Oysters, guitars and ‘18th century Gatorade’: Wiscasset Art Walk, July edition

SUSAN JOHNS
Sun, 07/28/2019 - 8:30am
Lincoln County Historical Association’s Perry Palmer greets Wiscasset Art Walk goers July 25. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Wiscasset’s Betsy Kyle and fellow Garden Club of Wiscasset member Linda Belmont chat at the club’s stand of freshly made bouquets. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Presley Crommett. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Lucas Myers of O’ Oysters serves Wiscasset’s Sally Gemmill. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
From left, Gina Bartlow of Raymond, New Hampshire and friends Kathy Berkeley of Chester, New Hampshire and Peggy Moore of Auburn. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

    On Main Street July 25, Perry Palmer shared with Wiscasset Art Walk goers a drink that cooled off 1700s families, including the members out haying with scythes.

    That was very hot work, said Palmer, in a wide-brimmed leghorn hat and other reproduction, 18th century dress as she sat at a Lincoln County Historical Association table. The LCHA trustee skipped the stays – a corset-like garment with boning and several layers.

    “That would have been way hotter.”

    The drink, called switchel or haymaker, was water, cider vinegar, molasses and ginger; it was refreshing, easily digested and, unbeknownst to families then, it had electrolytes, Palmer said. “It’s 18th century Gatorade!”

    Around the corner onto Middle Street, Wiscasset’s Sally Gemmill, attending with her visiting niece, Pam Sutherland of Richmond, Virginia, was enjoying an oyster from the food cart O’ Oysters. Lucas Myers has had the cart at the walk three years and will return for next month’s, weather permitting, he said. He wants the oyster to become a staple food, not high end only, he said.

    Myers also likes supporting Maine’s harvesters and, at the walk, he likes seeing many of the sane people each time. “It’s almost like a reunion.”

    Sutherland, an art teacher, said the art walks back home are from gallery to gallery, without a lot of other features like Wiscasset’s has. “This is a different pace. I love it.”

    Maine Art Gallery member Cecilia Ludwig was displaying works including one of hers, a plein air oil painting she did in Harpswell. Ludwig likes oil best for painting outdoors. Acrylic dries so quickly you have to keep rewetting it, she explained. She had cards telling about the 15 Warren St. gallery’s “Abstractions” show through Aug. 10 and “Plein Air Wiscasset,” Aug. 29-31.

    Presley Crommett was having a sweet treat while her mother Brittany Warren manned sachets and wands made with lavender from the Edgecomb farm of her parents Ramone Hanley-Warren and Mark Warren. “I’m having junk food,” Crommett said. 

    The art walk runs 5 to 8 p.m. Season seven continues Aug. 29 and wraps up Sept. 26. 

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