A sense of warmth is tapping at the door;
And hope, a feeling out from distant lore

– Or so it seems – clears the deep refrain!

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

–Robert Frost

As summer exits the coast, Camden Falls Gallery is holding tight to autumn hues. Our upcoming show, Transitions, begins with disappearing summer light, wanders through crisp autumn and settles into cozy winter scenes through the work of more than thirty artists.

The artists’ palettes capture the change of seasons.  Maine is anything if not transient. The hemming and hawing of the tides, the wavering periods of daylight, our four distinct seasons and the residents who are in flux with them.

John Schmidtberger’s Bayside study, featuring the highly recognizable pastel cottages of the community, captures perfectly the sigh that accompanies the end of summer. His paintings both bid farewell to the warm season and convey the anticipation of autumn.

The latest works from Aline Ordman bring us stunning views of New England’s farmlands as fall begins its descent.  Maine Fall is a delightful rendering of the foliage, so bright that it almost appears that the trees are aflame.

Judith Schuppien’s latest also envisages warm, cozy fall scenes. Popham Cottages weaves the red and orange hues of turning leaves with the browns and beige’s of fading vegetation; the perpetuation of life ensconced between brush and canvas.

Many other vibrant works grace the gallery walls by several Maine and New England artists including:  Daniel Corey, Amy Brnger, Anne Holt, Loretta Krupinski and Janis Sanders.

Though the evenings are already noticeably darker and there’s a biting chill in the air here on the coast, Transitions will be warming up the Camden Falls Gallery, accessible by the Public Landing entrance or through the Maine Gathering at 8 Bayview Street, through the end of October.

Rocky Pond, Judith Schuppien, $800

After a winter, which has dealt us one storm after another, with accumulating snow depths, we look forward to the return of the sun. Its warmth and lengthening days—the melt that  is a prelude to the mud. Looking forward to the coming of spring, we rejoice in every extra minute of sunlight, every melting icicle. With the surplus of white and gray this winter has bathed us in, we at Camden Falls Gallery, look forward to the coming warmth of spring, not just in temperatures, but in the warmer color pallet of the world around us. With these thoughts to hold on to we make it through the last few months of yet another Maine winter. To assist us on our journey from one season to another we have filled our gallery with artwork that embraces the colors that will soon be blooming at our doorsteps with a promise that winter in Maine won’t last forever.

SHOW UPDATE: The “Giving Thanks” show has been extended through to the end of the year.

Camden Falls Gallery in partnership with United Mid-Coast Charities (UMCC) will hold both a special seasonal show and a silent auction to benefit local non-profit charities in Knox and Waldo Counties.

Please join us at our new location, 5 Public Landing, between the Public and Bayview Landings, Saturday, November 13th from 5-7 pm for an opening reception.

The Camden Falls Gallery is pleased to have the opportunity to give back to the local community that has ardently supported it. From its inception by the waterfall, in 2000, to its vibrant new home on the Public Landing, art lovers all along the mid-coast have responded to the mix of established and “up and coming” talent on display.

Our new show, Giving Thanks, will run from the grand opening on Nov. 13th through Dec. 31st.  Gallery artists will donate 10% of their profits on the sale of each piece to United Mid-Coast Charities. In addition, four of our longtime artists, John Schmidtberger, Janis Sanders,Aline Ordman, and Judith Schuppien have all donated original oil paintings to a silent auction which will be accepting bids through the 20th of December. The entire amount of the winning bids will be donated to United Mid-Coast Charities.

United Mid-Coast Charities was founded in 1942 as an entirely volunteer run organization and has remained so for 69 years, continuing to support 50 non-profit agencies throughout Knox and Waldo counties. The goal of U.M.C.C has always been to provide support to those agencies which offer the greatest possible benefit to those mid-coast residents in the most need.  Almost half of all agencies awarded funds serve local children and youth, the remaining donations go towards community service, education, and medical organizations. Each member of the U.M.C.C Board of Directors visits the recipient groups, strengthening communication, contact, and support, in an ongoing effort to understand and better serve their needs.

The four donated paintings in the silent auction typify the technical mastery and expressiveness of Camden Falls’ gallery of artists.

The four silent auction paintings will be on display in the lobby of Camden National Bank, Elm Street, Camden, weekdays for the month of December and at the gallery on weekends. There will be a bidding sheet at both locations, and an updated tally available at www.camdenfallsgallery.com.

This is a wonderful opportunity to purchase a beautiful piece of art while giving back to the community and those who maybe less fortunate.

Gallery hours are 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5pm. Camden Falls Gallery is dedicated to fostering and nurturing emerging and established Maine artists and to sounding the depths of fresh talent in the New England Maritime tradition.

Mini Harbor, by Aline Ordman, artfully combines moored boats with their gemlike reflections. Aline was recently awarded the Allied Arts Award at the Pastel Society of America’s 38th Annual Juried Exhibition. Her new title “Master Pastelist” is a distinction given only to society members who have won three awards at the Juried  National Exhibitions. Aline is also an accomplished oil painter, who has been represented by the Camden Falls Gallery for five years. She earned degrees from both Cornell University and the Academy of Art College in San Francisco.

Janis Sanders has donated his oil, Harbor House, to the auction. As with most of Janis’ work, a strong simple composition locks in sculpted areas of bold color skillfully applied with a palette knife. The Stamford Art Association has recently accepted one of Sander’s paintings into its annual Faber Birren National Color Award Show.

John Schmidtberger (one of many Camden Falls Gallery artists to paint primarily en plein aire) is represented in the U.M.C.C. auction with his dramatic landscape, Point Lookout and Amazing Clouds. The artist has transported the viewer to this extraordinary vantage point just north of Lincolnville Beach, where we can almost breathe the rarified, bracing air and sense the mercurial play of bright light and cloud shadow on the neighboring mountain.

Lobster Business is the title of Judith Schuppien’s auction entry. The subject matter depicted is close to the artist’s heart and memory. Judith grew up in the small coastal village of Millbridge as a member of a lobstering and fishing family. Her imagery often draws inspiration from memories of hard-worn river towns and working harbors along the rugged coast. One can sense Judith’s strong emotional connection to her subjects, evident in her heightened color palette and sensuous brushwork.

Please join us for the Artist Reception – Saturday, August 21, 2010 from 5 pm to 8 pm – at our new location on Harbor Way between the Public Landing and Bay View Landing.

Owners Howard and Margaret Gallagher said it was their very good fortune to have found this new gallery space less then a block from their original location, where their business evolved for its first eight years. The new gallery will offer nearly 30 percent more wall space, as well as a new, bolder front face and exposure to the public landing and harbor; an additional entrance off Bay View Street and through the re-located Maine Gathering will be an added benefit, especially during the winter months.

As it has been for the last 30 years of working retail in Camden, we will be open year round. We are most exited about the new art work we will feature in for our first show of the season.

In “A Celebration Of Independence,” which will run through the month of July, Camden Falls Gallery has collected a body of works from some of its original artists as well as the current roster of gallery artists, and several new artists will be showing, as well.

That was the first verse of John Lincoln Wright’s “Closed for Alterations”.  In traditional country song format the song gets sadder from there. Women leaving, dog dying, no more money to buy a Balentine Ale Light, etc.

But for us it’s a different story. The building of the deck for Linda Beans’ “Perfect Maine” restaurant was the final act for the Camden Falls Gallery’s first location.  As we come close to the anniversary of the beginning of the deck construction, Memorial Day 2009, we are thrilled to have had the good fortune and ability to move from the former location at 8 Public Landing to the new and expanded location at 5 Public Landing. Unlike the song we hope to have the gallery open by mid June and we want you all to stop by (and I really haven’t had that much to drink)!

We have taken over and renovated the old Owl and Turtle building at 8 Bay View Street and now have nearly 5,000 sq feet of retail space on 3 floors with a series of 3 decks over looking the bay to the east, Camden Harbor and the waterfall, the library, park and the mountains to the west.  We could not be more excited with our present location and situation. Through the move and the renovations of the gallery and Maine Gathering we have been overwhelmed at times, but it now looks like we will have the Maine Gathering opened by Memorial Day and Camden Falls Gallery will follow soon after that.  This looks to be a very promising season with a number of new artist joining the gallery and wonderful new work available by our existing members.

We would love for you to stop by to see the new gallery and visit us on Facebook.

Howard and Margaret Gallagher

Daniel Corey received the prestigious MARC award for 2009 which provided him with lodging and a stipend allowing him to spend a five week residency on the island. Forty artists applied for this award that is given to an emerging Maine artist each summer. Daniel has just returned from his sojourn on Monhegan with the superb collection of work, a portion of which is now showing at Camden Falls Gallery. Daniel is a traditional painter rooted in the aesthetic values of the Ashcan school and the impressionists of the Cape Cod School of Art. Inspired by light quality, color harmony and abstract shapes, his paintings are created from direct observation. Enjoying the challenge of painting nontraditional views and subjects, he finds the beauty in them, along with what he interprets as, “what makes Maine, Maine.”

Join in Daniel’s visual and emotional journey by visiting this show which is open now and will run through November. A reception to meet the artist reception will be held Sunday, November 22nd from 5-7 pm. The public is welcome. Camden Falls Gallery is proud to showcase this talented emerging Maine artist.

Showing:  Through June 15

Judith Schuppien
“The Working Coast”

With a focus on the working waterfront along Maine’s Down East coast, Judith’s work reveals a bold, loose and expressive style on familiar subjects in a fresh and interesting way. Raised in Washington County, Judith comes from a family involved in the resource-based economy of Down East Maine. Most family members have worked as lobster men, fishermen and clam diggers. Her paintings draw her to the working waterfront and rekindles family ties. It is her passion to portray this feeling through the composition of her paintings, bringing forth a bold presence and impact. Judith works as both “plein air” and studio artist, reveling in the familiarity of her environment.

Showing: June 16 2009

Daniel Corey
“The Point At Pemaquid”

Daniel Corey is a traditional painter rooted in the aesthetic values of the Ashcan school and the impressionists of the Cape Cod School of Art. Mostly inspired by light quality, color harmony and abstract shapes, his paintings are created from direct observation. He really enjoys the challenge of painting nontraditional views and subjects, finding the beauty in them, along with the views that make Maine, Maine.

Daniel has been named the 2009 Monhegan Island artist in residence by the Monhegan Artists’ Residency Corporation(MARC).

“What I hope to accomplish during my residency on Monhegan is most simply stated as growth. I believe the time and surroundings provided through this residency will really allow me to focus on what makes my paintings mine and what makes me, me.

Being familiar with the rich art history of the Island and the part some of my personal painting heroes have had in it, would make this residency very special to me. I find this a priceless opportunity to experience the scenes they painted and walk in their footsteps, while having the time to paint my own personal view of the Island and hopefully leaving a few footprints of my own. “