dwelling to the annual Acadian Competition, which encompasses a reenactment of the primary Acadian touchdown in Maine, a standard Acadian supper, leisure, a pageant parade, and one thing referred to as “Get together du Predominant Avenue.” You don’t must know French to know that seems like enjoyable.
