On July 16, the community lost beloved owner, curator and guiding force of CRAFT, Barbara Michelena. She passed away peacefully at her home in Camden, surrounded by friends and family.

For nearly a decade, Rockland’s CRAFT gallery was Michelena’s passion. She planned all winter for her meticulously curated, themed summer exhibitions. She loved going on artist studio visits, seeing their latest works and learning about their processes. Her ability to select just the right pieces and assemble them in a cohesive, flowing presentation was one of the things that made CRAFT so remarkable. People would often say CRAFT was the first place they wanted to visit when they came for the season.

CRAFT and Michelena were each one of a kind treasures that the community was lucky to have and will dearly miss. But, as the community mourns the loss of a trailblazing visionary and marks the end of an era, they also celebrate the spirit of Barabara Michelena and honor her many years of elevating Maine made craft art with style and sophistication.

We also want to say a heartfelt thank you to all the artists, patrons, friends and neighbors who helped Barbara realize her dream and whose love and support made CRAFT the wonderful, unforgettable gem that it was and in our hearts always will be.

Michelena has requested instead of flowers, donations may be made to Knox County Homeless Coalition in her name at https://www.homehelphope.org.