The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Fine Art Gallery will present Logging in the Maine Woods Today, a photographic exhibition on tour from the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts [MMPA], from Nov. 4 through Dec. 17. An opening reception will be held at the gallery on Friday, Nov. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend this event, which is being held in conjunction with the Presque Isle First Friday Art Walk.

Funding from the Robert & Dorothy Goldberg Charitable Foundation is supporting this MMPA inaugural traveling exhibit, which features contemporary photographic images by Tonee Harbert. Logging in the Maine Woods Today explores the entrepreneurial community, stewardship and spirit of industry in the Maine woods. The MMPA is exhibiting these works in collaboration with photographs by Madeleine de Sinety.

Harbert has explored the diversity of Maine culture for more than 20 years. His subjects have included migrant workers, refugee immigrants as well as musicians and brides. He received his degree in Visual Communications from Ohio State University. He continued his education informally by working for the Library of Congress printing archival photographs from the Depression Era of the Farm Security Administration. He has resided in Maine since 1988. His work is held in private and public collections across the country.

The University is the third venue to house this traveling exhibition, which opened on Jan. 15, 2011, at the Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, Maine. It remained there until March 4, 2011, and then traveled to The Albert Brenner Glickman Family library, located on the Portland Campus of the University of Southern Maine, where it was on exhibition from March 31 to Aug. 21, 2011.

“We’re delighted to be showcasing the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts inaugural traveling exhibition,” Sandra Huck, Reed Fine Art Gallery Director, said. “These contemporary black and white images offer a compelling glimpse of logging in Maine today. We invite everyone to visit the gallery and join us for the opening reception so they can view these striking images of an industry with such close ties to our region.”

The Reed Fine Art Gallery is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed Sundays and university holidays. For more information about this event, please contact Huck at 768-9611.