By June LaCombe, Guest Columnist
Sculptors have been drawn to this region for its inspiration and its materials. Sculpture is best seen outdoors where it can interact with the light, wind, weather and people. Exhibitions can be found in nature centers, botanical gardens and on college campuses. I have been curating exhibitions in these venues for 20 years offering both collectors and visitors the opportunity to see sculpture outdoors, and in garden settings. The City of Portland is adding to its collection and offering sculpture symposiums; where artists gather and work side by side to create public art and bring sculpture to Downeast communities.
Why sculpture? Sculpture has ancient beginnings. Granite, basalt and marble as well as steel and bronze are touchstones to Earth in this flattened, high tech world. And to view their work, invites contemplation. Appreciating art can be a part of a more contemplative, less consumptive life that celebrates the unique nature of Maine.
In celebration of the recent expansion of the Portland Jetport, William D. Hamill donated a series of wildlife sculptures by Wendy Klemperer to the City of Portland. These weathered steel pieces include a herd of deer, a porcupine and a wolf which are now all sited along the entry road (International Pkwy.) off of Congress Street. Another gift- a massive, granite, abstract sculpture by Jesse Salisbury entitled Tidal Moon, is located just outside of the baggage claim. Hamill believes great sculpture at the Jetport pays tribute to Maine’s art and heritage, and now all visitors can enjoy this work.
For those venturing farther Downeast, Maine’s International Sculpture Symposium is held every other year. This event has brought artists from Turkey, Japan, Egypt, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and France to work with Maine artists. They have completed sculpture that has become public art throughout eastern Maine. See www.schoodicsculpture.org for an excellent map and sculpture trail throughout various coastal villages.These pieces are the latest additions in the Public Art Collection of the city, which contains twenty-four works of art that are permanently installed throughout Portland. This collection contains works of historical significance that date from the nineteenth century, as well as contemporary pieces that reflect the diversity and spirit of the city itself. For more info, check out www.portlandmaine.gov/publicart.htm.
Explore the sculpture that celebrates Maine and art in living landscapes.
June LaCombe oversees exhibitions, commissions and sales of sculpture working with sculptors from all over New England. Recent exhibitions of work for sale include Maine Audubon in Falmouth, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Hawk Ridge Farm in Pownal and the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. For additional information on her exhibits, visit her website at www.junelacombesculpture.com.
(Porcupine by Wendy Klemperer and Dragonfly by Digby Veevers Carter.)
