Maine's Coastal Islands Engage
Midcoast UMVA Artists
MAINE ART SCENE
Brenda Bonneville, editor
September 19, 2024
The Union of Maine Visual Artists (UMVA) Midcoast Chapter, in partnership with the Friends of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Rockland, presents “REFUGE”, a dynamic exhibition of artwork
inspired by the unique beauty found in and around Maine’s coastal islands. The show features both
representational and abstract works.
Viewers can explore moments of quiet connection as well as up close and far away observations of nature, and
dreamy reflections of the unique beauty found in and around Maine’s coastal islands. The variety of media
includes pastel, painting, collage, photography, printmaking, porcelain, and mixed media.
The exhibit opens with an artists’ reception on September 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the gallery at the Coastal
Islands National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center. The exhibit continues to December 13, 2024.
Contemporary realist painter Jane Dahmen juried this exhibit. Dahmen, whose landscapes explore the coastal
regions of midcoast Maine, has shown in solo and group shows both within the U.S. and abroad. She is
represented by The Portland Art Gallery.
About the UMVA
The UMVA is a statewide network, connecting artists, art lovers and patrons, through such programs as: Maine
Arts Journal – A free quarterly arts journal featuring UMVA artist artwork, professional tips and advice on
deepening your work, and advancing your art career; open and juried exhibits with no entry fee for members;
Maine Masters – A film series of notable Maine artists, such as Lois Dodd, and Robert Shetterly; Artists’ Rapid
Response Team! (ARRT!) whose members create artistic banners, placards & posters for other organizations
about contemporary topics; LumenARRT! projects artistic messages and imaging on buildings about the current
zeitgeist. UMVA was instrumental in passing the “Percent for Art Program”, a Maine law which earmarks 1%
of funds for new state buildings to include art, as well as the Artist’s Estate Tax Law allowing art work to be
used to pay artists’ estate taxes. For more information, please visit www.TheUMVA.org.
About Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge
The Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex is comprised of five individual refuges which
span the coast of Maine and support an incredible diversity of habitats including coastal islands, forested
headlands, estuaries and freshwater wetlands. All totaled, the refuge includes approximately 9,478 acres of
diverse coastal Maine habitats including forested and non-forested offshore islands, coastal salt marsh, open
field, and upland mature spruce-fir forest. Their mission is conserving the flora and fauna of the islands and
coastal regions in Maine. The Visitor’s Center is located at 9 Water Street in Rockland. The gallery is open
during the Visitor Center’s open hours Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am 4:30 pm. For more information,
please click here.