Music, juggling, rain at season’s last Wiscasset Art Walk

Fri, 09/27/2019 - 8:15am

The art of Wiscasset Middle High School students was featured Thursday night, Sept. 26 at the final Wiscasset Art Walk of the year. The students’ work was displayed alongside a colorful community weaving project at 64 Main St.

There were pen and ink drawings to enjoy, interesting block prints and original watercolors. One piece that caught the eye was a ceramic sculpture crafted by student Enya Waterbury depicting a tree with a lantern hanging from its branches. Waterbury said she used four different color glazes in her work, which took four days to make. The lantern was lit by a small bulb behind it.

Student Ellery Downing had a digital photograph showing a tree with pink blossoms bursting in full bloom. Other pictures included a closeup of a full moon, several waterfront scenes and, in keeping with the autumn season, a still life of a pumpkin.

WMHS art teacher Shalimar Chassé organized the exhibit and was there to answer questions. Visitors enjoying the artwork were treated to David Lawlor playing jazz music on an electric guitar.

In the rear of the room, Nancy and Wally Roby of Wiscasset were weaving a colorful strand for the eclectic tapestry of the Community Weaving Project. During the art walks, visitors took turns braiding strands of beads, buttons, bangles and fabrics that then were woven into a plastic orange construction fencing. Wiscasset Art Walk organizer Lucia Droby plans to feature the completed tapestry at wiscassetartwalk.org, including pictures and the names of those who helped make it. Plans are to display the tapestry at Wiscasset Community Center, First Congregational Church and other places around town.

Droby said the rain forced all of the night’s entertainment indoors, including professional juggler Andrew Silver.

The Westbrook native was entertaining visitors and patrons of Treats on the corner of Main and Middle streets. He was juggling clubs when the Wiscasset Newspaper reporter caught up with him. Silver said he has juggled professionally for seven years and loves his job. He recently returned from a year-long adventure at sea as a performer with German cruise line Aida Cruises. Stops included many European ports and the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, he said.

Katie McCormick of Portland-based Crush Distributors provided wine tasting at Treats.

A block away, visitors of Sylvan Gallery on Water Street were entertained by the delightful harp playing of Torren Nehrboss, a student of musician Suki Flanagan of Alna.

Droby said this summer’s art walks were well attended in spite of challenges posed by Maine Department of Transportation’s downtown construction project. “Next year the construction will be finished and we’ll have those new beautiful, much wider brick sidewalks to enjoy,” said Droby who plans to return as one of the event’s organizers.

The leading sponsors of this summer’s Wiscasset Art Walk were Donna and Frank Barnako of Wiscasset. Other sponsors included Ames True Value, Big Barn Coffee, Carl M.P. Larrabee Agency, Carriage House Gardens, Emotions in Writing, Fogg Art Restoration, Peter H. Eaton & Joan Brownstein Antiques, Red’s Eats, and Wiscasset Woods Lodge; with additional sponsors BIRCH and Rock Paper Scissors.