“THE WAVE”
Three artists capture the essence of summer in Maine in three distinctly different styles and viewpoints — through pastel, oil, acrylic and watercolor — at the Damariscotta Grill this summer. Artists Kimberly Skillin Traina, Susan Tilton Pecora and Susan Zimmerman will open “Art at the Grill” with a reception July 27, from 4-5:30 p.m. The public is invited to stop in and enjoy the art while savoring light summer hors d’oeuvres. Art is on display July 25 through Sept. 12.
Skillin Traina is a graphic designer, photographer and pastel artist living in Edgecomb.
“I have a passionate love affair with color … intense, pure, brilliant color. Painting with soft pastels allows me to work with my fingers mixing pure pigment on paper, layering colors, feeling the medium as the magic of the moment unfolds,” Skillin Traina said. “Studying the color of light fascinates me, its ability to transform the ordinary, evoke memories, moods and emotions. I am drawn to capture the essence of those moments, which to me, inspire joy, serenity, power, calm, delight, gratitude.
“Art, like life, is a work in progress, each piece I create is a study for the next, building intuition and trust. If I’m not painting ‘en plein air,’ I start with a photograph I have taken, but the end result is always it’s own story. I hang my pastels in my studio for months, picking them up to add a color, or change a shape until the story that wants to be told is complete. Painting reminds me I have a choice of how I look at things. My creativity keeps me connected and focused, living in the moment. As an artist, it is my hope to ignite a spark, stimulate a response, and convey my passion for this beautiful place I call home,” she said.
Her work is represented in the Portland area by The Richard Boyd Art Gallery on Peaks Island.
Tilton Pecora was raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts. In this seashore community she grew to appreciate the quality of light and the intrinsic beauty of New England, painting the streets and seaports of New England since she was a child.
“I synthesize the world through drawing and painting, always have. It began at about four, when my parents gave me blank pads on which to draw while living on our small boat that cruised up and down the New England coastline during the summer months,” she said. “I take a sketchbook with me wherever I go, then work the sketches into finished paintings in the studio. I have always been attracted to the wildly diverse nature of Maine. There is enough subject matter in one square mile of this State to keep me busy for a lifetime.”
Tilton Pecora exhibits and sells her work through galleries and art associations throughout the country and is a signature member of The New England Watercolor Society.
Susan Zimmerman, originally from Pennsylvania, has lived and worked in Five Islands, Maine for the past seventeen years.
“Painting by nature and necessity, is a solitary occupation,” she said. “The artist must journey through the creative process alone; whether painting en plein air or in a studio; it is a time of deep reflection and joy found in the creation of new work. It can, however, be a lonely place. Including people and animals in my work is good company; I fill my paintings with things I love, often painting from a desire to portray something that touches my heart, or tells a story.
“My work explores a variety of themes from working harbors, summer fields, rocky coastlines, estuaries and lily ponds, to the folks and animals that live, work, and play in these beautiful places,” she continued. “Making every attempt to escape absolute realism, by the use of abstract design and color, I prefer to be experimental and open to new ideas. My strength as an artist is in the color choices I employ; their relationship to each other, leaning toward a heightened saturation and brilliance. My goal is to have people feel the experience, to imagine the stories, to connect to what makes living in Maine so incredible.”
Call the Damariscotta River Grill for more information at (207) 562-2992. The Grill is located on Main Street, Damariscotta, and is open seven days for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.
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