There’s still time to catch Amy Toneys’ “Portraits of Yarmouth” exhibit at the Yarmouth History Center. “The Brick Block” and other pieces will be displayed at the Stonewall Gallery through Saturday. Contributed / Amy Toneys
Combining her study of architecture with her love of painting, Amy Toneys is putting a new face on historic Yarmouth buildings through her artwork.
Her “Portraits of Yarmouth” exhibition is on display at the Yarmouth History Center’s Stonewall Gallery through Saturday.
“Yarmouth has such a rich history. I think it’s important to capture that,” said Toneys, a Yarmouth resident.
Toneys
Working off old black and white photographs of Yarmouth landmarks, Toneys explored how some of those iconic town buildings may have looked in color.
The colors of historic buildings were not always documented, she said. Through research into color trends of the time period and buildings in other coastal towns, like Kennebunkport, Toneys and Yarmouth Historical Society Executive Director Katie Worthing chose colors for the portraits that fit the era.
Toneys’ watercolors are displayed next to the photographs that inspired them.
“Ultimately, we selected buildings that were either easy to recognize and beloved to the community or places that had fascinating histories that might not be known,” Worthing said.
The Merrill Memorial Library, Grand Trunk Depot, and Academy Hall at North Yarmouth Academy were easy selections, Worthing said.
Other buildings, like the Baker House Hotel and Gem of the Bay hotel, which are no longer standing, speak to Yarmouth’s lesser-known history as a tourist destination in the 19th century.
Growing up in a family of artists, Toneys was encouraged to study art as an undergraduate, and later studied architectural history in Italy as a graduate student.
Several years ago, her brother asked her to paint portraits of family members’ homes for Christmas. Inspired, she began taking house portrait commissions from other families, and has been working as a commissioned artist since then.
“I love painting brick, I love landscape, even the shingles and the siding on the homes from 100 years ago are different from what they are today,” Toneys said. “Every piece is so unique.”
This year, Toneys will be a featured artist at the Yarmouth Clam Festival. Her work will appear on posters and t-shirts, and she will sell her Yarmouth building portraits during the festival.
“Yarmouth is a very historically significant place, and that can get lost,” she said.
She also hopes to expand her historic building portraits to other towns in Maine.
“I’ve always loved architectural details of buildings, and I really wanted to capture that here in Yarmouth,” Toneys said. “It’s something I’d love to do with other towns, too, because each town has its own unique history.”
The exhibit is available for viewing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go to yarmouthmehistory.org for more information.
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