Messler Gallery showcases the best of Maines talent
The Messler Gallery, located on the campus of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, is currently hosting Maine Wood 2016 through April 6. The juried biennial exhibition, which…
The Messler Gallery, located on the campus of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, is currently hosting Maine Wood 2016 through April 6. The juried biennial exhibition, which opened Jan. 22, showcases the breadth and creativity of Maine’s woodworking community.
The center received 90 submissions from 45 state residents. Jurors were Peter Fleming, head of furniture at the Sheridan College Bachelor of Craft and Design Program in Toronto; Matthew Kenney, senior editor at Fine Woodworking magazine, and Emily Zilber, curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Furniture makers who made the cut included Virginia Blanchard of Thomaston; Eben Blaney of Edgecomb; David Boyle of Bath; Mark C. Donavan of Bowdoinham; Dylan Estabrooks of Portland; Wayne Hall of Orland; David LaValle of Bangor; Gregg Lipton of Cumberland Center; David Masury of Kittery Point; Chris North of Owls Head; Duane Paluska of Brunswick; Kevin Rodel of Brunswick; Steve Ryder of Biddeford; Libby Schrum of Camden; Karina Steele of Camden, and Michaela Crie Stone of Rockport.
The list also includes sculptors, turners, marquetarians and canoe builders, including Clara Cohan of Cape Elizabeth; William Janelle of Bridgton; Christopher Joyce of Stonington; Lou Landry of East Boothbay; Jim MacDonald of Burnham; Malcolm Ray of Damariscotta, and Bob White of Rockport.
Emerging artist competition
In a joint effort to encourage the makers of tomorrow, The Furniture Society and the Philadelphia Furniture Show are conducting an emerging artist competition. The winner will get a free booth to display his or her work at the next Philadelphia Furniture Show, scheduled for Apr. 8-10 at the 23rd Street Armory in Philadelphia.
“We believe that exhibiting at a live show is a great opportunity to get instant feedback from the buying public, network with established artisans, secure commissions and possibly sell pieces at the show,” the organizers said in a statement.
Entrants must be current students, apprentices or recent graduates. For information, visit www.philadelphiafurnitureshow.com.
This article originally appeared in the February 2016 issue.
