Neal Hughes & Crista Pisano: A Shared History at Sylvan Gallery

Sylvan Gallery celebrates its 25th anniversary season with the sixth annual exhibition of work by Neal Hughes and Crista Pisano, opening Friday, August 21, and continuing through Sunday, September 27. The exhibition features recent paintings inspired by the artists’ favorite Maine locations, along with work created during plein air competitions throughout the country.

For Sylvan Gallery owner Ann Scanlan, the exhibition is particularly meaningful. Both artists have a long history with the gallery, and over the years those professional relationships have grown into lasting friendships. Their annual exhibition has become a tradition that brings them back to Maine each August to paint, spend time with friends, and create new work for Sylvan Gallery. A reception to meet the artists will be held Thursday, August 27, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., during the Wiscasset Art Walk. The exhibition will be presented alongside new work by artists from the gallery’s regular roster of contemporary fine artists.

 

Crista Pisano’s relationship with Ann and her late husband, Rick Scanlan, began shortly after Pisano received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the New York Academy Graduate School of Figurative Art in Manhattan. The Scanlans first encountered her work at an exhibition at the Lyme Art Association in Old Lyme, Connecticut. At the time, they had recently opened a gallery in Clinton, Connecticut, and were immediately drawn to Pisano’s ability to capture the essence and atmosphere of a scene on an intimate scale. Many of her paintings measured only 4 x 4 or 4 x 8 inches—and sometimes even smaller.

“Small, yet expansive in impact,” the Scanlans were charmed by Pisano’s work and invited her to join the gallery’s roster of artists. When the gallery relocated to Wiscasset in 2012, Pisano came with it. Several years later, Neal Hughes inquired about representation at Sylvan Gallery. Already well known for his maritime paintings, Hughes had been coming to Maine for years to paint its coastline, islands, harbors, and working boats.

Ann immediately felt that Hughes would be a natural fit for the gallery. His paintings strike a balance between careful observation and poetic interpretation, while his depictions of historic and contemporary sailing craft reveal a particular understanding of the boats that boating enthusiasts recognize and appreciate. The two artists met during a plein air competition in Easton, Maryland. Pisano recalls that when she began competing in national plein air competitions, Ann encouraged her to introduce herself to another artist who was participating in many of the same events: Neal Hughes.

“Neal and I became best buddies,” Pisano says, “and Ann started a tradition by having an annual exhibit for us at the gallery.” Their friendship grew through years of shared experiences at week-long painting competitions along the East Coast and elsewhere in the country. Each August, they set aside several weeks to return to Maine, paint its iconic coastline, spend time with friends, and create new work for their annual Sylvan Gallery exhibition. “I am so grateful to Ann for always believing in me and for introducing me to Neal,” Pisano says. “A very exciting thing this year is my first time visiting and painting on Monhegan Island with Neal and other painter friends before our annual reception in Wiscasset.” For Pisano, the experience of arriving on Monhegan was immediately profound. “A good friend of mine calls this place ‘catnip to artists,’ and it’s the truth,” she says. “The minute I stepped off the ferry I could almost feel the ghosts of artists past who have painted here and walked the dirt paths with their gear and wet paintings. It’s overwhelming to be here, and I will definitely return to Monhegan next year to paint. Sometimes, coming to a place like this, you have to take it all in and think about it for another year, and then come back and paint it.” Pisano is excited to bring the first paintings she created on Monhegan Island to this year’s exhibition. Hughes shares Pisano’s deep affection for Maine. “Being represented by Sylvan Gallery in Wiscasset, Maine, is both an honor and an inspiration,” he says. “A strong gallery gives an artist more than a place to hang paintings—it creates a community of artists who share a deep appreciation for the beauty and character of Maine.”

To Hughes, Maine offers an endless source of inspiration. “Its rugged coastline, quiet harbors, working boats, rocky islands, changing weather, and distinctive light offer an endless source of inspiration. The landscape is constantly changing, yet it retains a timeless character that invites artists to return again and again.” Monhegan Island has long been one of Hughes’ favorite places to paint in Maine. During his time on the island this August, he is teaching a plein air painting workshop and creating new work that will be fresh from the easel and added to the exhibition in time for the August 27 reception. Among the larger paintings in the exhibition is Hughes’ “Harbor Glow” (Rockland, Maine), measuring 24 x 30 inches. The painting captures the harbor in the warm light of late day, with the hillside and waterfront buildings glowing against the cooler, shadowed greens and violets of the surrounding trees. The sailboats resting in the harbor are rendered in cool blues and violets, while the water below reflects both the deep colors of the landscape and the brilliant golden light of the sunlit buildings and foliage above. Hughes’ impressionistic brushwork gives the entire scene a sense of movement and atmosphere.

Hughes and Pisano will be at Sylvan Gallery for a reception Thursday, August 27, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the Wiscasset Art Walk. For more information, call Ann Scanlan at 882-8290 or visit www.sylvangallery.com. Follow Sylvan Gallery on Instagram and Facebook for exhibition updates. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, 11:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m. Monday is by chance or appointment. Sylvan Gallery is located at 49 Water Street in Wiscasset, at the corner of Main (Route 1) and Water Streets, next to Red’s Eats.