'Darkness and the Light': Opening Reception
2019-07-12 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | 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

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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.

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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

Young Joon Kwak: Artist Lecture (Sculpture)
2019-11-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Young Joon Kwak
Multi-disciplinary Artist
Monday, November 11, 2019; 6pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Young Joon Kwak, ATTACK SUSTAIN RELEASE DECAY, Performance collaboration, 2015. Click to view larger.
Young Joon Kwak is an LA-based multi-disciplinary artist working primarily through sculpture, performance, video, and collaboration. Kwak's work aims to transform our perception of bodies by reimagining their form, functionality, and materiality—from static and bound to pre-inscribed power structures, to an expanded sense of bodies and their environs as mutable and open-ended.
Kwak is the founder of Mutant Salon, a roving beauty salon/platform for experimental performance collaborations with their community of queer, trans, femme, POC artists and performers. Kwak is the lead performer in the electronic-dance-noise band Xina Xurner.

Young Joon Kwak, Wig Heel Purse, 2016, Mixed Media. Click to view larger.
Performances and exhibitions include: the Hammer Museum, The Broad, REDCAT, ONE National LGBT Archives, and Commonwealth & Council, Los Angeles; 47 Canal, Regina Rex, and Smack Mellon, NYC; Wattis Institute, Southern Exposure, San Francisco; Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Antenna Space, Shanghai, China; Pavillon Vendôme Centre d’Art Contemporain, Clichy, France; the Art Museum of the National University of Colombia, Bogotá; Walter Phillips Gallery at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, Alberta, Canada.
Along with Mutant Salon, Kwak was Artist-in-Residence at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) during Summer 2018. Kwak received the Rema Hort Mann Foundation’s Emerging Artist Grant in 2018, and the Art Matters Grant in 2016. Kwak received an MFA from the University of Southern California, MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago, and BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Kwak’s work has been reviewed and featured in Artforum, ARTnews, Artillery Magazine, BOMB Magazine, Hyperallergic, and LA Times, among others.
Click to download Young Joon Kwak Lecture poster

Header image (detail):
Young Joon Kwak + Kim Ye, Where I Am My Own Other, Where My Mother Is Me, (2016 – ongoing)
Performance & Film/video collaboration with Kim Ye
Click to view full-sized artwork.

Discussion with Leila Day (Co-Host of the Stoop)
2019-11-12 19:00 - 20:30 | ME
Leila Day (Co-Host of the Stoop)
Listening Session + Discussion

Tuesday, November 12, 7–8:30pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Limited seating
The Stoop podcast digs into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba start conversations about what it means to be black and how we talk about blackness. It’s a celebration of black joy with a mission to dig deeper into stories that we don’t hear enough about.
Leila Day is between New York and San Francisco reporting and producing for The Stoop and Pineapple Street Media.

MAT Online Information Session
2019-11-25 12:00 - 13:00 | ME
MAT Online Information Session
Tune in virtually on Monday, November 25th from 12–1pm for an online info session on MECA&D's 10-Month Master of Arts in Teaching Program. There will also be a live Q+A session to address any questions you may have about the program or the application process.
Hosted by Kelly McConnell, Director of Art Education Outreach, Chair of Art Education, Assistant Professor; Rachel Somerville, Assistant Professor of Art Education; and Joel Tsui, Graduate Admissions Counselor.

Learn about the history of the program, coursework, and teaching practices
Discuss career preparation and career transition upon graduation
Listen to questions and answers about the program, the application process, and more

You can view the live event on November 25th at 12pm via this link: youtu.be/ZTuzxgFUZJE
If you have any questions about the info session, you can contact us at admissions@meca.edu or 207.699.5023.
Learn more about visiting MECA&D here.

Header Image: Kyle Dubay '18

In Her Kitchen: Culinary Talents of Immigrant Women
2019-12-04 16:30 - 19:00 | Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
In Her Kitchen: Culinary Talents of Immigrant Women
a collaboration between In Her Presence and Maine College of Art & Design
Wednesday, December 4, 4:30–5pm Screening; 5–7pm Tasting
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Suggested donation: $10 to benefit In Her Presence
Limited seating

On Wednesday, December 4th, at 4:30 pm, cooking videos of seven immigrant women preparing their most treasured recipes will be screened at Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D), Osher Hall, 2nd floor, 522 Congress Street, Portland. A tasting of the dishes in the videos will follow from 5 - 7 pm. On hand will be the immigrant women who participated in the project - a partnership of the In Her Presence non-profit and MECA&D - and the MECA&D student filmmakers who made the videos. The screening and tasting event is open to all members of the public.
This will be the second iteration of the In Her Kitchen partnership. “After last year’s successful community dinner, the staff of the Cafe @ Meca is once again looking forward to hosting the culminating event this year. Working with the chefs and founders of In Her Presence and the participating students was a highlight from last year that we look forward to repeating,” said Pam Ryder, Cafe Manager.
“Maine College of Art & Design appreciates the opportunity to partner with In Her Presence, which is doing so much to empower women and girls from minority communities in Maine,” said Amelia Garretson-Persans, the MECA&D faculty behind the In Her Kitchen project. “We encourage the Portland community to join us on December 4th to get to know the chefs behind the recipes, experience their delicious dishes, and gain insight into cultures from all over the world.”
Claudette Ndayininahaze, co-founder with Abusana Micky Bondo, In Her Presence, said, “We are thrilled to be able to share the talents of some of the remarkable women from In Her Presence. We hope this series will help them raise their visibility in the community and achieve their personal ambitions.”
Among the chefs and recipes showcased in the videos is Lydie, who came to Maine from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lydie spends her time cooking for large groups of people at different events in the Portland area. Eugenie, another featured chef, when asked for any advice to share, said “You need to learn from others and you need to also share the skills you have so others can take it.”
Each year, Maine College of Art & Design partners with a local nonprofit organization on a public engagement project designed to benefit the community. This year, students are working with seven female chefs from the local organization In Her Presence to create engaging recipe videos that combine the talents of both the students and chefs involved. Both parties benefit from this project, the students being able to learn and create videos while simultaneously being exposed to new cultures, while the chefs from In Her Presence are given a platform to educate others on their cultures as well as voice their goals.
When asked what it was like to be a part of a project like this, student Bridget Foner said “It’s a life changing experience, being able to meet with these women I would not be able to meet with normally and experiencing their culture through cooking.”

For updates on the project, visit inherkitchen.org or follow them on Instagram (@in.her.kitchen). To RSVP to the screening and tasting (RSVP recommended) email agarretson-persans@meca.edu or respond to our facebook event.

About In Her Presence
In Her Presence is created by and for women from minority communities in Maine. Through increased educational opportunities and providing access to knowledge through high level training, the nonprofit’s goal is to empower more women and girls to reduce systems of inequity, to advocate for themselves and their families, understand, analyze and assess the impact of racial injustices and learn tools to combat inequities. (inherpresence.org)

Header image by Liz Burdick

Bethany Johns: Artist Lecture
2019-12-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Osher Hall, Maine College of Art & Design, 2nd Floor, 522 Congress St., Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Bethany Johns
Print + Publication Designer for the Arts

Thursday, December 5, 6–7pm
MECA&D, Osher Hall, Second floor
Free and open to the public
Limited seating
Bethany Johns specializes in print and publication design for museums, arts institutions, publishers, and individual artists. Their practice surrounds issues of the archive and chronicling recurring and evolving relationships with people, places, and cultural issues.
Johns 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.

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Images courtesy of the artist.

Holiday Sale 2019
2019-12-06 17:30 - 2019-12-07 17:00 | Porteous Building, Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
