The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) recently announced the appointment of Timothy Peterson as the museum’s next executive director and chief curator, effective Jan. 18, 2021. Peterson will succeed Suzette McAvoy, who will retire at the end of December after more than 10 years at the helm of CMCA.
“We are confident that Tim will not only elevate our mission of advancing Maine contemporary art but also ensure that CMCA evolves its vision, exhibitions and programs to continue to be vital and relevant in changing times,” stated Martha Jones, chair of the board of trustees. “With deep roots in contemporary art, Tim possesses the right combination of operational and curatorial expertise necessary to build upon Suzette’s exceptional legacy.”
Chosen after a national search, Peterson currently serves as the executive director of the Northfield Arts Guild, a multidiscipline arts organization in Northfield, Minnesota, which presents exhibitions, performances and education programs. He will bring to CMCA extensive organizational experience in which he has provided opportunities for artists, developed partnerships and programs, increased audience engagement, and delivered financial and administrative stability and growth.
“I am impressed by all Suzette McAvoy, the staff, and the board of trustees have accomplished, especially since opening CMCA’s stunning building in Rockland. Their vision and achievements pave the way for an exciting future,” Peterson said. “I am honored to join CMCA and to lead the institution forward as an exceptional and integral part of Maine’s cultural community. I am thrilled to work with the staff and board to expand the impact of Maine contemporary art on a local to international scale and to get to know CMCA’s community.”
Peterson’s prior positions include chief curator at the SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah, Georgia, and founding executive director and curator of Franklin Art Works, Minneapolis. Earlier in his career, Peterson was an assistant curator and program officer at the Lannan Foundation, Los Angeles, and served as an assistant in the curatorial department at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. He has been a guest curator at the Provincetown International Film Festival as well as an Adjunct Instructor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Tim earned an MA degree in the history of art from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, and a BA in studio art and art criticism from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. Throughout his career, he has curated over 130 exhibitions by contemporary artists including Nari Ward, Uta Barth, Kehinde Wiley, Alec Soth, Njideka Akunyili Crosby and Shinique Smith, to name a few.
McAvoy stated, “I could not be more pleased with Tim’s selection as the next leader of CMCA. His extensive curatorial and leadership experience, knowledge of contemporary art, and passion for working with living artists are exactly right for CMCA. I am excited to introduce him to the Maine art community and to be handing the reins of CMCA over to someone as qualified as Tim.”
Combined with his expertise in contemporary art, Peterson has a strong interest in community engagement and diversity. He is enthusiastic about building upon and expanding his relationships with Maine artists and experiencing the Midcoast region and way of life.
For more information, go to https://cmcanow.org.
Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland is featuring “IDK,” an exhibition of paintings by Tollef Runquist that explores the intersection of personal reflection, archetypes, fantasy and play. Runquist’s paintings combine images and symbols drawn from lived experience, emotional landscapes and cultural influences, creating an intuitive dialogue between imagery and meaning. “My work explores a space where […]
Meetinghouse Arts in Freeport is presenting a full schedule of fall exhibitions and performances, including a members show, a collaborative exhibition by longtime artist friends Tim Sample and Linda Rowell-Kelley and several concerts. The gallery’s fall members exhibition, “Nature’s Palette: Art Inspired by the Season,” will remain on view through Oct. 18. Featuring paintings, drawings, […]
Local Color Gallery in Belfast will feature printmaker, collage artist and sculptor Jeff Wahlstrom from Oct. 19 to Nov. 22. An Art Walk reception will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 23, with an artist talk at 5 p.m. Based in Bangor, Wahlstrom creates block prints and watercolor collages inspired by the natural […]
Women Eco Artists Dialog (WEAD), based in Berkeley, California, is accepting submissions for its 2027 members exhibition, “Prototyping Futures of Making: Water, Data, and Living Systems.” The exhibition will explore the relationships among water, data, ecological systems and emerging technologies, asking how artists can engage with living systems as sites of collaboration, construction and consequence. […]
Triangle Gallery in Rockland is presenting three exhibitions through Oct. 31, including an extended solo exhibition by Carter Wentworth, a group fiber arts show and a fall exhibition of work by gallery artists. Wentworth’s “Sound of Rain Crossing the Lake” will remain on view in the upstairs gallery through the end of October. “Interwoven,” a […]
Waterfall Arts in Belfast will present “Found in Translation,” a mixed-media exhibition featuring Maine artists Deborah Jellison, JoAnne Houlsen and John LeBlanc, from Oct. 23 to Nov. 28. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 23. The exhibition brings together three artist friends whose work explores familiar Maine landscapes, objects […]
Courthouse Gallery Fine Art in Ellsworth is presenting “Form Meets Surface,” an exhibition highlighting porcelain ceramics by potter Mark Bell and collaborative works created with painter William Irvine. The artists, both established in their respective fields, have worked together since 2015 to create porcelain vases and plates that combine Bell’s ceramic forms with Irvine’s painted […]
Barn Gallery in Ogunquit concluded its 2026 exhibition season Oct. 12, but the venue will continue to welcome visitors for two performances in the 19th annual Elizabeth Dunaway Burnham Piano Festival. Pianist, composer and vocalist Zahili Zamora will return to Ogunquit with her Afro Cuban Jazz Trio for a performance from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. […]
The Brunswick Guild Fine Craft Show will return to the historic Fort Andross Mill in Brunswick on Oct. 24 and 25, celebrating its 10th season with work by 40 juried Maine craft artists. Presented by Shop Maine Craft, the indoor show will feature basketry, ceramics, decorative and wearable fiber art, furniture, glass, jewelry, mixed media, […]
Receive news and information about Maine artists and events delivered right to your inbox.