The 2016 Acadia ART Achievement Award goes to Russell and Linda D’Alessio. In the mid-sixties, Russell and Linda D’Alessio were introduced to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park while on vacation. Awe struck by its natural beauty, they knew someday this would become home.
The dream became reality in 1974. With Russ fresh out of art school they packed their VW bug complete with two young sons and moved to Mt. Dersert Island from New Jersey, (in February with no jobs!) Bringing their artistic creativities and passion for the arts with them, Russ, a painter sold some of his originals and prints to local galleries and Linda, her weavings. It was selling these pieces of art that floated them through their first Maine winter and solidified their love for this place.
Living here in Maine has allowed them to pursue their creativity and passion for the arts. In the late 70’s, they opened a screen print company placing Russ’s designs on garments designed by Linda. This line of fashion clothing, jewelry, and decorative accessories sold nationally and internationally including Giverny Gardens, Paris, France
During this same period they formed a side-company to help other Maine Artisans and Fine Craftsmen to market their wares, bringing Maine Art & Craft to the Maine and national market. At that time, Linda presided on the Maine Governors board formed during the McKernan administration to promote “Made in Maine.”
1989 marked the season they opened their first retail operation in Bar Harbor, Over the Moon Studios, focusing on their line of clothing and jewelry in a small space on Cottage Street. A year later they moved to larger quarters and opened Pretty Marsh Gallery, this time featuring their line of clothing and accessories and many of the “Made In Maine” artisans they represented. Operating in that location for 20 years they carried many Maine artist’s works of pottery, jewelry, and fibers arts, including Russ’s paintings, drawings, and illustrations.
Forty-three years later they remain an important part of Bar Harbor and Maine’s art community. Russell’s works can be found at D’Alessio Gallery on Mt. Desert Street, Bar Harbor and online. He also maintains a studio in town upstairs at Bayside Landing while Linda manages the gallery and its web presence. She is also instrumental in beginning Downtown Bar Harbor’s First Friday Art Walks and is currently Chairperson of the committee. You can find more about the D’Alessio’s on the web at: www.russelldalessioart.com
Join award-winning painter Terri Brooks for “Figures in Pastels,” a workshop designed for experienced pastel artists. Working from a live, costumed model, participants will refine their ability to capture the human form using layered pastel techniques. The class will focus on essential life-drawing skills, using light and shadow to define facial structure and form through […]
The Deer Isle Artists Association announces the March Artist-in-Residence Program on March 4 with artist David McBeth. McBeth is a potter, working primarily with porcelain that is high-fired and ready for the dining table. Additionally, he is a knitter, whose preferred material is wool yarn. A true renaissance man, lately McBeth is also a writer, […]
Established in 2010, The Maine Museum of Photographic Arts is the only museum in Maine dedicated exclusively to photography. Dear Friends of the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts, What a transformative year 2024 has been for MMPA. As we reflect on the past twelve months, we’re struck by the extraordinary level of artistry, scholarship and […]
The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) presents its winter season with the unveiling of two new thought-provoking exhibitions and held an opening reception on Feb. 1. New exhibitions that opened Feb. 1: “The Sun, Trying to Disappear” is a show that speaks of entanglement. The images in this exhibition flutter between icons and mistrusted […]
Crescendo is about reaching new heights, riding the waves of life, climbing peaks, looking up to the zenith, witnessing the culmination of a project, peering over the crest, feeling the surge of emotions. 2025 is a 9 year in numerology, marked by a crescendo of power and experience, acclimation and completion, and new beginnings. Artists […]
Joseph Fiore (1925-2008) was a widely respected artist and active member of the Maine Art Gallery during the 1960s and ‘70s. In celebration of the 100th year of his birth, the gallery is partnering with Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) on an exclusive and overdue major retrospective, “Fiore at 100: Maine Observed.” The show runs June […]
The Midcoast Downeast Chapter of the Union of Maine Visual Artists, in collaboration with Waterfall Arts and Dark Sky Maine presented “Dark Skies: Artwork Honoring Dark Nights in Maine,” which ran from Jan. 17 to Feb. 28 at Waterfall Arts in Belfast. Not only did the exhibit gather a sizable crowd of over 280 people […]
In March the Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery will host its first abstract contemporary artist as its featured artist of the month. Jeanne Maguire, a Maine-based abstract artist, will be the First Friday artist on March 7. Maguire’s show is titled “Feminine Archetypes” and her work is vibrant and expressive, capturing the emotion […]
Youth Art Month is right around the corner. Show your support and celebrate the young artists in this year’s youth show, “Healing Through Color,” on view March 6 to 9. Students from all instructional levels will be featured in the show, which emphasizes the importance of visual arts, creative expression, and access to the arts […]
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