Award-winning painter and printmaker David Estey visits the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Fine Art Gallery from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 for the opening reception of his solo show Driven to Abstraction.
During the March 15 reception, the Belfast-based, Fort Fairfield-born artist will give a brief talk and answer questions about his work. According to the artist, his work includes primarily abstract paintings and prints in a wide variety of styles and media, but also an abundance of strong, expressive figure drawings in charcoal. This installation of Estey’s paintings and drawings will be on display from March 15 to April 18, 2009.
“I am delighted to be showcasing David Estey’s work at the Reed, especially given his County origins,” Sandra Huck, Reed Gallery director, said. “That he has been able to use his artistic talents and visions to support himself, that his ideas continue to evolve and grow, I believe will be an inspiration to our students – our Fine Art students in particular – as well as the community at large. He certainly inspires me with his commitment to excellence, his dedication to his work, and his ability to instruct and inform us about the world around us.”
Estey has lived, taught, and exhibited around Baltimore, Md.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Charlotte, N.C., and mid-coast Maine. He has a BFA degree in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design and a MSA degree in public administration from George Washington University. He studied painting for a year in Rome, Italy, and more extensively at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts.
After serving as an illustrator for the U.S. Army and following a career in public affairs with the Internal Revenue Service in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., Estey returned with his wife, Karen, to live and work in their home/studio in Belfast.
Says Estey of his work: “I develop my images from observations and experiments. I work for the sense of awe and discovery experienced by a child and hope the results will reveal a hidden truth about something important to me. My pieces often seem unfinished so viewers can mentally participate in the creative process – and I can be freshly invigorated by the work and its origins.”
The public is invited to attend Estey’s reception. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The gallery is closed Sundays and university holidays. For more information, call 768-9611.
