DelmarjTrena Vl (1998)
DelmarjTrena Vl (1998)

If you drive to the end of Rt. 131 South you’ll end up on the Monhegan Island Ferry dock. Look to the right across the channel and you’ll see beautiful Hupper Island. In 1975 Dr. Arthur (Bert) Wills bought a small cape on the NW corner of this 500 acre island. It began his passionate love affair with Hupper. Since then Bert has shared his island home with friends many artists. “I have always wanted young people to help sustain my passion for the island, not just for art but for anything they wanted to pursue”.

In 1978 Dr. Wills acquired an island farm which he called “Bert’s Boathouse University”. Luke Randall from Rhode Island came to paint on Hupper’s in 1992, soon to be joined by his friend and fellow painter R. Michael Carr, also from Rhode Island. They were followed by three more artists in 1996 for the islands best attended “art colonization” ever. Sue McNally and Theodore Tihansky both Newport, RI based oil painters and Manuel Rincon from Margarita Island, Venezuela. They became the “Hupper’s 5ive” and painted on the island in October or several years. Dr. Wills exhibited the resulting paintings in an annual group show at his Downtown Medical Associates office in Boston. All five have become accomplished artists.

The Hupper’s 5ive celebrate the late Manuel Rincon in “Manuel Rincon Retrospective” which previewed June 16th and runs through August 6th. Rincon, a once successful business man, gave up the corporate dream to pursue his dream of being an artist. Bold shapes and vivid color are used to portray the playful images in Manuel’s paintings. His work has been shown in Maine, Boston, Rhode Island, and New Jersey as well Venezuela. A reception for the show will be held Saturday, July 8th from 6-8 p.m. For more information call 207-372-9996 or visit www.marshallgallery.net