MAG WHIMSEY
Artist Carolyn Gabbe, humorist Tim Sample, show curator Matthew Barter and Maine Art Gallery board chair Richard Riese enjoy the opening reception for “Whimsy: Flights of Fancy.” Photo by Bob Bond.

Sometimes the best art exhibitions happen when curators trust their instincts about what makes people smile. That philosophy drove Matthew Barter’s selection process for “Whimsy: Flights of Fancy,” which opened to an enthusiastic crowd at Maine Art Gallery on a decidedly soggy May 10.

The exhibition’s success lies in Barter’s sophisticated understanding of whimsy as an artistic concept. Rather than settling for mere novelty, he sought works that possessed what he calls “substance with a carefree feeling” – art that channels the lightness of Chagall while maintaining intellectual depth. The result is a collection of 49 artists working across multiple mediums, each contributing to a conversation about joy, surprise, and the transformative power of creative play.

Tim Sample’s participation adds another layer to the exhibition’s exploration of Maine’s creative ecosystem. Known primarily as a humorist, Sample’s inclusion of his line art illustrations reveals the interconnected nature of creative expression in Maine, where boundaries between disciplines blur in productive ways. His reflection on curiosity as “the key to living” resonates throughout the gallery, where visitors encounter works that invite prolonged engagement rather than quick consumption.

The show’s success — evidenced by the elbow-to-elbow crowd despite rainy weather — suggests a community hunger for art that celebrates rather than critiques, that invites participation rather than passive observation. Artist Carol Wiley’s comment about seeing “different artists from the ones I often see” points to the exhibition’s role in expanding artistic conversations beyond established circles.

An upcoming artist talk, “Collage: The Sum of its Parts,” scheduled for June 5 at 4 p.m., will feature Robin Brooks, Christine Covert, Jillian Herrigel, and Catherine Worthington discussing their contributions to this medium that, as the gallery notes, “appears to be more accessible to those of us who don’t consider ourselves artists in the traditional sense.”

The exhibition continues through June 15. Gallery hours: Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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. Visit www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org for details.