Maine Art Gallery features work by John Lorence and colleagues in ‘Acquired Symbols’

“Acquired Symbols” at the Maine Art Gallery features work by John Lorence and colleagues. All of the artists in the show have a connection with well-known Maine artist John Lorence.

The show, originally scheduled for 2020, evolved during a discussion among the participants, who agreed that art is often a symbolic expression of what is going on in the world around us.

Works in mixed-media, collage, sculpture, photography, pottery, drawing and painting reflect the worldly influences that affected Elliott Barowitz, Matt Blackwell, Fellice Boucher, Clara Cohan, Camille Cole, Sara Cox, Ellen Gutenkunst, Peter Haller, John Lorence, Jorge Pena, Patrick Plourde and Teresa Sullivan.

Lorence’s work, for instance, is grounded in his interest in the concept of time, the Earth, and how rocky landscapes remind us of our place in time. In the case of Ellen Gutekunst, her pieces are characterized by an intense visual perception transmitted through bold images and color.

Cohan’s wood carvings and sculpture reflect the artist’s life journey. Plourde’s current work, inspired by seeds and flowers, employs recycled vintage steel. Barowitz’s pieces deal with his view of city life and the personalities who inhabit them, while Blackwell’s inspired vision of America is highly expressive, characterized by lavishly imaginative paintings with a fairytale quality, sometimes offset by dark elements.

Sarah Cox depicts her natural surroundings through pattern and imagery. She works in porcelain, using the sgraffito method to etch imagery that creates a textured surface reminiscent of block prints. Boucher’s stunning photography exhibits a range of emotions that are as complex as they are ethereal. Haller’s work is expansive, where he explores the qualities and interactions of different materials. Pena’s work for this exhibit is inspired by indigenous rock art found in the Chiribiquete Natural Park in his native Colombia. He sees the link between indigenous creations and magical interpretations of human forms, fauna and flora.

The show opened June 12 and runs through July 17.

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. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Visit www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org for details.