“The annual plein air show at Maine Art Gallery is always something special,” an artist selected for the exhibit commented at the opening reception last Saturday. “We get to go out and do the thing we love most – paint in the open air – and then show them in this beautiful space.”  

Eighteen artists were chosen by the juror, Dean McCrillis of Greenhut Gallery in Portland, to display a number of their paintings which were done recently in any part of Maine. One painter went as far as Mt. Katahdin, but most paintings were created in the midcoast area. Artists were encouraged to paint in preserves maintained by Midcoast Conservancy, which is celebrating its 10th year, in particular a preserve on land in Jefferson once owned by gallery legacy artist Joseph Fiore. Winning the Fiore Memorial Land Conservancy award was Cassie Sano for her “View from Joe’s Trail.” A number of Fiore’s paintings, owned by Maine Farmland Trust and for sale, are in the show as well.

Other winners in the plein air show were: 1st place - Deena Ball for "Deep Woods;” 2nd place - Michael Vermette for “Smalls Falls, Rangely;” 3rd place - Eric Glass for “Green and Gold, A Summer Garden.”

A panel of four artists from the plein air show will give a talk on “Why we Like Painting Plein Air” on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 4:30 p.m. The artists are: John Sawyer, Elizabeth Reed, Carolyn Gabbe and Jan Arabas. There will be a reception afterward.

The plein air show is paired with  a mixed media and collage show, “The Art of Alchemy,” on the second floor of the gallery. Both shows will be up through Sept. 6.  Gallery hours are Thursday - Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The variety of work is so impressive,” one visitor said. Sixty-two pieces, from ink and paper, foam board and metal, to wood and canvas, could be found among the diversity of pieces. Robin Brooks’ colorful ink, collage, paper and shaped foam board in circular forms, “Effervescence,” was fun and eye-catching. A particularly intricate and beautiful mixed media work on panel, “Summer,” was created by Kelly Desrosiers. Kichung Lizee’s “Calm Harbor” mixed media evoked just that feeling.

The Alchemy show was juried by well-known Newcastle artist and art instructor, Katherina Keoghan. Guests were enjoying the art as well as the jazz piano playing of Sean Fleming.

The gallery is thankful to Barnes Custom Window Treatments for sponsorship of “Plein Air: Paint It Maine!” and to J. Edward Knight Insurance for its sponsorship of “The Art of Alchemy: Collage/Mixed Media Exploration.” 

A nonprofit organization, the Maine Art Gallery is dedicated to the advancement and preservation of the visual, fine and applied arts through exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations and educational programs for children and adults since 1958. More information can be found at www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org and on Facebook at Maine Art Gallery Wiscasset. The gallery is located at 15 Warren St., Wiscasset.