Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with a great many artists, from the famous — Neil Welliver, Andrew Wyeth, Alex Katz, Robert Indiana — to the obscure. On the whole, I prefer the obscure — painters who persist whether or not they ever achieve critical acclaim or commercial success. Why? Because […]
portland
The Bates College Museum of Art is currently featuring two exhibitions of art in the form of environmental advocacy. Wildness Within Wildness Without: Exploring Maine’s Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail features large-format, visionary color photographs by Bridget Besaw. Taking Different Trails: The Artists’ Journey to Katahdin Lake presents paintings, drawings and photographs by 20 artists involved in the […]
Photography is the hottest medium in the art world at the moment and has been now for almost a decade. The accessibility of photo technology in a digital age is making it possible for a veritable army of artists to generate imagery for all intents and purposes. A Photo Salon As I’ve been writing monthly […]
By David Lyon and Patricia Harris Maine has more. Whatever you’re looking for in New England, Maine has more coastline, more moose, more lobsters, more forest, more islands, more deer, more trout, more lakes and streams. Nearly as large as the rest of New England put together, Maine is so big by regional standards that […]
Maine
Weekend: Belfast, Maine
Shiny yachts bob up and down in the water next to sailboats that look like they’ve weathered too many summers. A northerly wind sweeps clouds across the blue sky. Hawser, the M/V Good Return owner’s black Lab, pants away from the captain’s room as the boat motors over smooth waters. A Penobscot Bay harbor cruise […]
There’s no such thing as bad art. I used to think that the work of the art critic was to judge art and artists, to sort out the good and dispose of the bad. Years ago, however, I came to realize that on the scale of human actions from genocide to sainthood, making art ranks […]
This is no place for the horrifying details that led to 143 million pounds of beef being recalled from the market last week. Just the words “143 million pounds of beef” ought to be enough. How did this happen? Not just to the cows, but how did our food supply run so amok? I think […]
New England
Favorite New England Farm Stands
Photo/Art by Brenda Darroch Seasons matter in New England, and the best harbinger is what’s available at your local farm stand. Farm stands come in many varieties and sizes, from apple orchards to year-round markets. The ones highlighted here are three- or four-season spots, with spring seedlings, summer veggies, fall fruits, and winter seafood. Most […]
Roxanne Quimby’s goal is to preserve the landscape of Maine’s North Woods forever, but controversy has been sparked by those who want to retain use of that land. In the early summer of 1975, 24-year-old Roxanne Quimby arrived in northern Maine, having driven across the country with her boyfriend, looking for a place to homestead. […]
In the foothills of the White Mountains, some 20 miles east of North Conway, New Hampshire, lies the remote village of Brownfield, Maine, the unlikely music center of New England. A terrible forest fire destroyed the town back in 1947; flames ravaged the school, the churches, the fine homes, the tall pines. Many families […]
New England
Hat, Gloves, Skis, Boots, Poles
Hopefully, hearing about the snowfall earlier in the week, or seeing it yourself, has inspired you to make plans to ski this weekend. And if you haven’t made plans yet, I’ll take this moment to tell you — you should ski or ride this weekend. I have quite a full itinerary for the weekend. I […]
How about this: your own cottage on the Maine coast, complete with sailboats, kayaks, a saltwater pool, a fitness center, a golf course, tennis courts, a bowling alley, a pool table, hiking trails, gardens, and a camp for your children to enjoy when you’re out antiquing. That’s what the Sebasco Harbor Resort is offering with […]