A few weeks ago I met up with my former Gallerist and now friend who complimented me on my ability to continue to play in my work. It made me think of the performance Artist / Musician John Cage from the 1950’s. He was an interesting music maker, believing that the act of play through experimentation and the use of alternative sounds (and play) was an authentic way of creating his art. While my own materials aren’t necessarily alternative, I too practice play as a means to “image making”. I am always staying open to seeing something that inspires an idea, that I can immediately respond to or collect it for another time, and I like to pivot while in the act of painting in technique. From splattering, to scraping or using a blade. Not in any specific order.
Most recently, I’ve created close to a dozen encaustic critters of bunnies jumping and twisting (see below a fav of mine). And if you need to see those bunnies, they are available at Ticonic Gallery, Waterville Creates in their Holiday Bazaar. Details here. I’ve also been using the act of walking outside as much as my schedule allows to observe the landscape and return to the studio to paint. It feels like playing for sure. The Archipelago Gallery has the one above and five others from this set now in Rockland. Info here about the Gallery.
You might remember from last month that I made a big announcement that I am working towards moving my studio to the midcoast of Maine. It’s definitely pushing me out of my comfort zone, but I am also very excited. It’s going to happen over a bit of time, but I’ll keep you in the loop here. You can sneak a look at what my artwork looks like (and some big pieces still available) here as more of a showroom and maybe you might know someone who’d like to take on this cheerful farmhouse. Feel free to share. And yes, I am still running my 15% off sale to honor my 15 years of officially being in business! Plus some more new works too! See here.
This weekend is my last workshop of the year. There are a couple more spaces in “Oh Glorious Autumn” a two day workshop in encaustic painting at Waterfall Arts in Belfast. Here is the link to learn more. Also, mark your calendars for Small Business Saturday, November 30th for my annual online “Small Pictures Sale”. It’ll be right in my online shop here! I’m aiming for twenty little works under $200 bucks. Not to worry, I’ll drop a reminder here earlier in the month.
Phew. That’s it. Time for a second cup of coffee, right? Have a wonderful day wherever you are! Thanks again for being here.
— Hélène
Dowling Walsh Gallery Opens 2026 Season with Solo Exhibitions by Artists Lauren Fensterstock and Jacob Bond Hessler
Sidle House Gallery in Freeport opens its 2026 season with “Anne Hebebrand: A World That Is,” a solo exhibition of cold-wax and oil paintings on view May 1 through June 13. An opening reception is May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition draws from seven years of Hebebrand’s work, which she describes as […]
Waterfall Arts in Belfast is showing “Make Your Mark,” an immersive, community-driven exhibition in the Clifford Gallery through May 29. The opening reception was held April 18. Conceived by program director Amy Tingle, the show draws inspiration from street art and the call-and-response nature of public creative expression. The exhibition features participatory installations including doodle […]
Centre Street Arts Gallery in Bath will hold its spring reception May 15 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring work by the gallery’s 22 member artists. Centre Street Arts Gallery is at 11 Centre St., Bath. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Email centrestartsgalleryllc@gmail.com or call 207-442-0300 for more information.
Artemis Gallery in Northeast Harbor opens its 15th season with a group exhibition and reception on May 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. The show features work in stone sculpture by Obadiah Buell, woodblock print by Nicole Herz, oil paintings by Liddy Hubbell and David LaPalombara, photography by Parker Stewart and bronze sculpture by Rebekah […]
The Kittery Art Association, in collaboration with the York Public Library, presents “Eleven Views from Here,” on view May 2 through June 30 at the York Public Library, 15 Long Sands Road, York. An opening reception is May 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibition features selected works by 11 KAA artists representing the […]
The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland will open “By Design: The Worlds of Betsy James Wyeth” with a public reception on May 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. The exhibition runs May 2 through Oct. 16 in the Hadlock and Wyeth Study Center Galleries, with additional programming in the Wyeth Center from June 13 through […]
Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland is showing “5AM in the Pinewoods,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Joanna Logue, through May 9. Logue, a native of Australia who has lived on Mount Desert Island since 2017, takes inspiration from daily hikes in Acadia National Park near her home in Somesville. The changing colors of the […]
The Maine Crafts Association will present STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market on June 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Maine Studio Works, 170 Anderson St., Portland. The annual fundraising event celebrates Maine’s slow fashion designers, textile artists and makers. Six Maine-based designers will present original handcrafted wearable work in a live runway show […]
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