by Jack Foye
Art is one of the many important things in our day-to-day lives. It is all around us and in many forms, too. The Portland Museum of Art is just one of the many places in Maine where you can see a collection of unique art pieces from both local and international artists. I made a stop at this museum while on an important trip to Portland a week ago. I am not usually that interested in museums unless they are based around music or certain niche interests of mine, but the distinct art pieces made it worth my time, and I felt inclined to take pictures of a few pieces I found most interesting, some of which I, unfortunately, didn’t catch the creators of.
This one was one of the first pieces I saw in the gallery and it’s also one of my favorites.
It seems to be made out of a type of wood and/or clay with a variety of different jungle creatures as well. In person, it was even bigger than it looks in the picture. It would be amazing to own as decor, but I don’t think it would fit in my room, anyway.
Something I really like is lineless artwork, which is more common in paintings than it is in traditional or digital art. It’s very appealing, especially when it has a bit of a messy appearance. This painting was very cute to me and had a lovely realistic color palette that is easy on the eyes and would make for a great decorative piece if it were for sale.
These wooden carvings were my favorite among everything I’d seen. I almost wanted to pick one up and walk out with it because these were honestly so charming. I don’t think I have seen something similar to these before, so it makes me wonder what materials these are composed of besides wood.
This piece was one of the few that I was able to catch the creator of. The creator of this piece, Valerie Hegarty, is most known for creating unique and “warped” modern art pieces such as this one, which is titled: Warped Clipper Ship. Despite its old appearance, the piece is actually from 2016. It was definitely an interesting sight to behold.
This art piece, coincidentally, is one that I own a replica of. I initially thought that this was another piece by Valerie Hegarty, but it is actually created by Franklin Stanwood, an artist from Maine.
While this piece is very simple, it speaks many words just in its existence alone. Marcus Leslie Singleton, the artist, reflects on his family members’ experience in prison. This really spoke to me, because it breaks my heart to see the way that marginalized groups of people are treated in these circumstances. It further inspired me to work to help others and the world.
I think that the most important thing about art is the story that every piece tells; the way it can inspire others and teach them about the experiences of other individuals or show them a different perspective or way of doing things. The Portland Museum of Art is an overall great place to visit whether you live in Portland or are just stopping by. The staff there welcome you warmly and the space is very LGBTQ friendly as all places should be. There is even a little gift shop where you can purchase different merchandise such as games, books, water bottles, and even dog collars as well. The gift shop is a great place to find a unique gift for a friend or family member. The museum is even working on a new level in the building to display more artwork, which gives you all the more reason to visit this year. I am excited to see what will be displayed next.