Folk Art from the Collections of the Maine State Museum
The Maine State Museum's newest exhibit, Folk Art fromthe Collections of the Maine State Museum, opens on Saturday, June 28, 2008.
The exhibit is the Maine State Museum's contribution to the Maine Folk Art Trail, a concurrent
exhibition of folk art on display in eleven museums throughout Maine. Visitors to the Maine State Museum will also follow a brochure-guided "mini trail" in the museum to locate the folk art pieces exhibited within the permanent displays. Many of the items exhibited are shown for the first time and represent a variety of objects and makers from across the state.
"These objects each have their own story: the carved spruce gum boxes are quite remarkable examples of carving by Maine woodsmen, and the boxes are practical too, they were used to hold the bits of spruce resin that people chewed like gum," explained Deanna Bonner-Ganter, Curator of Fine Art, Photography, and Archives. "I think it is important to realize that all of these pieces from our collection are from self-taught artists with no formal training. They were inspired by personal observations from nature, such as a plant or a flower, and visitors will see that range of creativity with work from artists as young as eleven years old."
The Folk Art from the Collections of the Maine State Museum exhibit will be open to the public through October 11, 2008. The Maine State Museum is open Monday through Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 10am-4pm. Beginning July 1, 2008 the museum will be closed on Sundays. Admission is $2 for adults; $1 for senior adults over age 62 and children 6-18 years of age; children under 6 free. Maximum charge for families is $6. For more information please call 207-287-2301.
More information about the Maine Folk Art Trail can be found at: www.mainefolkarttrail.org
