Maine College of Art

Wu Man Lecture & Short Film
2016-03-30 18:15 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Osher Hall, second floor at Maine College of Art & Design
March 30, 6:00–8:30pm
Open to the public, free
MECA&D is pleased to be hosting an evening with Wu Man and the Shanghai Quartet on Wednesday, March 30th at 6:15 pm in Osher Hall. There will be a viewing of Wu Man's short film and a personal conversation with her afterwards.
Born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang in 1963, Wu Man began taking pipa lessons at age 9. At 13, she became the youngest student at the school, and her final audition was covered in national newspapers. Wu Man first performed in the United States as a member of the China Youth Arts Troupe in 1985. She moved to the U.S. five years later to pursue a career in pipa performance that would allow her repertoire to extend beyond traditional Chinese music.
Today she is recognized as the world’s premier pipa virtuoso and leading ambassador of Chinese music, Grammy Award-nominated musician Wu Man is a very special artist, educator, cultural ambassador. From Carnegie to London’s Wigmore and Albert Halls to festivals around the world -- Wu Man has carved out a career as a leading contributor to thrilling collaborations, as featured guest in some of the world’s most prominent orchestras, a solo recitalist, educator and composer. Performing on an instrument with a 2000+ year history, she is a fierce advocate for its use in both traditional and contemporary music and an ambassador of Chinese music. Projects she has instigated have resulted in the pipa finding a place in new solo and quartet works, concertos, opera, chamber, electronic, and jazz music as well as in theater, film, dance and the visual arts. Her adventurous spirit and virtuosity have led to collaborations with everyone from Tan Dun, Chen Shi-Zheng and Zakir Hussain to Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Kronos to Esa-Pekka Salonen and many others. She is a founding and principal member of Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. She is the first artist from China to perform at the White House. She will be here March 30-31 for a concert with the Shanghai Quartet in a program that features traditional music for pipa, a major Western classical work and a new work commissioned by the film composer Zhao Jiping (Farewell My Concubine, Raise the Red Lantern).

Catching the Sun: Public Engagement + Sierra Club monthly film series
2016-03-23 18:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Public Engagement + Sierra Club monthly film series
Join us to watch Catching the Sun, a film highlighting solar power’s benefits around the world, before it premieres in NYC in early April.
This event is free and open to the public. The film is 90 minutes in length and there will be a panel afterwards with Maine solar experts.
“Award-winning filmmaker and eco-activist Shalini Kantayya’s documentary broadens the often faceless climate change debate to include people of color and explore the possibilities of social and economic justice in a soon-to-be solar-powered world.” — Julie Anderson, LA Film Festival
Sponsored by Sierra Club Maine, MECA&D Public Engagement, and Environment Maine. For more information, please contact us at maine.chapter@sierraclub.org or call 207.761.5616.
Catching the Sun

"An unemployed American worker, a Tea Party activist, and a Chinese solar entrepreneur race to lead the clean energy future. But who wins and who loses the battle for power in the 21st century?
Through the stories of workers and entrepreneurs in the U.S. and China, Catching the Sun captures the global race to lead the clean energy future. Over the course of a solar jobs training program, Catching the Sun follows the hope and heartbreak of unemployed American workers seeking jobs in the solar industry. With countries like China investing in innovative technologies and capitalizing on this trillion-dollar opportunity, Catching the Sun tells the story of the global energy transition from the perspective of workers and entrepreneurs building solutions to income inequality and climate change with their own hands. Their successes and failures speak to one of the biggest questions of our time: will the U.S. actually be able to build a clean energy economy?"
Learn more about the film.

MECA&D: Through & Through, A Special Comprehensive Exhibition
2016-03-23 13:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Porteous Building, Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
MECA&D: Through & Through, a special comprehensive exhibition of student work prepared for MECA&D’s ten-year accreditation visit, is open to the public on Wednesday, March 23rd.
In preparation for MECA&D’s ten-year accreditation visit by a peer review team from both the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the college has curated MECA&D: Through & Through, an exhibition that uses all six floors of the Porteous Building as well as the Institute for Contemporary Art. It is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of student work in the college's history.
MECA&D: Through & Through is open one day only on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 from 1:00–6:00pm. The public is invited to view the show, which will provide examples of every aspect of the curriculum from Foundation courses to the capstone thesis requirements of each of MECA&D’s three degree programs: the MFA, MAT, and BFA. The BFA offers 11 majors in such areas as Textile & Fashion Design, Painting, and Digital Media. Part of the exhibit will be in the newly opened lower level of the Porteous Building, which houses the Bob Crewe Gallery and the Bob Crewe Program in Art and Music.
MECA&D holds accreditation from both NEASC and NASAD. Founded in 1885, NEASC has been working to establish and maintain high standards for all levels of education—from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level—longer than any other accreditation agency in the United States. NASAD, founded in 1944, is the national accrediting agency for art and design and art and design-related disciplines. Accreditation is a process by which an institution periodically evaluates its work and seeks an independent judgment by peers that it substantially achieves its educational objectives and meets the established standards of the body from which it seeks accreditation. Typically, the accreditation process includes 1) a self-evaluative description (self-study) of the institution 2) an on-site review by a team of evaluators, and 3) judgment by an accreditation decision-making body. Accreditation reviews focus on educational quality, institutional integrity, and educational improvements.
Download hi-resolution poster of exhibition.
Download press release.
Featured Artwork by Emily Koerner '16.

Maine Jewish Film Festival: Sheherazade and the Kosher Delight, Arabic Movie, and Jeruzalem
2016-03-18 18:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Maine College of Art & Design is one of the venues for 2016 Maine Jewish Film Festival. "Sheherazade and the Kosher Delight" at 6:30 pm, "Arabic Movie" at 7:00 pm, and "Jeruzalem" at 8:00 pm.
Tickets are required, please go to www.mjff.org for tickets and more information.

Maine Jewish Film Festival: Touchdown Israel: Tackle Football in the Holy Land and Blush
2016-03-16 18:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Maine College of Art & Design is one of the venues for 2016 Maine Jewish Film Festival. “Touchdown Israel: Tackle Football in the Holy Land” at 6:30 pm and "Blush" at 8:30 pm.
Tickets are required, please go to www.mjff.org for tickets and more information.

Maine Jewish Film Festival Short Film Program
2016-03-15 20:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Maine College of Art & Design is one of the venues for 2016 Maine Jewish Film Festival. Short film program tonight, 8:00 pm.
Tickets are required, please go to www.mjff.org for tickets and more information.

Maine Jewish Film Festival: Rosenwald
2016-03-14 20:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Maine College of Art & Design is one of the venues for 2016 Maine Jewish Film Festival. "Rosenwald" is filming tonight, 8:00 pm.
Tickets are required, please go to www.mjff.org for tickets and more information.

Maine Jewish Film Festival : Once in a Lifetime
2016-03-13 19:30 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Maine College of Art & Design is one of the venues for 2016 Maine Jewish Film Festival. "Once in a Lifetime" is filming tonight, 7:30 pm.
Tickets are required, please go to www.mjff.org for tickets and more information.

Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective: The Great Play Reading Series
2016-03-13 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | ME
Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective: The Great Play Reading Series

The Great Play Reading Series: Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles

Free and open to the public, “The Great Play Reading Series” is happening this Sunday, March 13, at 4:00pm in MECA&D’s Osher Hall (second floor). Join us as we welcome Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective who will perform The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein. This series is made possible by a generous grant from the Maine Theater Fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

Portland Food Co-op Lecture
2016-03-09 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Farmland Trust and Portland Food Co-op will host a panel discussion to explore ways that eaters can make more informed climate-friendly food choices.
Local experts — land and sea farmers, researchers, and food system advocates– will highlight ways we can each push back against climate change with our forks and support innovative ways of producing food that aims to reduce our carbon footprint. Panelists include John Jemison, a water and soil science expert at UMaine Cooperative Extension, Carl Johanson fromGoranson Farm, Kyle Foley from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Lisa Fernandesfrom the Resilience Hub, and Paul Dobbins from Ocean Approved. The panel will be facilitated by Amanda Beal, who currently works as the Policy and Research Fellow at Maine Farmland Trust.
This event kicks off a new series of collaborative events organized by Maine Farmland Trust and Portland Food Co-op called Food for Thought, an exploratory series for inquisitive eaters who want to dig into hot food issues.

Vivian Beer '00 on Ellen DeGeneres' Design Challenge Finale
2016-03-07 21:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | ME
Vivian Beer '00 is one of the two final competitors vying to take home the $100,000 cash prize and win Ellen DeGeneres' Design Challenge. Tune in HTGV on Monday, March 7 at 9:00pm to show your support for this MECA&D alum!
View Vivian's Portfolio and Artist Statement.
View Vivian's Work through out the Design Challenge Season.

Metals Collective Exhibition: Bloom & Doom
2016-03-06 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Fore River Gallery, 87 Market St, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
On Saturday March 6, 5:00–8:00pm the Metals Collective group exhibition Bloom & Doom, a show of Poison Rings and Tussie Mussies, opens at the Fore River Gallery.
This exhibit features work by MECA&D alums Shelby Goldsmith '14, Adam Joy '94, Stephen Lubecki '02, Naomi Grace McNeill '08, Jason Morrissey '98, Jayne Redman '77, and Maria Wolff '03, as well as MECA&D Metalsmithing & Jewelry Studio Tech Nicholas Downing. Fore River Gallery is operated by four artists, three of whom are MECA&D alums: Elizabeth Prior '82, Mike Marks '03, Liz Marks '04, and T.J. McDermott.
RSVP on Facebook.

Visiting Artist Lecture: Amber Hawk Swanson, Video/Performance Artist
2016-03-03 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Free and open to the public.
Amber Hawk Swanson explores the interplay between repulsion, desire, and surrender. She relies on spatial and temporal relationships inherent in ritualized settings such as weddings, rollerskating rinks, and American-football tailgating parties. Each of her selected scenarios evokes nostalgia and camaraderie in spaces where the human impulses of curiosity, longing, hostility, and self-assessment are magnified. By inserting a sexually available silicone replica of herself into these already charged environments, the possibility of peril often interrupts allegiance to the social codes of each space.
Hawk Swanson holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Studio Arts, 2006) and is a recipient of a 2015 Rema Hort Mann Foundation Artist Community Engagement Grant and a 2014 Franklin Furnace Fund Grant.

Mad Horse Theater Company: The Great Play Reading Series
2016-02-28 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Mad Horse Theater Company: The Great Play Reading Series

Free and open to the public, "The Great Play Reading Series" is happening this Sunday, February 28, at 4:00pm in MECA&D's Osher Hall (second floor). Join us as we welcome Mad Horse Theater Company who will perform The Seagull by Anton Chekhov. This series is made possible by a generous grant from the Maine Theater Fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

Admissions Open House
2016-02-27 10:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Porteous Building, Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Join us to learn more about the four-year undergraduate program at Maine College of Art & Design. At the Open House, you can speak directly with MECA&D's faculty about the BFA program, learn more about the studio majors and Artists at Work, tour our facilities, schedule a portfolio review, and discuss scholarship opportunities.
Please RSVP: admissions@meca.edu or 800.699.1509

Visiting Artist Lecture: Paul Sacaridiz, Director of Haystack
2016-02-25 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Paul Sacaridiz is the Executive Director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts on Deer Isle, Maine.
From 2007-2015 he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has extensive experience higher education, administration and leadership in not-for-profit arts organizations. Sacaridiz has been named a fellow with the National Council of Arts Administrators and has most recently served on the board of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).
As a sculptor he is interested in the collision of abstraction, urban planning and utopian systems; and theseemingly impossible task of understanding something in its entirety. Over the past number of years he has produced multiple large-scale projects, designed for specific institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum and the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft among others. He has been the recipient of numerous artist residencies including the Ragdale Foundation, the Vermont Studio Center, the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and the Arts/Industry Program at Kohler Company.

Public Engagement + Sierra Club monthly film series
2016-02-24 18:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Public Engagement + Sierra Club monthly film series
This award winning documentary explores the phenomenon known as "colony colapase disorder." Over the past 15 years, numerous colonies of bees have been decimated throughout the world, but the causes of this disaster remain unknown. Depending on the world region, 50% to 90% of all local bees have disappeared, and this epidemic is still spreading from beehive to beehive – all over the planet.
Discussion led by Portland Protectors to follow the film. Portland Protectors will speak on the city ordinance to ban pesticides in Portland. The Portland Protectors are Maine citizens working to end the use & sale of lawn pesticides to help protect kids, pets, bees and Casco Bay.
The film is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact us at maine.chapter@sierraclub.o rg or call 207-761-5616.
Sponsored by Sierra Club Maine and MECA&D Public Engagement.

Annika Earley, "Nocturne for a Mirror Coat"
2016-02-23 - 2016-03-06 | Front Window at Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Nocturne for a Mirror Coat, by MFA student Annika Earley, is on view in the Porteous front window through March 6.

Acorn Productions: The Great Play Reading Series
2016-02-21 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Acorn Productions: The Great Play Reading Series

Free and open to the public, "The Great Play Reading Series" is happening this Sunday, February 21, at 4:00pm in MECA&D's Osher Hall (second floor). Join us as we welcome Acorn Productions who will perform Curse of the Starving Class by Sam Shepard. This series is made possible by a generous grant from the Maine Theater Fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

Tessa Greene O'Brien MFA '16: Paintings, Framework Series
2016-02-18 09:00 - 2016-03-04 17:00 (America/New_York) | Friedman Gallery at Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Framework Series, Tessa Greene O'Brien MFA '16

These paintings are part of an ongoing series called Framework, explorations in atmosphere and architecture.
On view in the Friedman Gallery at Maine College of Art & Design from February 18—March 4, 2016; Monday–Friday 9:00am–5:00pm.
Open for viewing on the March 4 First Friday Art Walk, 5:00–8:00 pm.

It Was All Very Queer: Maine College of Art & Design's Inaugural Queer Art Show
2016-02-16 10:00 - 2016-03-04 20:00 (America/New_York) | ICA at MECA&D, 522 Congress St., Portland, Maine, 04101, United States
In Artists at Work gallery
February 16 - March 4, closing reception First Friday Art Walk, March 4
Monday - Friday 10:00am-3:00pm
MECA&D's inaugural Queer Art Show, showcasing voices from queer members of our community.

smARTcamp
2016-02-16 - 2016-02-19 | ME
All Art, All The Time.
Camp will be during school vacation week, ages 8-13.
Tuesday to Friday, February 16-19, 2016, 8:30am–3:30pm
This four-day painting and drawing "all art, all the time" studio experience will satisfy any young artist who is happiest when making and creating among friends. Come one day or all four. Students will strengthen their observational skills and become familiar with many of the tools, materials and techniques of drawing and painting. We'll begin with fun, game-like art exercises and explore a variety of materials and techniques. Through a study of how various artists have approached their work over time, students will learn fundamental concepts such as line, value, composition, and color. Additional impromptu projects will round out our study.

Tues
AM: Hand-made paper with added materials
PM: Giacometti wire sculptures with tissue paper & watercolor decoupage
Wed
AM: Impressionist landscapes- glue resist line drawings with oil pastel
PM: Stop Motion Animation with construction paper/ drawing/ clay

Thurs
AM: Gelatin print-making
PM: Sketchbook-making with hand-made paper
Fri
AM: Cyanotypes
PM: Photo grid self-portraits (grid transfer drawings)

Program cost: $220/week OR $65/day. Lunch included!
To register for individual days or for more information, call the Continuing Studies office at 207-699-5061. Learn more here.

Untangled: Work from Baie Sainte Marie by Rob Licht '84
2016-02-15 09:00 - 2016-04-15 17:00 (America/New_York) | Charles C. Thomas Gallery at Maine College of Art & Design, second floor
Untangled: Work from Baie Sainte Marie by Rob Licht '84
Rob Licht '84 presents a series of works done while an artist-in-residence at the Baie Sainte Marie Artist and Family Residency in fall 2014. His digital photographs record his attempts to untangle and reorganize discarded fishing line found on the Nova Scotia shore and to measure the tide. His work is a meditation on the intersection of human activity and the relentless forces of nature. Licht earned a BFA in sculpture from MECA&D in 1984. The residency is administered by MECA&D's Office of Alumni Relations, additional funding was provided by the Community Arts Partnership of Ithaca, NY.

Master of Arts in Teaching Open House
2016-02-11 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Room 120 at Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Please join us to learn more about our Master of Arts in Teaching Program.
Agenda
6:00-6:15PM Registration & Check-In & Enjoy FREE Food
6:15-6:30PM Welcome and Introduction and Overview of Program
6:30-7:00PM Presentation with Alum Ceri Nichols
7:00-7:10PM Application Process and Requirements
7:10-7:30PM Question Session with Faculty and Alums
Ian Anderson, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College
Kelly McConnell, Director of Art Education Outreach & Associate Professor
Adrienne Kitko, MAT Alum, Admissions Counselor, BFA/MAT
Ceri Nichols, MAT Alum, Graduation Speaker 2015, Greely High School, Cumberland, ME
Please rsvp: admissions@meca.edu, 800.699.1509

Photobooth Launch
2016-02-09 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Basement Level Lighting Studio, 522 Congress Street, PORTLAND, 04101, United States
Photobooth is a new campus-wide resource for documenting student work, events, and aspects of MECA&D’s educational experience. Aligned with the philosophy of Artists at Work, Photobooth promotes the importance of professional documentation. Through this resource, you can get your work shot professionally in the lighting studio and be able to use the digital images to build your portfolio, promote yourself as a professional artist, and advance your career! View more information.

Stop by on Tuesday, February 9, between 12:00–1:00pm to learn more about Photobooth and have a photo taken. Free coffe and donuts will be available.

Dramatic Repertory Company: The Great Play Reading Series
2016-02-07 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Dramatic Repertory Company: The Great Play Reading Series

Free aand open to the public, "The Great Play Reading Series" is happening this Sunday, February 7, at 4:00pm in MECA&D's Osher Hall (second floor). Join us as we welcome Dramatic Repertory Company who will perform Arcadia by Tom Stoppard. This series is made possible by a generous grant from the Maine Theater Fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

Bare Portland: The Great Play Reading Series
2016-01-24 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Bare Portland: The Great Play Reading Series

Free and open to the public, "The Great Play Reading Series" kicks off this Sunday, January 24 at 4:00pm in MECA&D's Osher Hall (second floor). Join us as we welcome Bare Portland who will perform Desire Under the Elms by the great American tragedian Eugene O'Neill. This series is made possible by a generous grant from the Maine Theater Fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

CS Adult Winter/Spring Term Begins
2016-01-24 | Porteous Building, Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

Maine Regional Affiliate Scholastic Art Awards Competition Exhibition
2016-01-23 09:00 - 2016-02-13 17:00 (America/New_York) | Porteous Building, Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
First Floor Hallway
Through February 13, Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00noon to 4:00pm.
The Awards Ceremony and Closing Reception is at MECA&D on Saturday, February 13th beginning at 1:00pm in the cafe.
For the 2016 Maine Regional Affiliate Scholastic Art Awards Competition a total of 799 submissions were judged, which included 743 individual entries and 56 senior portfolios. This translates into 1,191 artworks being included in the jury process. The end results were: For individual entries; 108 Honorable Mentions, 51 Silver Key Awards, and 34 Gold Key Awards which include the 5 American Visions Nominees. The 56 senior portfolios resulted in 7 Honorable Mentions, 5 Silver Key Awards, 4 Gold Key Awards.
Students who received Gold Key and Silver Key for Individual pieces plus Seniors who were received Gold Key, Silver Key or Honorable Mention will be invited to participate in an exhibition here at MECA&D.
The Exhibition will take place from Jan 23 to Feb 13, 2016. All award winning students including Honorable Mention students and senior portfolios will receive a certificate acknowledging their achievement at the ceremony.

MECA&D Painters 10 Years Later
2016-01-22 12:00 - 2016-02-13 17:00 (America/New_York) | June Fitzpatrick Gallery at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Through February 13, Tuesday-Saturday, 12:00-5:00pm
First Friday Reception February 5, 5:00-8:00pm, Performance by Patricia Brace on February 5 at 7:00pm
An annual exhibit featuring Maine College of Art & Design painting majors a decade after graduation. This year's participants are Patricia Brace, Kate Cleaves, Taylor Franklin, Joanna House, Lisa Pixley, Charles Read, Destiny Schwartz, and Devin Witter. Please call 207.699.5018 or email alums@meca.edu for more information.
Image: Taylor Franklin, Wrecking Ball, Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 inches
