The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Art Gallery is proud to present PAPME at UMPI by the Plein Air Painters of Maine organization, from Monday, May 2 through Sunday, June 19, 2016. These artists are uniquely experienced in capturing their impressions of the Maine landscape and coastline that can only be experienced while painting under the open sky. The public is invited to view the exhibition throughout the show’s run and attend the Gallery Reception on Friday, May 6 from 5-7 p.m., which is being held in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk. The event will include a Gallery Talk with select artists at 5:30 p.m.
The Plein Air Painters of Maine is a statewide group founded by Corinne McIntyre, Roger Milinowski, Ron Parry and Monique Parry. Although the group started with just four people, is now has six chapters with over 500 members. The group meets regularly, each Wednesday and meetings vary in their attendance. The group’s website states: “In the winter there may only be two or three hearty folk. But the interest has never subsided. The comradery, exchange of ideas and just plain fellowship with other painters is great.”
Many may ask, ‘What is plein air painting?’ One of the PAPME artists featured in the exhibit, Carol L. Douglas, explained in her blog for the Bangor Daily News: “The term itself is a loan-phrase from French, meaning, simply, open-air painting. The French have another term for this kind of work: sur le motif, or ‘on the ground,’ which implies painting what someone actually sees rather than a stylized, studio piece. I like the latter better, because it tells you something about what the artist strives for—to reproduce the lighting, scene and visual conditions of a time and place.”
The exhibit will be showing over 30 paintings from artists around the state. The artists to be featured include Ed Buonvecchio, Ken Carlson, Carol Douglas, Michael Everett, Jane Frost, Sally Giddings Smith, Penny Markley, Corinne McIntyre, Candace McKellar, Kerrin Parkinson, Richard Reitz Smith, Felicity Sidwell, Gwen Sylvester, Michael E. Vermette, Luise van Keuren and Peter Yesis.
In addition to the gallery exhibition, the Plein Air Painters will host a very special Aroostook County Paint Out event on May 7 and 8. Members of PAPME invite local artists, aspiring artists, students, and community members to take part in this free event. Starting at 9 a.m. each day, artists will gather at the Reed Gallery and proceed to a County location to paint. There is no registration fee to take part and no experience is necessary. The general public is also invited to view artists on location for the paint out. Join the Reed Gallery Facebook Event Page for up-to-date details about this special event.
For more information about the Plein Air Painters of Maine group, please view their website at http://pleinairpaintersofmaine.blogspot.com.
All are invited to come out to the First Friday Art Walk on May 6 and attend this free event. Light refreshments will be served. Please follow gallery happenings on the Reed Gallery Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ReedArtGallery.
The Reed Art Gallery is newly located in the Center for Innovative Learning. Please note the gallery has newly expanded hours and is open Monday through Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The gallery is closed during University holidays. For more information about this event, please contact Gallery Director Heather Sincavage at heather.sincavage@maine.edu.
