Craft of Maine
Waxing Poetic
CRAFT OF MAINE - OCTOBER 2008
By Candace Kar
Five Maine artists explore the timeless art of encaustic
For thousands of years artists have worked in the subtle and evocative medium of encaustic. By adding pigment to hot wax and applying it to a prepared surface, often wood or canvas, encaustic artists can create an image of extraordinary depth and complexity. Because of the malleability of the medium—the wax can be reworked, removed, or added to over time—encaustic has evolved into a deeply expressive and often experimental art form. Examples have survived through history, but the recent resurgence of interest in encaustic, which began to gain momentum in the 1990s, has resulted in an artistic field of broad and brilliant appeal. These eight Maine artists have embraced encaustic with confidence. Their work expresses visions of unique beauty, sensuality, and emotion
Work of the Hand
CRAFT OF MAINE - SEPTEMBER 2008
By Joshua Bodwell
Photography Trent Bell
Ponds, paths, and native plantings on the Blue Hill peninsula
This October, at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland Village, over forty craft artists who have been selected will show their work in a prestigious exhibition and sale. For nineteen years the Work of the Hand show has presented the work of New England’s finest artists and artisans at CMCA’s historic firehouse gallery. Here we showcase six representatives from this remarkable group.
Seizing the Image
CRAFT OF MAINE - AUGUST 2008
Four Maine photographers capture the moment
Alan Vlach On abstract images and urban landscapes: My work has evolved from a broad view of the landscape to an abstract one utilizing light, space, form, texture, and tone to define the imagery rather than clearly identifiable subjects. I recently began a project of mostly urban landscapes, photographing wall art—graffiti, posters, and abstracts of deteriorating walls. I have also begun printing in alternative processes such as platinum/palladium and salted paper in addition to silver printing.
Testing Their Metal
CRAFT OF MAINE - JULY 2008
By Candace Karu
Photography Scott Dorrance
Seven Maine sculptors forge ahead
Stephen Porter On Deep Roots in Maine and in Art: My family has owned an island in Penobscot Bay since 1912. I have spent all or part of every summer there with my family including my father, the photographer Eliot Porter, and my uncle, artist and critic Fairfield Porter.
Noble Metals
CRAFT OF MAINE - JUNE 2008
By Candace Karu
Photography Scott Dorrance
Five jewelry makers forging the future of the craft
Stephani Briggs On Love and Influence: When I first fell in love with jewelry I was drawn very strongly to Art Nouveau artists, like Lalique, a brilliant technician. Later I realized that it was the beauty of nature and recurring natural forms that I was most attracted to. In 1994 I first went to India on a Rotary grant as an ambassador of goodwill between our cultures. That trip began my lifelong fascination with the culture, specifically India’s temple architecture and ritual objects. During that trip I spent a lot of time in Rajasthan, where I met Sudhir Kasliwal, the owner of Gem Palace, who took me under his wing and has become a good friend. This opened an opportunity for me to buy unique gemstones abroad, and after that I was exposed to ancient techniques, brought to India by the Persians.
Pulp Friction
THE CRAFT OF MAINE- MAY 2008
Photography Scott Dorance
Five artists who re-purpose paper with stunning results.
Freeing the Form
CRAFT OF MAINE - MARCH 2008
Photography Scott Dorrance
Six artists who give trees a second life
Steve Lindsa
On the Foundation of Skills: I attended the Ècole de Sculpture Sur Bois in St. Jean Port Joli, a unique school in Quebec which was run at the time by sculptor Pierre Bourgault. Before going there, I was an apprentice at a cabinetmaking shop in New York City.Tactile Textures
CRAFT OF MAINE - JAN/FEB 2008
Photography Scott Dorrance
Gayle Fraas and Duncan Slade On Collaboration: “We both draw and paint, and our works are executed by either one of us or as a team—each work continues our visual conversation. We first worked together screen-printing and assembling fabric at the University of Southern Connecticut."
Illuminating Art
CRAFT OF MAINE - JUNE 2007
Photography Warren Roos
Four craftsmen create radiant lighting that truly shines
Richard Dunham The warm radiance emanating from Richard Dunham’s wooden lamps is the culmination of a life preoccupied with the infinite possibilities of light.
The Sea Inside
CRAFT OF MAINE - July 2007
Photography Scott Dorrance
Like the ebb and flow of tides, Maine's boat-building past may also be its future
In 1607, a full 13 years before the Mayflower would land at Plymouth Rock, a small group of English settlers launched a boat at the mouth of the Kennebec River. Not only was the 50-foot Virginia the first European boat built in Maine, it is widely considered to be the first ever constructed in all of North America. And ever since that day, four centuries ago, world-class vessels have been splashing into the cold Atlantic from boatyards up and down Maine’s rocky coast.
Unlocking the Stone
THE CRAFT OF MAINE - AUGUST 2007
By Joshua Bodwell
Photography Scott Dorrance
Sculpting rock into exquisite art
Maine is misunderstood. Blame it on geography.
Over the years, Maine has been perceived—unfairly—to be something of a cultural wilderness. This persistent misconception can be attributed to many factors, but chief among them is Maine’s location at the far northeastern tip of the United States. As the only state in the country bordered by just one other state, Maine is often considered to be out of the way and out of the mainstream. Despite, or perhaps because of, Maine’s secluded setting, the state has nurtured a surprising number of world-class artists over the past century. In fact, Maine is awash in a sea of cultural happenings led by innovative contemporary artists who are creating literature, music, and art of exceptional quality.
Celebrating Ceramics
THE CRAFT OF MAINE - SEPTEMBER 2007
Photography Scott Dorrance
Six artists answer the call of poetry
Paul R. Heroux A native of New Hampshire, Paul Heroux says it was actually the time he spent in Maine that gave him direction as an artist
Intertwining Tradition
THE CRAFT OF MAINE - OCTOBER 2007
Photography Scott Dorrance
Making the ancient art look timeless
Stephen Zeh
On studying the craft: “I learned the weaving and construction of baskets in much the same way that I learned to lace the rawhide in snowshoes—by dissecting many an old basket.”Page 2 of 2
