During summer months along the Maine coast working lobsterboats, classic sailing craft and decades old family cottages are all a part of the landscape, as are the easels, brushes and backpacks of en plein air painters who strive to capture the magic of it all.
So this year, organizers of the Maine Boat & Home Show, set for Aug. 8-10 on the Rockland waterfront, are delighted and honored to have several of those talented artists present on the show grounds each day, where visitors can view their works in progress, and then see the completed works during The Art Show at the Show, scheduled for Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“As we expand the on-site offerings for this year's Maine Boat & Home Show, we are so fortunate to have local en Plein Air artists joining us," said Kate Holden, show manager. “This promises to be a fun, new event showcasing the creative work of local artists.”
Among the artists planning to be present with brushes in hand are Steven Florimbi, whose painting "Coming and Going" was used for this year's show poster, and Judy Holder, a South Carolina-born artist whose journey brought her to Maine, where her work is exhibited regularly in Deer Isle. “I am a painter who is somewhat shy in public but who is looking forward to painting en plein air at the Maine Boat & Home Show,” she said. “Being outside, feeling the breeze, hearing the seagulls, seeing the subtle shadows that sunlight casts from the homes and boats on the water, and putting that to canvas gives a painting great life. My love of boats started with kayaking rivers, lakes and ocean. So being near the water and painting is a rewarding experience to have and share with others at this show.”
Pennsylvania native Bruce Metrick had similar thoughts about the show. Metrick, who moved to Maine 20 years ago, began painting in earnest a decade ago, at first creating sea creatures and other animals for his three grandchildren. Today, he finds his inspiration from the waters of the Friendship peninsula and the woods. “I find great inspiration at the sea or near the waterfront,” he said. “The sounds, sights and smell of the ocean are unique to one’s senses.
Launched in 2003, this year’s Maine Boat & Home Show, set to run Aug. 8-10 in Rockland, will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. This 20th edition of the popular show will feature in-water and land displays of more than 50 boats, ranging from small, hand-crafted rowing boats to sailboats and larger power yachts. Iconic boats on display at the show’s outer dock will include the Maine Seacoast Mission’s island supply boat Sunbeam on Friday, the classic 12-Meter racing yacht Gleam on Saturday, and the schooner Harvey Gamage on Sunday.
Ashore, land and tent displays will also feature marine supplies, fine furnishings and home wares, art and jewelry, sustainable energy products, and more. The show is the largest in-water boat show north of Newport, and will include musical acts each day, including the roving Blue Hill Brass players on Friday, Nashville recording artist Sweet Megg on Saturday, and local roving fiddle player Cara Lauzon on Sunday. Food trucks will also be on site all three days, and there will be a special area set aside for fun activities for the kids.
Other artists expected to paint at the show include Elizabeth Elvart Reed who, after sailing the world, now calls Midcoast Maine home. “I have painted many a yacht and working boat here in Maine. I can’t wait to paint the boat show. Great energy is always generated from the water. I have traveled extensively on small and large sailboats, lived aboard them for years, and ran my own marine canvas shop.”
Peggy Hoganson, who said she is drawn to the variety of natural environments that lure many to this beautiful region, including the ocean, marshes, rivers, lakes, farms, forests and mountains. She lives on a small farm in Waldoboro with her horses and dog, Spirit.
Carolyn Gabbe, who works from her studio in Nobleboro, “and en plein air anywhere,” displays her works in a number of East Coast galleries, including ones in Boothbay, Rockland and Wiscasset. “Painting in public creates a bridge between subject, artist, technique, and passersby who might not connect otherwise, she said. “A wonderful way to share the art form.”
The list of artists planning to be at the show continues to grow; you can find an updated roll call of painters, along with the show schedule, more details about exhibitors, and purchase tickets at maineboats.com/boatshow.
