Classes, Workshops & Shows for
ARTISTS
•
MAKERS
•
MUSICIANS
•
STUDENTS
•
ISLANDERS
•
COLLECTORS
•
ARTISTS • MAKERS • MUSICIANS • STUDENTS • ISLANDERS • COLLECTORS •
Layers
papercut watercolor pen and ink by artist and illustrator Betsy Thompson
Opening reception July 19th 5-8, Gallery Hours Saturday and Sunday 1-5:30 or by chance or appointment
LAYERS
Artist Statement:
Whether discussing an onion, geological strata, or the complexities of human relationships, everything is composed of layers. Nothing is as simple as it first appears. During this long dark winter, I began noticing layers everywhere—in the sky, in food, in the ocean, in the garden, and especially in people. Grief itself unfolds in layers upon layers of loss, making everything feel more complicated.
In the past, my art and illustration has been filled with color, but in this body of work, nearly every piece is rendered in black and white. While the connection to grief is apparent, there is also something about loss that alters perspective and pares life back to its essentials. Loss heightens an awareness of connection—to yourself, your family, your community, and your place in the world.
About the artist:
An educator for over 30 years, Betsy Thompson is also a self-taught mixed-media artist and illustrator. Her goal is to make art more accessible to viewers and readers of all ages by drawing them in through her use of movement, shapes, and storytelling. Her first picture book, Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?, was awarded a 2012 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Book Award and the 2012 Lupine Honor Award from the Maine Library Association, and was included on the New York Public Library’s 2012 list, Children’s Books: 100 Titles for Reading & Sharing. Betsy’s book Sunrise, Moonrise was published by Simon & Schuster in November 2016, and was selected for the Maine’s Raising Readers program. Next year will be Betsy’s 8th year teaching at Peaks Island Elementary School.
Check back for more!
The gallery operates seasonally June-October each year. Each exhibition lasts about two weeks and the hours are Saturday and Sunday afternoons, 1-5:30 PM but midweek hours and private showings are also available via request or by chance.
The shows are by invitation, any interested parties are welcome to submit their ideas for showings, classes or gatherings of any kind.
The “business” model of the gallery is and always has been providing artists a space they can utilize without worry of being monetized and exploited. It’s sustained by myself, the artists I’ve invited to show there and the yearly fundraiser called the Spring Hop. The goal is to continue to offer the space at a very low cost to the artists so that they can retain ALL profits from their sales. This has always been the number one priority of the gallery: to assist deserving hard working artists by offering a generously supportive and affordable space.
This year the lineup is exceedingly diverse. Along with some returning favorites there will be exciting shows by locals who are not artists in a traditional sense, and our beloved pop-up yoga shala will return in August.
Thank you for your time and interest, see you soon!
Past Shows & Events
questions? contact danithepirate@icloud.com