DARK SKIES L to R Ruth Gelsinger Megan Pinette Liv Kristin Robinson and Paula Carter Photo by Christopher Harley White
From left, Ruth Gelsinger, Megan Pinette, Liv Kristin Robinson and Paula Carter. Photo by Christopher Harley-White.

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 at the opening; it also gave UMVA some needed exposure in media, ranging from newspapers such as The Portland Press Herald and community websites, such as New England Living to local TV stations, such as News Center Maine in Portland. UMVA also got coverage from CH 5 up in Bangor.

DARK SKIES Nancy Hathaway and Arlene Jurewicz Leighton with her photograph
Nancy Hathaway and Arlene Jurewicz-Leighton with her photograph.

Over 30 artists participated in this dynamic exhibit, and according to Amy Tingle of Waterfall, the show enjoyed the highest number of artwork sales since she became Program Director at Waterfall.

Complimentary dark skies programming included guest speakers Nancy Hathaway of Dark Sky Maine; Elizabeth Dickerson of Maine Aurora Borealis Watch; and a presentation by John Meader of Northern Sky Planetarium with Serena Sanborn of Waterville Creates, about the need to preserve and cherish dark skies and reduce light pollution, for the health of the ecosystem. 

Additionally, the film “Wilfred Buck,” a hybrid documentary following the life of a charismatic and irreverent Cree elder who overcame a harrowing history by reclaiming ancestral star knowledge and ceremony, was shown at the Belfast Public Library.

Big congratulations to UMVA exhibition organizers Arlene Jurewicz Leighton (who suggested the dark skies theme), Liv Kristin Robinson and Emily Sabino. Special thanks to Nancy Hathaway of Dark Sky Maine and Amy Tingle and Katherine Devereux of Waterfall Arts, who helped make this second collaborative exhibition with UMVA a resounding success.