Artists (Page 2)

The “10 x 10” Art Exhibit featured at the Thompson Free Library this September showcased the creative work of art educators Jane Blay and Martha Ladd, who teach in Dover-Foxcroft. According to Jane, “The idea was to create art within a 10 by 10-inch area. Any medium could be used to fill the dimensions. Any style could be incorporated, from realism to abstract and any area could be investigated such as landscape, photography or even mixed media.”

About the Artists:

I have been successful as an artist since 1991, with art shows in Bangor, Belfast and Dover-Foxcroft. I exhibited artwork in shows at the Ames Gallery in Belfast and the Danforth Gallery in Portland. I received awards for my artwork in 2002, 2003 and 2004 at the Central Maine Open Juried Art Show located in Waterville, Maine.  I have exhibited at the Bangor Art Society Annual Open Juried Art Show from 1999 until 2007 and received several awards for mixed media and pastel.  My triptych of a local Orono business hangs at the town hall in Orono, Maine.  Over the past several years, I have devoted myself to my classes and students, although I am now promoting my own art again.

I am an Art Educator at Foxcroft Academy since 1998.  I have also offered evening art lessons in Orono, Maine for several years.  I taught weekend classes at Hampden Academy for several years for the Maine College of Art in Portland.  I offered summer art camps at Foxcroft Academy since 2003 to 2018 for younger artists, evening pottery classes, and pastel classes for adults.

I received my Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and in Communication Disorders at the University of Maine at Orono.   I am also certified in Maine for Art Education. Many of my paintings are of Maine’s beautiful landscapes and shorelines.  Others reveal the true beauty found in and near Dover-Foxcroft while some are created from unexpected passing moments. Recently I have also been exploring abstract art and photography. ~Jane Blay

Martha Ladd, a Maine artist, graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelors of Fine Art Degree in 1997. She currently lives in Sebec, Maine with her husband and two children.  Martha paints with watercolor, oil and acrylic paint.  She is also passionate about photography, an interest she gained from her grandfather as a child.  She loves to garden, be around water (lakes, rivers, ocean), and spend time with her family.  She is inspired by the beauty around us, and the feelings with those experiences.

Martha has been the elementary visual arts teacher at SeDoMoCha for the last seven years.  She also has taught summer art camps at Foxcroft Academy for the past six years.  Recently her artwork was in the Monson Arts Gallery for an exhibit “Art All Around Us”  which featured work from local art teachers in the area.

“In this exhibit ‘10×10’ I wanted to focus on feelings and experiences.  I wanted to explore the 10×10 restriction with color and light.  This forced me to experiment and really feel the colors and shapes.  In my photographs the color orange and white seemed to prevail with the feelings of joy and loss.  While in the paintings, I explored with color and movement that formed shapes and emotions for me.” ~Martha Ladd

Photographer Edward Muennich is our August artist of the month! Visit the library this month to view his remarkable landscapes and images of the natural world.

Bio / Artist Statement

Edward Muennich grew up in southwest Ohio and has lived in Oregon, Alaska, and the Czech Republic where he has worked as a carpenter and a studio assistant for jewelers, potters, and other crafters before settling down in Maine 24 years ago. Currently he lives in Mount Desert where he works primarily as a carpenter. Ed and his partner Kerri Sands have a camp here in Piscataquis County, on Lake Onawa, which they visit as often as they can.

Edward has a background in arts and crafts, primarily painting and drawing, but has come to photography relatively recently. The images in this show are from the past four years of photographing. In some of the photographs he is playing with long exposure – giving the water an ethereal quality, or creating “double images”; in others he is capturing interesting natural events such as sea smoke or reflections. All of the images are a result of his exploring places he loves, looking in depth for compositions that excite him.

Fiber artist, painter, and Atkinson native Jo Eaton’s creative and varied “Loving the Landscape” collection of artwork is on display at the library June 15 through July 25. Join us for an artist talk on Tuesday, July 16 at 5:30 pm to learn about Jo’s inspiration and techniques–from her watercolors, acrylics, and oil paintings to her amazing landscape hats and vibrant hearts.

Visit the library this month to view photographs by TFL librarian Michelle Fagan!

Michelle grew up on MDI and was surrounded by art. As a kid ages 9-14 she went to a camp called Summer Festival of the Arts. This camp was where art became very important to her. She learned dance, fiber arts, painting, theater, and set design. Her love for dance, fiber arts, and theater continued through high school. As a young adult she became interested in photography, mostly landscapes and still life, but occasionally a person or an animal. Artistic shots are favorites to snap now, but she can’t say no to an ocean scene. Now when Michelle is not at the library or busy being a mom she focuses on her two favorite art pastimes, photography and painting silk scarves.