Maine Art Gallery in Wiscasset hosts environmental programs with ‘Song of the Wild’

In conjunction with its current exhibition, “Song of the Wild,” Maine Art Gallery in Wiscasset hosted two programs relating to the environment: a talk by Sarah Gladu of Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust and a panel discussion on creative inspiration provided by the natural world.

Gladu, Coastal Rivers’ community science director, presented “The Impact of Air” July 11. Using photos of flora and fauna from artwork in the show, Gladu explored how air — and the things in it, including light, moisture and pollution — affect the landscape. She discussed the shapes of trees, the ways pollen is transferred from flower to flower and the patterns clouds make in the sky, as well as the reciprocity between air and mountains, owl feathers and flower anthers.

Gladu has worked in environmental education since 1992 and was hired by Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust in 2005. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental policy from Brandeis University and a master’s degree in environmental learning and leadership from the University of Minnesota.

The gallery also hosted “Nature as Muse” on July 16, a panel discussion exploring how the natural world inspires creative individuals representing three artistic fields.

Emily Sabino, whose artwork is part of the exhibition and who served as co-curator, is a visionary naturalist painter whose work expresses an elemental connection with plants, trees, creatures, water and the sky.

“My paintings celebrate harmonious human interaction with the natural world. I am especially fascinated by plants as evolutionary catalysts, inspiring humans to expand into healthier ways of being, in sync with the natural cycles and rhythms of the earth,” Sabino said.

Jonathan Lavan is a photographer, citizen scientist and wildlife expert. He has been scuba diving for 30 years and taking photographs above and below the waterline for the past decade. He has been a teacher, research associate and speaker for environmental organizations and leads diving, photography and naturalist trips around the world.

“Nature has been my muse since I was a small child snorkeling around the rocks in the shallow waters of Lake Kezar in Lovell, Maine looking for snapping turtles and their kin. To this day, sharing my discoveries of the natural world with others has giving me no end of personal satisfaction and joy,” Lavan said.

Kay Tobler Liss is the author of two literary novels that center on the human connection to the natural world. She also writes a monthly Nature Journal online and has taught nature studies to children and classes on nature poets, essayists and novelists to adults.

“Nature has been my primary inspiration since I was a young girl, out in the woods writing poetry. I try to convey the interconnectedness of all life in my writing, and how nature can not only be a source of beauty and solace but of personal transformation and expanding compassion for all life,” Liss said.

The gallery thanked Sherri Dunbar of Tim Dunham Realty and Ames True Value Hardware for being season and capital sponsors, respectively, and Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust for serving as the exhibition sponsor.

The Maine Art Gallery is at 15 Warren St., Wiscasset. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. For more information, go to www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org.