Jamillah James: Visiting Artist Lecture (MFA)
2019-06-20 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Jamillah James: Visiting Artist Lecture
Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA)
Thursday, June 20, 2019; 5:30pm
Osher Hall, Porteous Second Floor
Free and open to the public

Jamillah James is the Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA). Previously, she was Assistant Curator at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, and organized exhibitions and programs for Art + Practice in Leimert Park. In Los Angeles, James has organized the first solo institutional presentations of artists Abigail DeVille, Sarah Cain, Simone Leigh, Alex Da Corte, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and Charles Gaines. James has held curatorial positions at the Studio Museum in Harlem and Queens Museum, and has independently organized exhibitions, performances, and screenings throughout the US and Canada since 2004. She is currently working on major presentations of B. Wurtz, the artist’s first American survey (2018); Nayland Blake, his first solo museum exhibition in Los Angeles (2019); and solo projects with Rafa Esparza, Maryam Jafri, and Lucas Blalock.
James’s writings have been included in Artforum and the International Review of African American Art, in addition to exhibition catalogues for the ICA LA, the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, New York; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; the Nasher Museum at Duke University, Chapel Hill, N.C.; and the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, among others. She is an adjunct professor in the Graduate Art Department at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and regularly lectures on curating, contemporary art, and professional development for artists at various colleges and institutions across the country.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MECA&D
MECA&D's Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Lecture Series, which brings together a national and international roster of visiting artists, curators, and scholars to participate in the MFA Summer Intensive in Portland Maine. In addition to critiques and studio visits with graduate candidates, visiting artists deliver a talk that is free and open to the public.

Media Sponsor

"BOMB Magazine has been publishing conversations between artists of all disciplines since 1981. BOMB’s founders—New York City based artists and writers—created BOMB because they saw a disparity between the way artists talked about their work among themselves and the way critics described it."

COLLECT: MECA&D’s 2019 Summer Art Sale
2019-06-27 10:00 - 2019-06-29 18:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor

Eneida Sanches: Visiting Artist Lecture (MFA)
2019-07-01 17:30 - 18:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Eneida Sanches: Visiting Artist Lecture
Indigo Arts Alliance Artist-in-Residence; Visual Artist
Monday, July 1, 2019; 5:30pm
Osher Hall, Porteous Second Floor
Free and open to the public
Eneida Sanches began her studies in arts at the Art School of Bahia at the age of six. She studied architecture from 1980 to 1990 and simultaneously along with the course of Fine Arts at the Fine Arts of the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil.
She has research on African and Afro-Brazilian aesthetics since 1990 and studies calcography (prints from etching) at the Museum of Modern Art workshops in Bahia from 1995 to 2000. She exhibits from 1992 to 2000 in Museums and Galleries in Brazil and the United States with tools of liturgical use of the Yoruba candomblé showing works related to the theme of the Transe and expands the language of the prints into objects and installations.
In 2007, she was awarded the XXIV Salon of the Bahia Museum of Modern Art MAM-Ba and took part in the Frie Academie, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
As of 2011, she brings together printing and video-installation through the series Transe - Displacement of Dimensions in a collaborative work with photographer and video maker Tracy Collins (NY).
In 2013 she has his work published in the Magazine of Contemporary Art N / Paradoxa (Bisi Silva) and exhibits installation Transe (video installation) at the Festival Video Brasil 2013 - SP. In 2014 she was selected for a 3-month art residency at NAFASI Artspace in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. She was also nominated to the most important prize in the country, PIPA Prize. In 2016 she presents his work at Itau Cultural SP in the collective Diálogos Ausentes curated by Rosana Paulino and Diane Lima.
In 2017 she moved his studio to Sao Paulo where she works and lives. She participates in the Gaia Biennial in Portugal. In 2018, she is part of the PretAtitudes collective exhibition at SESC Ribeirao Preto, curated by Claudinei Silva. She presents her first solo show at Galeria Andrea Rehder, Sao Paulo and has her artwork published in the Contemporary And (C&) Berlin-based magazine.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MECA&D
MECA&D's Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Lecture Series, which brings together a national and international roster of visiting artists, curators, and scholars to participate in the MFA Summer Intensive in Portland Maine. In addition to critiques and studio visits with graduate candidates, visiting artists deliver a talk that is free and open to the public.

Media Sponsor

"BOMB Magazine has been publishing conversations between artists of all disciplines since 1981. BOMB’s founders—New York City based artists and writers—created BOMB because they saw a disparity between the way artists talked about their work among themselves and the way critics described it."

Alexandra Silverthorne MFA ’10: 'yes is the only living thing' | Exhibition + Reception
2019-07-05 09:00 - 2019-08-16 17:00 | ME, United States
Alexandra Silverthorne MFA ’10: yes is the only living thing

On view: July 5–August 16, 2019
Opening Reception: July 5, 6–8pm
Artists at Work Gallery at MECA&D

Artist Talk + Book Signing
August 1, 5:30pm
Osher Hall at MECA&D

This summer, Alexandra Silverthorne MFA ’10 will be showing work from the series at the Artist at Work Gallery at MECA&D. The show will be up from July 5—August 16, with an opening reception July 5, 6-8pm.
Alexandra Silverthorne MFA '10 is releasing her new book, yes is the only living thing, a series of 76 images looking at moments of celebration, wonder, and stillness in her own life. Shot the year following a friend’s sudden cancer relapse and near-immediate death, the images echo her attempts to infuse her own life with some of the same determination, thoughtfulness, and grace that was ever-present in her life. The series was captured with recently-discontinued peel apart instant film on a fickle hand-me-down Polaroid Reporter camera. Silverthorne was attracted to the unpredictability of both the film and the camera and how this seemed to echo the unpredictability of life, itself. The book features all 76 images, a collection of text by Julie Poitras Santos, and a conversation with Annie Mahon.
View the project and learn more here.

There will also be an Artist Talk + Book Signing featuring a conversation with Julie Poitras Santos on August 1, 5:30pm at Maine College of Art & Design in Osher Hall. The talk will be moderated by Katarina Weslien.

Page Header
Alexandra Silverthorne, yes is the only living thing, 11" x 14" archival inkjet print from scanned instant film. Edition of 5.

Bradford Nordeen: Visiting Artist Lecture (MFA)
2019-07-08 17:30 - 18:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Bradford Nordeen
Curator and Author, Founder of Dirty Looks
Monday, July 8, 2019; 5:30pm
Osher Hall, Porteous Second Floor
Free and open to the public
Based in Los Angeles, Bradford Nordeen is a writer, curator and founder of Dirty Looks. His publications include Check Your Vernacular, Dirty Looks at MoMA, Fever Pitch, and the Dirty Looks Volume series (editor). He has written for Frieze, Art in America, Afterimage, Huffington Post, indieWIRE and Butt Magazine, and received the 2018 Creative Capital / Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant for the podcast Analog Tendencies. He was Platinum Programmer for Outfest Los Angeles (2013-2016), and guest curator for inaugural season of public programs at The Broad Museum. He has curated exhibitions and screenings at ONE Gay and Lesbian National Archives, RISD, MoMA, The Kitchen, SFMoMA, The Hammer Museum, and New York Live Arts. He holds a BFA from CalArts and an MA in Contemporary Cinema Cultures from King’s College London.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MECA&D
MECA&D's Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Lecture Series, which brings together a national and international roster of visiting artists, curators, and scholars to participate in the MFA Summer Intensive in Portland Maine. In addition to critiques and studio visits with graduate candidates, visiting artists deliver a talk that is free and open to the public.

Media Sponsor

"BOMB Magazine has been publishing conversations between artists of all disciplines since 1981. BOMB’s founders—New York City based artists and writers—created BOMB because they saw a disparity between the way artists talked about their work among themselves and the way critics described it."

'Darkness and the Light' Exhibition
2019-07-12 10:00 - 2019-09-20 17:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019
Opening Reception: July 12, 5–8pm
Institute of Contemporary Art at MECA&D
Dark and light. The space between. The moment of change. The necessity of one to identify the other. Hope. Fading. The opportunities to explore the theme seemed so many and varied that the idea of a group exhibition was born. Invited artists have created work addressing the psychological and/or physical implications of light and/or dark. All are Maine artists with established careers and reputations for fine craftsmanship and artistic excellence. Because of the size of the Institute for Contemporary Art, participants were encouraged to undertake large-scale work, if they wished, in order to take advantage of the unusual opportunity to use this vast, beautiful space.
Exhibiting Artists include: Lynn Duryea, South Portland; Rebecca Goodale, Freeport; Tom Hall, Raymond; Joe Hemes, South Portland; Alison Hildreth, Portland; Lissa Hunter, Portland; Jamie Johnston, Portland; George Mason, Nobleboro; Julie Morringello, Stonington; Jan Owen, Belfast; Warren Seelig, Rockland; Carol Stein, Kittery Point; Todd Watts, Blanchard TWP; Susan Webster, Deer Isle
Learn more

This exhibition is organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, Interim Director of Exhibitions Nikki Rayburn, and Guest Curator Lissa Hunter.
When I was a child, my mother would say, “Be in before dark”, as I ran out the door to play in summer. We lived in that kind of neighborhood. It was the fifties, in the Midwest, on a short block with dozens of kids and no fences. “Before dark” became a particular designation of time, between outside in daytime and the inside at night. It held a kind of magical conversion, a sliver of time that signaled a shift in energy and focus.
When the sun fell below the horizon, colors flattened and lost definition. The sky looked lighter than the treetops below, which became a single mass of darkness. Houses were Monopoly pieces, with no definition of windows or porches, just outlines and dark interiors until the lights within were turned on, creating golden rectangles.
The air became cool. The earth smelled moist. And the fireflies became apparent, flashing lights against the gathering dark, adding to the sense of separation from the real world. It didn’t last long. Maybe ten or twenty minutes.

Header
Warren Seelig, Shadowfield: Colored Light (detail), 2019
Photograph: Dowling Walsh Gallery
ICA Gallery hours: Wed–Sun, 11:00am–5:00pm, Thurs, 11:00am–7:00pm, Friday, 11:00am–5:00pm, (FFAW until 8:00pm)

'Darkness and the Light': Opening Reception
2019-07-12 17:00 - 20:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019
Opening Reception: July 12, 5–8pm
Institute of Contemporary Art at MECA&D
Dark and light. The space between. The moment of change. The necessity of one to identify the other. Hope. Fading. The opportunities to explore the theme seemed so many and varied that the idea of a group exhibition was born. Invited artists have created work addressing the psychological and/or physical implications of light and/or dark. All are Maine artists with established careers and reputations for fine craftsmanship and artistic excellence. Because of the size of the Institute for Contemporary Art, participants were encouraged to undertake large-scale work, if they wished, in order to take advantage of the unusual opportunity to use this vast, beautiful space.
Exhibiting Artists include: Lynn Duryea, South Portland; Rebecca Goodale, Freeport; Tom Hall, Raymond; Joe Hemes, South Portland; Alison Hildreth, Portland; Lissa Hunter, Portland; Jamie Johnston, Portland; George Mason, Nobleboro; Julie Morringello, Stonington; Jan Owen, Belfast; Warren Seelig, Rockland; Carol Stein, Kittery Point; Todd Watts, Blanchard TWP; Susan Webster, Deer Isle
Learn more

This exhibition is organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, Interim Director of Exhibitions Nikki Rayburn, and Guest Curator Lissa Hunter.
When I was a child, my mother would say, “Be in before dark”, as I ran out the door to play in summer. We lived in that kind of neighborhood. It was the fifties, in the Midwest, on a short block with dozens of kids and no fences. “Before dark” became a particular designation of time, between outside in daytime and the inside at night. It held a kind of magical conversion, a sliver of time that signaled a shift in energy and focus.
When the sun fell below the horizon, colors flattened and lost definition. The sky looked lighter than the treetops below, which became a single mass of darkness. Houses were Monopoly pieces, with no definition of windows or porches, just outlines and dark interiors until the lights within were turned on, creating golden rectangles.
The air became cool. The earth smelled moist. And the fireflies became apparent, flashing lights against the gathering dark, adding to the sense of separation from the real world. It didn’t last long. Maybe ten or twenty minutes.

Header
Left: Carol Stein, Reflections on Hope #1, 2019; Photographer: Larry Elbroch
Right: Carol Stein, Reflections on Hope #2, 2019; Photographer: Larry Elbroch
Darkness and the Light exhibition
ICA Gallery hours: Wed–Sun, 11:00am–5:00pm, Thurs, 11:00am–7:00pm, Friday, 11:00am–5:00pm, (FFAW until 8:00pm)

Charlie Hewitt: Visiting Artist Lecture (MFA)
2019-07-15 17:30 - 18:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Charlie Hewitt
Painter, Printmaker, Sculptor
Monday, July 15, 2019; 5:30pm
Osher Hall, Porteous Second Floor
Free and open to the public
Charlie Hewitt, a prolific printmaker, painter, and sculptor, lives and works in Portland, Maine. Stylistically rooted in expressionism and surrealism, Hewitt’s art is both playful and serious, a quality he shares with artists Alexander Calder, Joan Miro, Paul Klee, and his mentor Philip Guston. Hewitt’s most important work to date is the Urban Rattle sculpture on the High Line Park in Chelsea, New York. Urban Rattle, located in the courtyard in the back of Ten23, is the only permanent artwork installed along the High Line Park. Charlie Hewitt has since installed large public Urban Rattle sculptures in Lewiston and Portland, Maine.
His imagery is largely influenced from the mill-working communities he grew up around. The energy and culture of these communities and the values of church, family, and work have infused his artwork and are the foundation of his imagery and symbols. Hewitt’s work is represented in numerous collections, including those of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; New York Public Library, NY; Brooklyn Museum, NY; Library of Congress, Washington, DC; and the Portland Museum of Art, ME.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MECA&D
MECA&D's Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Lecture Series, which brings together a national and international roster of visiting artists, curators, and scholars to participate in the MFA Summer Intensive in Portland Maine. In addition to critiques and studio visits with graduate candidates, visiting artists deliver a talk that is free and open to the public.

Media Sponsor

"BOMB Magazine has been publishing conversations between artists of all disciplines since 1981. BOMB’s founders—New York City based artists and writers—created BOMB because they saw a disparity between the way artists talked about their work among themselves and the way critics described it."

Jessi Reaves: Visiting Artist Lecture (MFA)
2019-07-22 17:30 - 18:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Jessi Reaves, Sculptor
Monday, July 22, 2019; 5:30pm
Osher Hall, Porteous Second Floor
Free and open to the public
Jessi Reaves (b. 1986, Portland, Oregon; lives New York) received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Her work has been included in group exhibitions nationally and internationally, in venues including Swiss Institute, New York and A Palazzo Gallery, Brescia, Italy. In 2016, Reaves presented her first solo exhibition with Bridget Donahue, New York. She has also presented solo exhibitions a Herald St, London and was included in the 2017 Whitney Biennial and the 2019 Carnegie International.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MECA&D
MECA&D's Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Lecture Series, which brings together a national and international roster of visiting artists, curators, and scholars to participate in the MFA Summer Intensive in Portland Maine. In addition to critiques and studio visits with graduate candidates, visiting artists deliver a talk that is free and open to the public.

Media Sponsor

"BOMB Magazine has been publishing conversations between artists of all disciplines since 1981. BOMB’s founders—New York City based artists and writers—created BOMB because they saw a disparity between the way artists talked about their work among themselves and the way critics described it."

Alumni Residency Open Studios
2019-07-25 16:00 - 18:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
We are excited to welcome to campus our 2019 residents for our Alumni Residency at MECA&D.
We will be having an Alumni Open Studio to end the residency on July 25, from 4pm–6pm — stop by, talk, and check out the great artwork!
Location: MECA&D Porteous Building, 4th and 5th floors
The 2019 Residents are Asherah Cinnamon ’08, Kelsey Haley ’15, Savanna Pettengill ’14, and Lauren Tosswill ’14.

The residency program runs from July 1–July 26 and is designed to bring degree-holding alumni back to the College each summer for four weeks in July to re-engage in an intensive on-campus experience in conjunction with the MFA Summer Intensive. Residents will have studio space in the Porteous building for four weeks with access to the department facilities.
Header Art: Asherah Cinnamon '08, Forgiveness: Selichot, Beech wood, synthetic fiber strips, paint, gold leaf, 22" x 24"x 6", 2016.

Registration Day at MECA&D
2019-07-26 13:00 - 16:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Thinking about enrolling at Maine College of Art & Design?
Our July Registration Day is specially designed for students interested in attending for the Fall 2019 semester. While on campus, you'll be able to tour our expansive art studios and facilities and meet with staff who can answer any questions you might have about the application process. We can put you on an accelerated admissions path that will allow you to get an enrollment decision faster — even the same day! — and set you up for a successful transition toward Orientation this fall.
If you'd like to take advantage of a same-day decision, please send us your application materials as soon as possible before July 26, 2019. We can review your portfolio and your transcripts on Registration Day, and we'll need to have your application, application fee or waiver, essay, and two letters of recommendation in the office no later than Thursday, July 24, 2019. See our instructions on how to apply for more details on what we need.
If you're a transfer student, feel free to bring a copy of your transcripts — official or unofficial — with you to campus and we can offer a preliminary transfer evaluation that will help you understand how your credits will transfer in and what you'll need to take to complete your degree at MECA&D.
Have questions? We're here to help! Contact us at 207.699.5026 or admissions@meca.edu.

*Header illustration by Frederick J. Aldrich III

Michael Menchaca: Visiting Artist Lecture (MFA)
2019-07-29 17:30 - 18:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Michael Menchaca
Painter, Printmaker, Illustration
Monday, July 29, 2019; 5:30pm
Osher Hall, Porteous Second Floor
Free and open to the public
Born in 1985 in San Antonio, TX, Michael Menchaca received his BFA from Texas State University in 2011, and his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2015. He has been an Artist-in-Residence at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (ME), Vermont Studio Center (VT), The Wassaic Project (NY), and The Studios at MASS MoCA (MA), among others. Solo shows include The Contemporary Austin (TX), The McNay Art Museum (TX), Auburn University (AL), and most recently at The Chrysler Museum of Art (VA). He was a Visual Arts Fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center from 2015 - 2016 in Provincetown, MA, and is a recipient of the 2019 National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) Fund for the Arts Grant. Through 2020, he is co-curating the New York/San Antonio exhibition Xicanx: New Visions with Suzy González. Menchaca lives and works in San Antonio, TX.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MECA&D
MECA&D's Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program is pleased to announce the 2019 Summer Lecture Series, which brings together a national and international roster of visiting artists, curators, and scholars to participate in the MFA Summer Intensive in Portland Maine. In addition to critiques and studio visits with graduate candidates, visiting artists deliver a talk that is free and open to the public.

Media Sponsor

"BOMB Magazine has been publishing conversations between artists of all disciplines since 1981. BOMB’s founders—New York City based artists and writers—created BOMB because they saw a disparity between the way artists talked about their work among themselves and the way critics described it."

Alexandra Silverthorne MFA ’10: 'yes is the only living thing' | Artist Talk + Book Signing
2019-08-01 17:30 - 19:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Alexandra Silverthorne MFA ’10: yes is the only living thing

On view: July 5–August 16, 2019
Opening Reception: July 5, 6–8pm
Artists at Work Gallery at MECA&D

Artist Talk + Book Signing
August 1, 5:30pm
Osher Hall at MECA&D

There will be an Artist Talk + Book Signing featuring a conversation with Julie Poitras Santos on August 1, 5:30pm at Maine College of Art & Design in Osher Hall.

Alexandra Silverthorne MFA '10 is releasing her new book, yes is the only living thing, a series of 76 images looking at moments of celebration, wonder, and stillness in her own life. Shot the year following a friend’s sudden cancer relapse and near-immediate death, the images echo her attempts to infuse her own life with some of the same determination, thoughtfulness, and grace that was ever-present in her life. The series was captured with recently-discontinued peel apart instant film on a fickle hand-me-down Polaroid Reporter camera. Silverthorne was attracted to the unpredictability of both the film and the camera and how this seemed to echo the unpredictability of life, itself. The book features all 76 images, a collection of text by Julie Poitras Santos, and a conversation with Annie Mahon.
This summer, Alexandra Silverthorne will be showing work from the series at the Artist at Work Gallery at MECA&D. The show will be up from July 5—August 16, with an opening reception July 5, 6-8pm.

View the project and learn more here.

'Darkness and the Light' | Artist Gallery Talk
2019-08-02 17:00 - 18:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Artist Gallery Talk featuring Curator Lissa Hunter, and exhibiting artists: Lynn Duryea, Tom Hall, Jamie Johnston, Julie Morringello, Jan Owen, Todd Watts, and Susan Webster.
Find more information about the exhibition here
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019

'Simultaneous Light and Dark' | Lecture featuring Bernie Reim
2019-08-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Darkness and the Light Lecture featuring Bernie Reim, author of the Portland Press Herald's monthly astronomy column What's Up?, co-host of WMPG’s live weekly radio program "Scientifically Speaking", and an Instructor of astronomy lab courses at the University of Southern Maine.

Find more information about the exhibition here
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019

'Darkness and the Light' | Performance featuring Barry Saunders
2019-09-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Darkness and the Light Performance featuring jazz musician Barry Saunders.
Saxophonist, clarinetist and composer, Barry Saunders has played clubs, festivals and concerts throughout the United States, with a few dates in Europe and Asia, with such notable musicians and ensembles as Conte Condoli, Pete Christlieb, OK|OK, Michael McGinnis, Stew & TNP, Brad Terry, Erik Deutsch, Barry Manilow, Three Dog Night, Portland Jazz Orchestra, Fogcutters Big Band, Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, New Hampshire Music Festival Symphony Orchestra, Assisi Festival for the Arts (Italy), North Shore Philharmonic, and Opera North.
Barryʼs work, with his own ensemble, has been featured on the award winning Maine Public Radio news program Maine Things Considered. Most recently, he could be heard on Spinning on Air with David Garland from the studios of WNYC. He can also be heard on Erik Deutschʼs CD “Hush Money” (hammerandstring.com) and Mike McGinnisʻs CD “Road*Trip” (mikemcginnis.com).
Prior to teaching at the School of Music at USM, Barry has taught at Bennington College, Williams College, and Bates College. In addition to teaching at USM and MSAD51, Barry also enjoys a thriving private studio where he teaches, saxophone, clarinet, improvisation and composition.

Find more information about the exhibition here
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019

'Darkness and the Light' | Curatorial Talk presented by SDA Maine & MCA
2019-09-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
CURATORIAL TALK WITH LISSA HUNTER
Surface Design Association Maine (SDA Maine) and Maine Crafts Association (MCA) present a talk with Lissa Hunter, the curator of Darkness and the Light at The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D) on Saturday, September 14 at 2 pm. The talk is free and open to the public.
Hunter's talk will touch on the process of curating the show, developing working relationships with the artists, and being witness to their practice. Darkness and the Light was conceived by Hunter several years ago. She invited thirteen Maine artists with established careers and reputations for fine craftsmanship and artistic excellence to join her in creating work specifically for this exhibition.
Exhibiting artists work in a range of materials and processes and include Lynn Duryea, Rebecca Goodale, Tom Hall, Joe Hemes, Alison Hildreth, Lissa Hunter, Jamie Johnston, George Mason, Julie Morringello, Jan Owen, Warren Seelig, Carol Stein, Todd Watts, and Susan Webster.
Find more information about the exhibition here
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019

Machine Dazzle: Visiting Artist Lecture
2019-09-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Artist Lecture: Machine Dazzle
Costume Designer for Taylor Mac
Tuesday, September 17, 6pm
Osher Hall, Porteous, Second Floor
Free and open to the public.
Limited seating.
Photographer: Little Fang
Taylor Mac maintains we are “a nation of makers” and that one of his favorite makers is costume designer Machine Dazzle. Machine, whose parents met and married in Pembroke, Maine, will be in residence at Maine College of Art & Design from September 15th – 19th 2019. The residency includes an exhibition of costumes designed for Taylor’s performances, on display in the Bob Crewe Gallery Windows. Select students from the departments of Textiles and Fashion Design will apprentice with Machine during this residency, co-creating something tangibly extraordinary.
During this residency, Machine will also deliver a public lecture, so don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a master the intricate ins and outs of over-the-top costume design!
Portland Ovations presents Taylor Mac at the State Theater on September 19. Learn more.

Image Header: Photographer: Joseph Beyer
Images courtesy of Portland Ovations

'Darkness and the Light' | Artist Gallery Talk
2019-09-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, first floor
Artist Gallery Talk featuring Curator Lissa Hunter and exhibiting artists: Rebecca Goodale, Joe Hemes, Alison Hildreth, George Mason, Warren Seelig, and Carol Stein.
Find more information about the exhibition here
Darkness and the Light
On view from July 12—September 20, 2019

September Open House: BFA Admissions
2019-09-21 11:00 - 15:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Visit MECA&D for an Open House!
Come see first-hand why students are choosing to study in MECA&D's close-knit community and rigorous artistic programs. At an Open House, you'll have a chance to:

Get to know faculty and current students
Take a tour of our studios and res halls
Have your portfolio reviewed with professional artists
Explore the vibrant art scene in downtown Portland, Maine

This Open House is specifically designed for students interested in our BFA program — we'll send you more information in your confirmation email. Sign up below!
If you have any questions about our Open Houses, you can contact us at admissions@meca.edu or 207.699.5026. Learn more about visiting MECA&D here.

A Reading + Discussion with Jaed Coffin, Author of 'Roughhouse Friday' (Salt)
2019-09-25 18:30 - 20:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
A Reading + Discussion with Jaed Coffin,
Author of Roughhouse Friday: A Memoir
Wednesday, September 25; 6:30–8pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Jaed Coffin
Raised in Maine, former Salt instructor Jaed Coffin is the author of A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants, a memoir about the summer he spent as a Buddhist monk in his mother’s village in Thailand. Roughhouse Friday chronicles the year Coffin won the middleweight title of a barroom boxing show in Alaska.
“Roughhouse Friday is as bare and intimate a rendering of masculinity, of young adulthood, of being human as I have ever read. This is a fearless and exquisite work of art.” —Lily King, author of the New York Times bestseller Euphoria

This Reading + Discussion is part of Salt is Story. Words. Sound. Image. Conversation.

RSVP online for event reminders

Rodney Sayers: Visiting Artist Lecture | 'DesignInquiry: Futurespective'
2019-10-02 18:00 - 19:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Artist Lecture: Rodney Sayers
Wednesday, October 2nd, 6–7pm
Porteous, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Limited seating
Image courtesy of the artist
Klewetua, Rodney Sayers, is a Hupacasath artist from Ahswinis, Port Alberni, British Columbia, and is a descendant of the Nuu Chah Nulth peoples.
Sayers’s practice examines the role of traditional artwork in a contemporary world. He believes that for an art form to remain vibrant, it must evolve and adapt, but remain true to its origins.
Sayers will take part in the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at MECA&D's exhibition DesignInquiry: Futurespective. On view from October 4 – December 14, 2019. Learn more.

Bettina Dittlmann: Artist Lecture (BFA)
2019-10-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Bettina Dittlman
Thursday, October 10, 6–7pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Limited seating
Bettina Dittlmann lives and works in her native Germany. After completing an apprenticeship in jewelry in Neugablonz, she joined the prestigious Kunstakademie in Munich, where she studied under Hermann Jünger until 1989. She then came to America for to complete a master's degree at SUNY New Paltz, New York, before returning to the Kunstakademie, this time under the direction of Otto Künzli, to graduate in 1993. Having moved his studio a few times between the United States and Europe, it is now based in Breitenbach, in western Germany, since 2008.
The new pieces she offers are made with calamine, the iron oxide chips that are on the surface of the metal after the forge. Coupling this material with neodymium magnets, she uses the laws of physics to determine the orientation and disposition of each component of her jewelry. With the power of magnetic fields, Dittlmann represents metaphorically the social and political turbulence in which we evolve, being forced to forces that seem invisible and uncontrollable. Arranged concentrically by the force of the magnet, like flowers, the pins of Bettina Dittlmann recall both the tumult, the change and the ephemerality of life.
Funded by the Windgate Foundation.

October Open House: BFA Admissions
2019-10-19 10:00 - 15:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

Salt Online Information Session
2019-10-24 12:00 - 13:00 | ME
Salt Online Information Session
Tune in virtually on Thursday, October 24 from 12–1pm for an online info session on Salt's 15-week intensive and a live Q+A session to address any questions you may have about the program, our Salt Fellowship, and how to apply.

Hear from Colin Cheney, Salt Chair, about Salt and the Salt Diversity Fellowship
Join Joel Tsui, Salt '19 and Graduate Admissions Counselor, and Nora Boydell, Salt '19 and current Salt TA, to hear about their experiences as alumni
Learn about our one-semester graduate certificate program in storytelling (with audio and visual tracks)
Listen to short pieces from current students and Salt alumni
Ask your questions about the program, the application process, and more

Upon registration, we'll send you details and a link to the info session in your confirmation email and we'll send you a link to the recorded session to watch later as well. You can also join us directly on YouTube Live on October 24 at 12pm here.
If you have any questions about the info session, you can contact us at admissions@meca.edu or 207.699.5026. Learn more about visiting MECA&D here.

RSVP for Salt's Online Info Session

Full Name*

First

Last

Preferred Name, if applicableIf you go by another name other than the one listed above, you may enter it here. Please note that this is the name we will use for follow-up emails, mailings, etc. Email Address*

Phone NumberPlease enter a phone number to consent to being contacted by phone or text message.Address

Street Address

City

State / Province / Region

ZIP / Postal Code

AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaRéunionSaint BarthélemySaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyria Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, the United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluTürkiyeUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaViet NamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweÅland Islands
Country

Are you interested in applying to Salt?*Yes, Spring 2021Yes, Fall 2021Yes, in 2022 or beyondNot sure at this timePlease share with us any questions you may currently have about Salt, our fellowship program, the application process, or Maine College of Art.

Header Image: Nicolas Tanner, Torch, 2011

'Birds and Buildings', Nick Liadis, RA: Lecture
2019-10-30 18:00 - 19:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Nick G Liadis, RA
Wednesday, October 30th, 6–7pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Millions of birds in North America fatally strike windows each year. Strikes can occur on any building type—from single family homes to large towers—and primarily affect migrating songbirds. The talk explores why birds strike windows and how design can help them safely navigate around buildings and cities.
Nick G Liadis is a cross-disciplinary thinker working at the interface of architecture and avian conservation biology. Trained as an architect—balancing professional practice with teaching at Carnegie Mellon and Chatham Universities—he’s defined a new approach to architecture by expanding a strong interest in the natural world, and in particular, birdlife. Central to this cross-disciplinary work is protecting birds from colliding into the windows of buildings, which occurs when they get tricked into perceiving their habitat reflected in glass.
Nick has expanded his research with appointments at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory in California, and at the Powdermill Avian Research Center and Fallingwater Institute in Pennsylvania. His bi-coastal experiences have given him tremendous insight into the struggles birds face when they encounter North American cities. This unique perspective is defined by promoting healthy landscapes across the multitude of environments that birds traverse as they migrate, from forests to cities.
As a research fellow at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Nick leverages his cross-disciplinary background with the depth of resources at the museum, such as the Bird Safe Pittsburgh Program. With his endorsement by the American Bird Conservancy and the American Institute of Architects to teach about bird-safe cities and buildings, he unites architects, planners, policy makers, and scientists around the protection of birds in cities.
This lecture is hosted by the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at MECA&D, in conjunction with the exhibition DesignInquiry: Futurespective. On view October 4 - December 14, 2019.

Kevin Snipes: Artist Lecture (Ceramics)
2019-10-31 12:00 - 13:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Kevin Snipes
Ceramics Artist
Thursday, October 31, 2019; 12:00 pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Limited seating
Kevin Snipes, Numbskull #1, 2015
Kevin Snipes is an American artist born in Philadelphia and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He received a B.F.A. in ceramics and drawing from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1994 and concluded graduate studies at the University of Florida in 2003. Snipes has been awarded numerous awards and artist residencies including fellowships at The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences in Rabun Gap, GA, The Clay Studio in Philadelphia; Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in New Castle, ME; A.I.R. in Vallauris, France and C.R.E.T.A. Rome. Snipes received a Taunt Fellowship from the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana in 2008 and a McKnight Residency award from Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, MN in 2011. In 2014, he was awarded a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant. Other awards include the Purchase Award at the 2009 NCECA Clay National Biennial, an Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council in Columbus and a Marie P. Cowen Fellowship in ceramics from Worcester Center for Crafts in MA. Snipes has exhibited both nationally and internationally, as far away as Jingdezhen, China. He currently resides in Macon, Georgia, where he is the visiting artist at Wesleyan College.
Kevin Snipes, La Dee Da #1, 2015; (full size artwork of header image)
Snipes' artwork explores concepts of otherness. Snipes employs techniques of narrative drawing and hand-constructed porcelain to craft objects that cross the boundary between sculpture and painting. His works are a combination of atypical pottery forms, quirky figurative drawings and contemporary vernacular language. His pieces are influenced by traditional and nontraditional art forms including street art, architecture, contemporary painting, art history and even children’s toys and drawings. His work has an underlying sophistication based in existentialist thought, creating a dynamic body of work that is both culturally transcendent and personally identifiable. Through his use of multi-faceted narratives he challenges the viewer to consider the concept of otherness in confrontation with the self.

Hosted by the Ceramics Department.
Funded by the Windgate Foundation.

Matt Soar: Artist Lecture (BFA)
2019-10-31 18:00 - 19:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Matt Soar
Intermedia Artist, Filmmaker, and Writer
Thursday, October 31, 6–7pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Limited seating

Matt Soar is an intermedia artist, filmmaker and design writer. His creative practice ranges from cameraless animation on film to the remediation of two 1970s airport information displays; from photomontage and stained glass to interactive media installations and nonlinear documentaries. Soar is the co-founder and director of the Montréal Signs Project and has been a regular participant in DesignInquiry.
Soar will take part in the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at MECA&D’s exhibition DesignInquiry: Futurespective. On view from October 4–December 14, 2019.

Header image (detail):

November Open House: MFA Admissions
2019-11-09 10:00 - 15:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, First Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Visit MECA&D for a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Open House
We invite you to join us at MECA&D on Saturday, November 9, 2019 to learn more about our MFA Program!
MECA&D’s Master of Fine Arts Program encourages each student to think across traditional academic boundaries and challenge their art practice and intellectual curiosity. Studio-based, with renowned faculty, visiting artists and carefully selected graduate advisors, the curriculum emphasizes the intersection of studio production, individual research, critical analysis, and travel to important and inspiring locations. Learn more about the MFA Program.
Schedule

Check-in with refreshments
Information session for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program
Lunch
Tour of facilities & studios
Optional: Lingering questions & grad resources

November Open House: BFA Admissions
2019-11-09 10:00 - 15:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
