Early Summer Gallery show, Summer Pleasures, opens Friday July 1st and will be up through August 27th 2021.
Join Archipelago as we celebrate the summer with new and returning Maine artists in the Gallery. “Summer Pleasures” will open with a reception during July’s First Friday art walk from 5 – 8 p.m. We hope to see you then!
Artists work will be loading to the website soon. In the meantime, here are a few images to engage your interest.
Jeff Barrett, Monroe -
Using recycled wood from barns and sheds, along with found objects and hand-forged metal, Jeff crafts each piece one at a time. At Whistling Bird Designs in Monroe, he works diligently and lovingly on his eco-friendly line of wood carvings and sculpture. “These are my versions of antique paintings, vintage weathervanes, and my theater sets featuring fish, birds, dogs and cats, whales and ships as the actors in my folk art and wood sculptures. I have a whale of a good time making them and hope you enjoy!”
John Bisignano
John was born In Newark New Jersey, in 1929, into a family of 12 brothers and sisters.
After a career in design and teaching, he moved to Maine to devote full time to his art. John worked in mediums including collage, sculpture, acrylics & photography. John constantly explored the relationship between color, light and form. He has created multitudinous works that includes landscape, seascape and still life. John was a master colorist. Through the use of color he brings the elements of surprise and delight to his work.
Archipelago will be showing his paintings, collages, prints and large wood inlay pieces that are celebrations of a well-lived life. All proceeds from sales go to the John Bisignano fund through the Maine Community Foundation. John’s heartfelt wish in life was to create a foundation for aspiring young artists who do not have the resources for college and this fund is set up for that purpose.
Holly Brooks, Portland -
"I have always loved art. There are a number of ingredients, as artists know, that go into the magic of it, such as color relationships, composition, positive and negative shapes and value contrast. Ultimately, it is a way of saying 'This is what I was looking at or thinking of and appreciating, and here it is in the way I captured it in my vocabulary.'"
Randy Fein, Lincolnville -
Randy Fein is an accomplished ceramic sculptor and well-known arts educator who has a 30-year history of leading community inspired workshops in both public and private schools. Archipelago will be showing a range of her work from her unique wall relief sculpture, hand painted plates and mugs, and large sculptural yet functional vases. Her expressive work features lively creatures that live in the sea, some of them mythical.
“Clay is my material of expression. It inspires touch, while offering infinite possibilities. I work in the moment and my hands are my tools. I pinch, push, and press clay seeking to discover the life hidden within a shapeless lump of mud. Over the years, I have mastered the challenges of finding my way with clay. A four-decade fascination creating Fein-art in clay keeps my imagination engaged with the limitless creative process"
Michele O’Keefe, Vinalhaven -
“As the Vinalhaven Ferry grinds across Penobscot Bay into a breathtaking expanse of sky and sea; the silhouettes of islands take shape on the horizon. And I am reminded of what a privilege it is to live and create art on the island of Vinalhaven -15 miles out to sea. Being here brings the essentials of life and art into sharp focus-especially during Covid. The working waterfront, the resilience of island families, the beauty of the environment, or perhaps a magnificent seagull, all come to the fore in my work. To treasure, document, and preserve, glimpses of what makes this island unique, motivates the choice of my subject matter and my art.”
Wayne Robbins, Bath –
Robbins’ appreciation of the innate beauty of wood helps him design pieces that maximize the beauty and grace of both the medium and the subject. He chooses from a variety of native and exotic woods. By selecting a wood that complements his subject, a synergy results that informs and guides his creative process. For finishes, Robbins uses various combinations of oils and waxes to give the sculpture that “almost wet” look as well as a feeling that is silky-smooth to touch. He welcomes admirers to touch his creations so they can experience the full sensual awareness of his art.
Robbins’ representational style depicts the natural grace and beauty of the creatures he loves. Sculpture sizes range from two inches to four feet, in both wall mounts and freestanding compositions. Each sculpture is unique and identified for its species, numbered, dated and signed by the artist.
The sea’s breathtaking beauty and its infinite varieties of flora and fauna are constant reminders that we must respect and help sustain the lifeblood of our planet. Wayne Robbins’ mission, through his teaching and art, is to share his passion for the sea and to inspire responsible stewardship of the Earth’s fragile ecosystem
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