Archipelago is celebrating not only Maine's Bicentennial and its own 20th anniversary but Maine's working waterfronts with this show, 20 Miles. For centuries Maine’s working waterfronts have served as the critical connection between communities and the sea. They have helped craft this State’s sense of identity and reflect the bold and determined character of the men and women who work on the water each day. From ship-building to shipping and from aquaculture to lobstering, these iconic places scattered along our coast ignite in us a feeling that connects to something deeper; connects us to a way of life where one person, a boat, and a place to land it can craft a deep and sustaining connection for their community.
- It is estimated that there exists fewer than 20 miles of working waterfront remaining along Maine’s more than 5000-mile coastline. Only 17% of these working waterfronts are protected by the State’s Waterfront Access Protection Program. As of 2019, the value of Maine seafood (aquaculture and wild harvest) was just under $674 million dollars.
- The total impact of the $674 million dollars on the State’s broader economy extends into the billions of dollars, all of which relies on the Maine’s working waterfronts.
This show will be in the Archipelago Fine Arts Gallery from August 7 through September 27th. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Saturday 10 - 4. To preview some of the pieces, visit our Facebook Gallery.
This show features Susan Tobey White's collection of paintings and stories of women and girls who fish the Maine coast. In 2019 out of 4500 licensed commercial lobstermen 215 were women. Lobstering Women of Maine has a ‘Strength of Women’ interest, a lobstering education piece, traditions of Maine, family and heritage. The women are from the coast and islands of Maine from Wells to Corea Harbor.
My idea to create these paintings began with watching Suzanna unload traps onto a snow dusted dock on late November. I was amazed at her strength and how hard she was working taking on the full responsibility of a sternman. As a wife
of a part time commercial fisherman I am well aware of the work involved. I realized I have painted many men lobstering, but, never women. This simple thought developed into this whole series. A past student of mine now fishes out of Rockport. When she heard of the painting I had made of Susanna she led me to more women. As I learned the stories of these women I realized this is about much more than fishing. It has a strength of women interest, a lobstering education piece ( each
painting illustrates an aspect of lobstering), traditions of Maine, family and heritage. The women are from the coast and islands of Maine from Wells to Corea Harbor.
I feel honored to represent these women by creating their portraits and telling their stories. ~Susan
For more information about Susan's series Lobstering Women of Maine, read this article from the Working Waterfront.
Other Featured Artists:
Abe Goodale
Born in 1985 on a working sheep farm in Montville, Maine, Abe Goodale grew up with a connection to the land, a curiosity of people and a passion for creativity. He studied ceramics and experiential education at university and spent the past dozen years working internationally as an artist and wilderness guide. He recently returned home to focus on a project closely connected to the local waters he grew up on.
As an artist, Abe seeks to capture his audience on an intimate level of reflection and sincerity. Through representational watercolors he creates paintings that both reflect and respect the individuals he encounters. Abe begins within the eyes of a person and gradually brings them to life while presenting not only a portrait but also an individual who tells a story and engages with the viewer in an authentic way. He demonstrates accurate representation of his subjects, while also allowing the medium to speak. Thus, his work joins methods of precision and control with the freedom of water and abstraction.
Following in the footsteps of his great-great-grandfather Charles Dana Gibson, Abe focuses on portraiture and the representation of an era. His deep passion for the arts and anthropology inspire him to look at the way humans engage with one another and the surrounding environment. He sees the arts as a platform to instigate change, to preserve culture, and provide visually enticing images that may document a way of living in an ever-changing world.
Andre Benoit
Val Aponik
“I am passionate about painting outdoors. Witnessing the color, form and light of a place that is changing, in motion and musical allows me to move out of the lines. I see spots of color and shape, that when laid down next to each other represent the whole. There is an urgency when painting outdoors to lay down the paint boldly, before it all changes. Whether it is a grand landscape or a celebration of the everyday, my work is a response to being present. Time stops at these moments for me. When the painting works, you can enjoy the tracks of paint and share my point of view.”
Valerie Aponik has been painting for over 30 years. She lives with her husband , Paul (who designs and builds her frames) and dog, Ruby on Great Wass Island in Beals, Maine in the summer and in Phillips, Maine during the winter. After moving to Maine in 1976 to “live off the land”, she received her AD in Nursing and BS from the University of Maine in Farmington. A non-traditional student of art, she has studied with Colin Page, Stuart Shils, T Allen Lawson, Louise Bourne and Lois Griffel.
Aponik’s work is shown at Star Gallery in Northeast Harbor, Blue Hill Bay Gallery in Blue Hill, Woodwind Gallery in Machias, Nelson Decoy Gallery in Jonesport, Archipelago in Rockland and Roux and Cyr International Fine Art Gallery in Portland.
Laurel Averill grew up in Georgetown and Edgecomb, Maine. She holds a B.S. from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA where she studied Ecology and ceramics. She is currently a brushwork artist at Georgetown Pottery. Laurel resides in Edgecomb with her husband and two young children, Oliver and Azalea.
