Established in 2010, The Maine Museum of Photographic Arts is the only museum in Maine dedicated exclusively to photography.
Dear Friends of the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts,
What a transformative year 2024 has been for MMPA. As we reflect on the past twelve months, we’re struck by the extraordinary level of artistry, scholarship and engagement community that has passed through our doors.
Our exhibition program reached new heights this year, showcasing exceptional talent including our current exhibition, American Bedroom by Barbara Peacock, which is being featured by 207 television. We’re particularly proud that our artists have captured significant media attention, with Eugene Cole featured in the Bangor Daily News, Joyce Tenneson on WABI 5, and Barbara in The Forecaster and Portland Press Herald. To complement our exhibitions, we’ve established partnerships with Radius Books and MWEditions, bringing carefully curated monographs that enhance the artwork on our walls.
This year brought meaningful growth to our organization. We welcomed new board member Caroline Savage, whose expertise in organizational administration, grant writing and arts leadership is already strengthening our foundation. We’re also delighted to announce our first staff addition -Michelle Kane, a talented SMCC undergraduate who has streamlined our operations and will soon begin working with our collection.
Our programming evolved thoughtfully this year. What began as Print Night- our spring initiative celebrating works on paper- has transformed into a comprehensive philosophy that now infuses everything we do. We’ve invested in our space with new flat files, chairs, and lighting to better serve this mission.
Like many cultural institutions, we faced our share of challenges. October brought an unexpected flood from the residential units above, forcing us to temporarily close during our Energy in Flux exhibition, which featured some of Maine’s most accomplished photographers. While the closure was difficult, it prompted valuable reflection on our mission and sustainability. After 15 years of operation, this moment of pause proved instrumental in clarifying our path forward.
As we look toward 2025, we remain deeply optimistic despite the broader challenges facing the global art world. We’ve emerged stronger, more focused, and more committed than ever to our mission. We can’t wait to share our exciting plans when we reopen after winter break in April.
None of this would be possible without you – our visitors, patrons, and supporters. Your encouragement and participation sustain us and inspire us to reach higher. From our first exhibition of the year featuring Paula Tognarelli’s Collection through our holiday celebrations with the Baxter Society, you’ve been there every step of the way.
With gratitude and best wishes for 2025,
Denise Froehlich
Director, Maine Museum of Photographic Arts
Join award-winning painter Terri Brooks for “Figures in Pastels,” a workshop designed for experienced pastel artists. Working from a live, costumed model, participants will refine their ability to capture the human form using layered pastel techniques. The class will focus on essential life-drawing skills, using light and shadow to define facial structure and form through […]
The Deer Isle Artists Association announces the March Artist-in-Residence Program on March 4 with artist David McBeth. McBeth is a potter, working primarily with porcelain that is high-fired and ready for the dining table. Additionally, he is a knitter, whose preferred material is wool yarn. A true renaissance man, lately McBeth is also a writer, […]
Established in 2010, The Maine Museum of Photographic Arts is the only museum in Maine dedicated exclusively to photography. Dear Friends of the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts, What a transformative year 2024 has been for MMPA. As we reflect on the past twelve months, we’re struck by the extraordinary level of artistry, scholarship and […]
The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) presents its winter season with the unveiling of two new thought-provoking exhibitions and held an opening reception on Feb. 1. New exhibitions that opened Feb. 1: “The Sun, Trying to Disappear” is a show that speaks of entanglement. The images in this exhibition flutter between icons and mistrusted […]
Crescendo is about reaching new heights, riding the waves of life, climbing peaks, looking up to the zenith, witnessing the culmination of a project, peering over the crest, feeling the surge of emotions. 2025 is a 9 year in numerology, marked by a crescendo of power and experience, acclimation and completion, and new beginnings. Artists […]
Joseph Fiore (1925-2008) was a widely respected artist and active member of the Maine Art Gallery during the 1960s and ‘70s. In celebration of the 100th year of his birth, the gallery is partnering with Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) on an exclusive and overdue major retrospective, “Fiore at 100: Maine Observed.” The show runs June […]
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 […]
In March the Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery will host its first abstract contemporary artist as its featured artist of the month. Jeanne Maguire, a Maine-based abstract artist, will be the First Friday artist on March 7. Maguire’s show is titled “Feminine Archetypes” and her work is vibrant and expressive, capturing the emotion […]
Youth Art Month is right around the corner. Show your support and celebrate the young artists in this year’s youth show, “Healing Through Color,” on view March 6 to 9. Students from all instructional levels will be featured in the show, which emphasizes the importance of visual arts, creative expression, and access to the arts […]
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