Courthouse Gallery Fine Art is pleased to present two solo exhibitions—Philip Barter: Maine Oasis and Judith Leighton Restrospective—from June 21 through July 20. Also showing are Susan Amons, Judy Belasco, Philip Koch, Mark Kidschi, and Stephen Porter. The exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Philip Barter: Maine Oasis
Philip Barter (b.1939) is a self-taught artist from Boothbay, Maine, who was living in California during the 1960s when he met Alfonso Sosa, an abstract expressionist painter. Sosa took Barter under his wing and added a “charge of light and color” to Barter’s aesthetic vision that influenced his work for the next fifty years. Barter has spent a half-century painting narratives based on the Maine’s fiercely independent people and the landscape of his home state, becoming the “painter laureate” of the region. Barter was the subject of a feature profile in Down East magazine and went national when, in January 1995, Tim Sample highlighted his life in art in one of his “Postcards from Maine” segments on the CBS Sunday Morning program hosted by Charles Kuralt.
In conjunction with the show Philip Barter: Maine Oasis, Courthouse Gallery will host a Book Launch and Signing on July 12 from 4–7pm for Philip Barter: Forever Maine, a new book by Carl Little (Marshall Wilkes). At 5:30pm Little will introduce Philip Barter, who will talk about his narrative paintings, process, and career. The author will be available for book signing. Books can be reserved by calling (207) 667-6611. The event is free and open to the public.
Judith Leighton Retrospective
Judith Leighton (1929–2011) was the former owner of the Leighton Gallery in Blue Hill and an artist in her own right. She began painting with watercolors in the 1950s, gaining notice for her work by the 1960s. After moving to Maine in 1970, Leighton worked almost exclusively with dry pastels.Her modernist inspired motifs included flowers, landscapes, tables and chairs, and women, often seated as if engaged in an pleasant conversation, or standing, or holding a dog, cat or bird. Leighton was passionate about art that “celebrated life” whether it was the art she showed at her gallery, or the art she made.
Courthouse Gallery is located at 6 Court Street in Ellsworth. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am– 5:30pm; Sunday 12–4pm. For more information on upcoming shows call 207-667-6611, or visit www.courthousegallery.com
Fires Within The Kittery Art Association 2 Walker Street, Kittery, February 12th – March 8th. On view at the KAA from February 12 – March 8, 2026. Opening Reception: Sunday, February 15th, from 5-7pm – Free and open to all! Also on View: Works by Spotlight Artist Rhonda Miller. Rhonda Miller loves creating artworks in different […]
Colby College Museum of Art connects generations across oceans through works by more than 40 contemporary artists in “Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas.” On view July 11, 2026, to June 6, 2027, the physically and visually immersive exhibition brings together approximately 50 paintings, sculptures, videos, prints, […]
The Zillman Art Museum – University of Maine, located at 40 Harlow Street in Bangor, ME, opened five featured winter exhibitions on January 16. ZAM is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm and brings modern and contemporary art to the region, presenting approximately 21 original exhibitions each year. Admission to the Zillman Art […]
In an era where migration narratives frequently collapse into faceless statistics, Maine artist Jean Kigel offers something profoundly different: a humanizing gaze that restores individuality to those caught in the global currents of displacement. Her upcoming exhibition at Barbara Kramer Gallery in Belfast Free Library during February transforms political abstractions into intimate encounters. The Belfast […]
The Maine Crafts Association (MCA), in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, is proud to announce the seven mentor/apprentice pairs selected for the 2026 Craft Apprentice Program (CAP). Now in its 11th year, the program continues to honor the enduring power of mentorship, creativity, and fine craft across […]
Fill your snowy days with creativity by registering for artist workshops! Putting Color to Work for You 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 28 to March 1 Apply paint with confidence! Join Liz Prescott in exploring all the facets of color and how it can be used to create mood and energy in your work. […]
Tracy Van Buskirk, a relief print artist, will be in residence at the Deer Isle Artists Association for the month of February, focusing on the art of collage. Buskirk has worked in linoleum block printmaking for a few years and is excited to switch gears and work in the world of cut and torn paper. […]
Local Color Gallery is pleased to welcome Emily Sabino, whose work will be displayed from Feb. 25 through March 22. Sabino will talk about her ongoing series “Path Forward” at this month’s Fourth Friday Gallery Night, which runs from 4 to 7 pm. Feb. 27. Sabino will speak at 5 p.m., weather permitting. Sabino’s paintings […]
The Farnsworth Art Museum is pleased to announce that Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture will be honored with the 2026 Maine in America Award at the Farnsworth’s annual Gala on Friday, July 17, in recognition of the School’s profound and lasting contributions to American art. The award coincides with “MAINE: A Force within American […]
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