Maine Art Gallery founders to mentors
Wiscasset’s Maine Art Gallery

Wiscasset’s Maine Art Gallery continues to grow in membership and statewide recognition with an exhibit and program season that highlights the influences of early members and provides more opportunities for contemporary artists.

From April to October the gallery will be filled with work that showcases the importance of artistic legacy. The exhibitions will include youth art, two shows of work by member artists, a plein air event, and a juried show based on a theme. Each show will include a reception with the artists, and many will offer artists’ talks.

The 2024 season begins in April with a K-12 Wiscasset Public Schools Student Art Show on three weekends. The first floor of the gallery will present works by the students and their teachers. At the same time, the second floor will hold “Generations: The Legacy of Mentors,” an exhibit of Maine Art Gallery artists from the 1950s and ‘60s, accompanied by select artists they influenced, from April 13 to 28.

In May, “Generations: The Legacy of Mentors” continues on the second floor concurrently with a first floor exhibit of work by Maine Art Gallery member artists whose statements describe their mentors and their influences, on view May 2 to June 9.

With June’s warmer temperatures, the gallery presents “Paint it! Wiscasset,” an annual plein-air event. The artists will have a week to complete paintings throughout Lincoln County. One day of that week will be devoted to painting within the village. At the same time, the second floor will hold “Drawn to Maine: Contemporary Drawing and Printmaking,” a juried show from June 13 to July 21 of artistic expressions in a variety of drawing and printmaking processes. 

Beginning in mid-summer, recent work by the artist members of the gallery will be shown in “Made in Maine: Annual Members Show.” This show, which runs July 25 to Sept. 8, will include a wide variety of mediums as well as representational and non-objective approaches in a range of techniques.

The season ends with “Nocturne,” Sept. 12 to Oct. 20, which features works of fine art that portray evening or night, a theme that began to be explored by American artists who were influenced by James McNeil Whistler’s nocturne series in the late 1800s. This juried show will feature work that explores the theme in all mediums and styles.

Calls for art will be sent approximately two months prior to each exhibit opening. Now is a good time for artists and art lovers to join the Maine Art Gallery or renew membership. Members receive discounts, priority notice, and additional opportunities for showing their art. Visit maineartgallerywiscasset.org to join, renew or donate.

The Maine Art Gallery thanks season sponsor Sherri Dunbar, Tim Dunham Realty, and program sponsors Ames True Value, First National Bank, Les Fossel Restorations, Barnes Custom Window Treatment and Red’s Eats.

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. Thursday through Sunday. Visit www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org for details.