The Creative Heartbeat of Portland

The Creative Heartbeat of Portland WINTER / SPRING 2020 Feature MECA: THE CREATIVE HEARTBEAT OF PORTLAND Table of CONTENTS Cover: Vivian Beer ‘00, Rustle Diptych II, stainless steel, automotive paint, and granite, 42” x 144” x 24” each (cropped) Featured in A Guide to MECA in Portland: public art 1 2 11 LEADERSHIP TEAM Partnership 13 Laura Freid, President Feature 9 MECA: MECA AND Beth Elicker, Executive Vice President Focus on THE CREATIVE INDIGO ARTS Ian Anderson, Vice President of Academic Spotlight STUDENT DESIGNERS, HEARTBEAT OF ALLIANCE Affairs and Dean of the College IN HER KITCHEN: IMMIGRANT WORKFORCE, PORTLAND Lauren Glennon, Interim Director for CULINARY TALENTS OF UPCYCLED MATERIALS Institutional Advancement & Strategic Planning IMMIGRANT WOMEN EDITOR Leah Igo Brooks, Director of Marketing and Communications DESIGN Brittany Martin, Lead Graphic Designer BOARD OF TRUSTEES Brian Wilk ’95 , Chair Kathryn Yates, Vice Chair Dan Bailin Daniel N. Crewe Thomas Dwyer Edward Friedman ’08 Meredith Koerner P ’16 Margaret Morfit Dan Poteet Susan A. Rogers Jenny Scheu 2 MECA: THE CREATIVE HEARTBEAT 13 A Story Involving Student Designers, an Susan Schraft OF PORTLAND IMMIGRANT WORKFORCE, AND Ari B. Solotoff, Esq. UPCYCLED MATERIALS Deborah Spring Reed 5 A Guide to MECA IN PORTLAND Dr. Abigail Wark, Ph.D 15 Alumni News Paula Zeitlin 9 In Her Kitchen: CULINARY TALENTS OF IMMIGRANT WOMEN 19 Alumni Class Notes EMERITUS TRUSTEES Joan L. Amory 11 MECA Forges Key Partnership 25 Annual Report of Giving Jane G. Briggs WITH INDIGO ARTS ALLIANCE Betsy Evans Hunt, Hon. DFA ’13 Candace Pilk Karu, Hon. DFA ’13 MAINE COLLEGE OF ART 522 Congress St Portland, ME 04101 1-800-639-4808 meca.edu info@meca.edu (L - R) 1. Holiday Sale Visitors - Photo by Kyle Dubay ‘18 2. Eugénie Kipoy - Photo by Liz Burdick ‘22 3. Marcia and Daniel Minter - Photo by Greta Rybus 4. Keelin Maloney ‘21 - Photo by Betsy Scheintaub Letter From the PRESIDENT An internationally recognized destination for art and culture seekers, Portland, Maine, is filled with historical buildings, distinct neighborhoods, independent businesses, and local restaurants. Walking through the streets of Portland, I see Maine College of Art’s influence on nearly every corner. Artwork by MECA students, alumni, faculty, and community members is on display in public venues and in museums and galleries across the city. Logos and signage designed by MECA graduates adorn many well-known restaurants and businesses. Galleries, craft stores, and boutiques owned by MECA alumni are abundant. Creative minds from MECA form the backbone of many local arts and design organizations, while MECA interns are hard at work throughout the city putting their innovative problem-solving skills to use outside of the classroom. In this issue of our magazine, we provide you with a first-hand look at how artists have shaped one local community. The story doesn’t end there, however. This is just one small example of the pervasive power of artists to create, transform, and improve the quality of life—not just in Portland, but all over the globe. MECA’s momentum continues to build on our storied legacy. For more than 135 years, MECA has been a cultural icon, committed to empowering a Maine College of Art new generation of creatives with incomparable, individualized foundations for successful careers in the arts. Today, the vitality of our mission is clearly exemplified by our expanding facilities and resources, highly engaged and prolific student body, a growing network of successful THE CREATIVE alumni, an impressive caliber of faculty, visiting artists, and guest lecturers, and a supportive team of staff. HEARTBEAT OF PORTLAND At Maine College of Art, we believe that artists have the the College was catalytic in the revitalization of Portland, power to change communities for the better. Nearly 50% and today MECA remains one of the earliest and strongest of MECA alumni stay in Maine, contributing to the economy anchors of the Portland Arts District. and adding to the creative workforce. From galleries to restaurants and everything in between, MECA community Portland is a unique and diverse collective of community, members have shaped the arts and culture that make culture, outdoor recreation, and culinary delights as well as Portland the vibrant city and destination it is today. a creative urban center that combines small-town charm with a big-city arts reputation. Maine College of Art continues Over the past 20 years, Maine College of Art has grown to play a pivotal role in its very bright future. A Guide to into a nationally recognized and respected college of art Maine College of Art in Portland, beautifully illustrated by and design while remaining true to its core commitment Samantha Myrdek ’19, serves to demonstrate the powerful to educate highly accomplished artists and designers who impact that MECA community artists have had on Maine’s excel in their chosen field with integrity, professionalism, largest city. MECA truly is the creative heartbeat of Portland, and community leadership. In the mid-1990s, the vision and its reverberations are felt throughout the city, the state, to renovate the landmark Porteous department store to New England, and far beyond, to all corners of the world. 1 create new studios, a new library, and new facilities for Photo by Nicole Wolf, Courtesy of Old Port Magazine, State 23 Media, LLC Portland ART WALK MECA MECA FASHION HOLIDAY SHOW SALE Maine College of Art THE CREATIVE Art For HEARTBEAT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES PORTLAND At Maine College of Art our mission is to provide students and alumni with opportunities to become working artists. Located in the hub of the Portland Arts District, Maine College of Art strives to give all of our artists the opportunity to be seen. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 1. Holiday Sale Visitors 2. Shelley Goldsmith ‘17 3. Brendan Shea ‘18 4. Eric Drzewianowski ‘04 5. Oliver ‘19 6. Ceramics Department 7. Fashion Show pieces by Justin Desper ‘17 / Models Left to right: Haven Douglas ‘19, COLLECT Charlotte Atkinson (attended) ‘18, Elle Spurr (non-MECA affiliated) ART SALE 7. Joseph Lendway ‘15 and Emily Green of The Woodworker’s Wife 8. Sophie Cangelosi ‘16 painting a mural for Bayside Bowl 20 Fore River Gallery shops event spaces, studios, restaurants, cafes, 85 Hugo’s tattoo parlors and 36 and arts organizations and breweries beauty salons A Guide to 21 Grant Wahlquist Gallery Art Mart 86 Mami Portland 100 22 37 53 69 87 Artné Spa Greenhut Galleries ABRAXAS The Bakery Photo Collective Allagash Brewing Co. Nosh Kitchen Bar 101 Broken Crow 23 Maine Craft Portland 38 Artist & Craftsman Supply 54 The Bakery Studios 70 Austin Street Brewery 88 Oxbow Brewing MECA IN PORTLAND 102 Hallowed Ground 24 Maine Potters Market 39 Casco Bay Frames & Gallery 55 Bayside Bowl 71 Black Cow Burgers & Fries 89 Rising Tide Body Art Studio 25 MECA and Institute of 40 Coast City Comics 56 Factory 3 (Off Map) 72 Blyth & Burrows Brewing Company 103 41 Lavender Salon public art Contemporary Art Everchanging Seasons (Off Map) 57 Indigo Arts Alliance 73 Central Provisions 90 Rose Foods, 12 Art Underfoot 104 O2 Salon 1 Rustle Diptych II 26 Lewis Gallery - PPL 42 Folia 58 Little Chair Printing 74 Chaval (Off Map) 91 Rosemont Market 13 Cross Insurance Arena Mural 105 The Eye of Henna & 2 Selective Landscapes Mural 27 Maine Jewish Museum 43 The Green Hand Bookshop 59 Mayo Street Arts 75 Duckfat and Bakery galleries & museums 44 13 Moons Tattoo 3 Portland Brick 28 New System Exhibitions Harmon’s Floral Co. 60 The Peregrine Press 76 Eventide Oyster Co. 92 Sagamore Hill Lounge 106 14 45 Tsunami Tattoo 4 SWARM Able Baker Contemporary 29 Portland Art Gallery Home Remedies (Off Map) 61 Pickwick Independent Press 77 Forage Market 93 Slab Sicilian Street Food 107 15 46 Wicked Good Ink 5 Mother’s Garden Casco Bay Artisans 30 Portland Museum of Art Jill McGowan 62 Portland Pottery 78 Evo Kitchen + Bar 94 Tandem Cafe + Roastery 16 47 6 Red Circle Mural Children’s Museum and 31 The Press Hotel Gallery Joseph’s 63 Portland Stage 79 Gelato Fiasco 95 Tandem Coffee + Bakery, 48 7 Theatre of Maine 32 Kurier 64 The Public Works 80 Goodfire Brewing Co. 96 Urban Farm Fermentory Anthrophilanthropie Mural RN Cohen Studio - Gallery This map is designed to help guide 49 17 33 The Merchant Company 65 81 97 8 Untitled-Armillary Creative Portland Art Gallery Speedwell Projects Running with Scissors Gorgeous Gelato Vena’s Fizz House you through Portland, while drawing 18 50 9 Michael Cove Street Arts 34 UMVA Gallery at Pinecone + Chickadee 66 SPACE Gallery 82 Hannaford 98 Union Restaurant attention to the great contributions 19 51 10 Lift The Dorothea And Portland Media Center PrintCraft (Off Map) 67 Studio 24b, LLC 83 The Honey Paw 99 Woodford Food of the MECA community. 52 11 Luminous Arbor Leo Rabkin Foundation 35 Zero Station Rough and Tumble 68 TEMPOart 84 Hot Suppa & Beverage Q: How have MECA’s presence and connection to Portland DESIGNED FOR helped you—both as a professional and as an artist? MIGHT & MAIN A Guide to Maine College of Art in Portland does a wonderful 408 Fore Street job of illustrating how deeply immersed MECA is in the 72 community. There is such a strong network of MECA alumni, INTERVIEW WITH faculty, students, and supporters. I am a longtime Portland 76 resident, and knew that I wanted to remain in and grow my Sean Wilkinson ’01, Principal / Creative Director career within this community. The added support of MECA, might-main.com particularly that of Jessica Tomlinson (Director of Artists at 98 Work), really allowed me to strengthen existing and cultivate new community relationships, as well as build the career path that has brought me to where I am today.

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