“A treat for the eyes and the heart,” remarked visitor Caroline Janover of Damariscotta about the exhibition “Fiore at 100: Maine Observed,” which opened at the Maine Art Gallery on June 21. The Wiscasset gallery is marking the 100th anniversary of the artist who was an active member in the 1960s and 1970s and a summer resident of Jefferson.
This landmark show is presented in partnership with The Maine Farmland Trust, the recipient of a large collection of Fiore’s paintings upon his death in 2008. Fiore was an avid environmentalist and also deeded some of his Jefferson land in conservation easements to Midcoast Conservancy. The show is accompanied by a juried member component of landscapes on the second floor. Artists from Freeport to Belfast, and many towns in-between, are represented. All the art in the show is for sale.
Fiore’s art, which comprises both representational and abstract modes, is unusual in this regard, said another opening attendee, Peter Fogg. “How he evolved from an abstract artist to a more representational artist later on, is fascinating to me. Often the artistic trajectory is the other way around.”
Curator David Dewey, a former student of Fiore’s at the Philadelphia College of Art and a noted Maine watercolorist, said these different approaches sometimes merged later in Fiore’s career and resulted in rich evocations of the Maine landscape.
Looking at one of Fiore’s delicate landscapes, Marion Mundy said, “I’m inspired to delve into my own artistic explorations from seeing these beautiful oils and watercolors.”
Fiore studied at the famed Black Mountain College under Josef Albers and Willem de Kooning and was a member of the 10th Street art scene in New York City in the late ’50s and ’60s, showing with the likes of Alex Katz, Lois Dodd, and Bernard Langlais, who also migrated to Maine. His work is in the National Gallery of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, among other fine museums and galleries.
A number of events are planned in conjunction with the show.
An art talk, for example, was presented June 26.
The Maine Art Gallery is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement and preservation of painting, sculpture and graphic arts through exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations and educational programs for children and adults. The gallery is located at 15 Warren St., Wiscasset. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Visit www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org for details.
Cove Street is honored to present a virtual exhibition of work by Harold Garde (June 7, 1923 to Oct. 11, 2022), featuring a focused selection of his strappos alongside examples from a career that spanned seven decades and made a significant, if often under-recognized contribution to Post-War American art. All works featured in the virtual […]
“‘Under a Swift Sunrise’ is less about arrival than about the yearning to arrive; to glimpse, if only momentarily, a far green country that exists somewhere between what is remembered and what is imagined.” — Nathaniel Meyer “Under a Swift Sunrise” gathers a series of island paintings that hover between memory and invention, myth and […]
CMCA’s 2025 Biennial will be on view from Oct. 4 through Jan. 11, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1978 and stands as the longest running survey of contemporary art by artists with ties to Maine. This edition features 29 artists selected from a pool of more than 450 applicants by jurors Keith Fox, […]
Deena Ball will lead the workshop Watercolor Meets Wood: Painting on Birch Panels from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 31. In this innovative workshop, students will learn to combine traditional watercolor techniques with modern watercolor grounds on birchwood panels. Begin by applying watercolor grounds to create a richly textured underpainting that serves as the […]
Local Color Gallery is pleased to welcome back guest artist Sandra Huck whose work will be on display from Jan. 21 through Feb. 21 at the gallery in Belfast. Huck will talk about her work, “Conversations with Found Objects,” at this month’s Art Walk reception, which runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Jan. 23. Huck […]
“What Came Before: The Power of Forgotten Artworks” is on view from Dec. 3 to Jan. 10 at Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth. A reception was held on Dec. 3. “What Came Before” offers a rare glimpse into the formative stages of an artist’s creative journey. The exhibition highlights early artworks by a diverse group of […]
Dear Friends, we loved sharing our 2025 Season with you. It was filled with wonderful art, engaging conversation and special events. We continued our community outreach with our Annual Student Show in May and the Open Regional Juried Show in July. Our lively Ogunquit Art Association Auction was held, as usual, on the first Saturday […]
Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland will be closed Dec. 24 and 25, as well as Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The group show “Offshore Winter” runs Nov. 7 to Dec. 27, featuring work by Tollef Runquist, Scott Kelley and Anna B. McCoy. Painting, for Tollef Runquist, is an undertaking of appreciation and inquiry, a means […]
George Marshall Store Gallery will host an Open House on Dec. 5, 5-7pm and December 6, 10am-4pm to kick off the holiday season. Join us for festive sips & snacks, lights twinkling, tunes spinning, and original works by more than 30 New England artists (most under $500.) Come to shop or just gather in good […]
Receive news and information about Maine artists and events delivered right to your inbox.
