Landscape paintings are a staple of Maine galleries, but rarely do the works stray from the undisturbed forest/mountain/coast variety. And while such works conjure much that is lovable about Maine, our bustling culture capital seems to get short shrift. This exhibition isn’t exclusively Maine or Portland (only a handful of works depict local scenes), but it does capture the allure of built environments everywhere.
“It’s such a neglected side of the landscape here in Maine,” gallery owner Susan Maasch says of the cityscape. “This is the American landscape. We’re showing a side of the landscape you rarely get to see.”
The group show includes works by a number of well-known artists. You’ll find pieces by Richard Estes, Richard Haas, David Kapp, Todd Watts, Rackstraw Downes, Yvonne Jacquette, Christina Goodwin, Robert Solotaire, Bruce Muirhead, Rush Brown, Jeff Loxterkamp and Mark Marchesi. It’s no surprise New York City is the subject matter of choice for most of these artists, with a few views of Boston and Portland (and even one of Bangor).
And with more people moving to Portland every day to take advantage of our enviable way of life, we can only hope shows like this will continue to reflect our urban love affair back at us.