Gregory Dunham Studio

Influences and Inspirations part 1: Andrew Wyeth

2012-02-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

Influences and Inspirations: Beginnings

Back in 1970 I was unsure of the direction of my work and experimented with abstraction, free form, gestural figure drawings, mono-printing, etc. At the time, I was involved in the day to day operation of a small retail, wholesale, and manufacturing business and could only work on my art in my spare time.

Some of my early gestural paintings hanging behind the bird sculptures of Wendy Seller, at the 91 Main St. Gallery in Rockport, MA

1970 was also the year the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston mounted a large Andrew Wyeth exhibition. I didn’t really know much about him or his work, having only seen reproductions of “Christina’s World” in books and magazines. That show changed that. I was was totally captivated by his work. I stood in front of many of the pieces nearly breathless. The drawings were astounding, the paintings amazing, and then I stood in front of “Snow Flurries” and my experience went into the spiritual or mystical realm. I was spellbound and speechless. I could barely pull myself away from that piece.

Andrew Wyeth “Snow Flurries”, Tempera, 37x48”, 1953, National Gallery of Art, Gift of Dr. Margaret I. Handy

I revisited some of the drawings and other works that had impressed me, but kept going back to “Snow Flurries.” Standing at a distance, the painting is a realistic tour de force, moving closer it is a sublime abstract painting that Rothko would envy. Until that time, I hadn’t realized how a work of art could move one so emotionally. Since that time I’ve experienced it again only rarely, in the presence of a Vermeer or visiting the Van Gogh Museum, for example.

When I got home, I picked up my sketch book and pencils and headed to the harbor, where I did the drawing that set me on the path I’ve been following ever since.

Block & Tackle, Graphite, 6x10 inches, 1970

For the next 6 years I did nothing but draw, whenever I could find the time away from my other business. I wanted to hone my skill with the pencil before moving on to paint. Once I started to paint, I found myself much more comfortable with watercolor than with oil and that is what I do to this day.

Some 27 years later, I was stopping for lunch on a photography outing to Tennents Harbor and Port Clyde. I had just finished lunch and as I walked outside I noticed an SUV with PA plates. I recognized the person sitting in the passenger seat as Andrew Wyeth himself. My heart skipped a beat. Should I go up to the window and introduce myself? I was torn. I thought people must come up to him all the time, and I decided I didn’t want to bother him, so I walked on by. As I passed by the car, I realized it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I shouldn’t pass up even if he was less than receptive. I walked back to the window and he opened it. I told him how much his work has meant to me and what an influence it was on my own work. He smiled and was most gracious. We chatted about art and people we knew in common, including Stow Wengenroth and the Beals, for about five minutes, until his driver returned. It was then that he introduced me to Helga.

In a future post I’ll tell you how I met Stow Wengenroth, the other major influence on my work.

Stow Wengenroth, "Lobsterman's Cove", Winter Harbor, ME, 1941, 12-9/16 x 16-5/8 in.

New Year's Eve Fireworks in Castine, ME

2012-01-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

Just after midnight on New Year's Eve, after the clinking of glasses and well wishes all around, we were surprised by the loud boom of fireworks on the town dock. This is a video view of a portion of them taken from the window of our friend's house overlooking the dock. Thank you to whoever was responsible for the fireworks display. A great way to welcome the new year!

Art Makes a Great Gift

2011-12-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas and Holiday Small Works Shows

Five Current Shows featuring Gregory Dunham Watercolors

Shop locally and support the arts and small businesses

1. "Splendid Snow", Patricia Hutton Galleries, 47 West State Street, Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901(215-348-1728). One of my several watercolors represented in this show is pictured below.

"Last Light" 4x7 inc watercolor, $600.00

2. "Holiday Invitational Small Works Show", Tarratine Gallery, 5 Main St., Castine, ME 04421

"Winter Shadows" 4x6 inch watercolor, $600.00

3. "Small Works 2011", Courthouse Gallery, 6 Court St., Ellsworth, ME, (207-667-6611)

"Low Tide, Bailey Island", 4x6 inch watercolor, $600.00

4. "Holiday Small Works", Woodstock Gallery, 6 Elm St., Woodstock, VT 05091 (802-457-2012)

"Split Rail, Fence, Pomfret, VT" 4x6 inch watercolor, $600.00

5. "Holiday Gala Show", Betts Gallery at the Belfast Framer, 96 Main St., Belfast, ME 04915, (207-338-6465)

"Beach Cliff Sardines", 2.5x3.75 inch watercolor, $450.00 (unusual in both size and subject mater for me)

All the galleries listed above have many more pieces of my work, I hope you can stop by one that is near you to view my work and the other artists and craftspeople on display. Art makes a great gift for someone you love or for yourself. One more piece available at the Tarratime Gallery in Castine is pictured below:

"A Victorian Cottage on Thanksgiving Day", 4x6 inch watercolor, $600.00

The Evolution or Reworking of a Painting

2011-08-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a side by side, or I should say above and below comparison of my watercolor "The Straw Hat, Monhegan Island", as it has evolved over time.

"The Straw Hat, Monhegan" as it appeared in 2008

"The Straw Hat, Monhegan Island" as it appears today 2011, Watercolor 16x20 inches

I used to occasionally enjoy watching Emeril Lagasse's cooking show and I always liked his comment "let's kick it up a notch" and that's exactly what I decided to do with this painting from '08. I liked it well enough when I did it, but it was a little bland, needed a bit more spice to satisfy my palate. Where before, it was calm and still and as I said a little bland, today there is movement and maybe even a little drama. This is an example of how some of my paintings evolve and come to life over time with just a few simple changes. Another example of "kicking it up a notch" appears in a post below from Feb. 20th '11.

Two Teachers, A Wyeth Painting and A Partial History of an Antique Cape

2011-07-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

This was the house of Alan and Martha Ferguson who were neighbors of ours when we first moved to Castine. They were both artists and retired teachers from Stow, MA. Martha did pastel landscapes and Alan had settled comfortably into making humorous cartoons that focused on the doings and absurdities around town for the local paper.

What follows is a story they once told us, as I remember it:

Shortly after graduating from art school they were walking up Newbury St. in Boston when a painting in a gallery window caught their eye. They went inside to get a closer look and inquire about the artist. They were told it was by an up and coming artist, Andrew Wyeth, whose father was the famous N. C. Wyeth. It was one of Andrew’s early watercolors and they fell in love with it. They decided to splurge and pay the few hundred dollars, even though they were living on the meager salaries teachers received at that time.

For years they lived with and enjoyed the painting, but as Wyeth’s reputation grew and his works increased in value, they felt that perhaps they were being selfish by keeping the painting to themselves and that more people should be able to see it. They decided the best way to do that was to loan it to the MFA, which was only too happy to accept the loan. They both felt very pleased that the painting that gave them so much pleasure could now be seen and enjoyed by others as well.

Then one fateful day, years later, they went to the museum to visit with their painting and couldn’t find it. When they inquired about it, they learned that it was in storage. Well, this wasn’t the idea. They had loaned it to be seen not stored, so they asked to have it returned to them.

Now they had another dilemma. When they visited the gallery where they had originally purchased it, and learned what its value had become, it made them even more uncomfortable. They felt it was absurd to have such a valuable piece of art, uninsured and vulnerable to theft or damage, so they reluctantly arranged to have the gallery sell it. What the sale of that painting enabled them to do, was to buy the lovely antique cape pictured above, where they could spend their summers and in which they would live out their lives after retirement and enjoy wonderful sunsets like that pictured below. A nice story about two lovely neighbors who are sadly missed and what can happen when you invest in art.

Åarhus Gallery Show to Benefit Local Food Pantries

2011-03-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

"Dory" 4x6" Watercolor, by Gregory Dunham, $500.00 SOLD

The dory watercolor pictured above will be a part of the 3rd Annual "44N 69W: Radius Belfast" at Åarhus Gallery, 50 Main Street, Belfast, ME.

Please join Åarhus Gallery for an opening reception Friday March 4th, 5-8pm for the third annual '44N 69W: Radius Belfast'. An all encompassing show running from March 3rd through the 27th, of work by Maine artists, living within a thirty-mile radius of Belfast. 20% of the proceeds of sales from this show will go to benefit local food pantries.

For more information: Åarhus Gallery "44N 69W: Radius Belfast"

When is a painting finished?

2011-02-20T13:00:00.001-08:00

A few things were troubling me about this award winning watercolor from '04, as seen in the first image below. So, I decided to take it out of its frame and rework the areas that bothered me. I just finished it yesterday and I'm very happy with the result of the changes I made to it. Let's see if you agree.

"Dory", Watercolor, 19.5x29.5 in., 2004, Amee B. Davis Memorial Award for excellence in painting, Rockport Art Association

The image below is the painting as it now appears.

"Dory", Watercolor, 19.5x29.5 in., 2004-11

I'll let the words of a friend and fellow artist describe my changes. This is from an exchange of notes with my friend Margaret: "I think you changed the color of the hull that is in shadow to be slightly darker and warmer in tone - befitting the warm reflected light from the sandy/gravelly surface. It looks like you've made the shadow of the dory blend more with the surface and the rocks in the foreground. While the light conditions of your reference shot may indeed have made the shadow appear as stark as you initially painted it, in terms of composition, all the elements in the foreground are now more harmonious and pleasing to the eye."

She hit the nail on the head with her comments. All of the changes were made to the foreground and the dory itself. I thought the building, pilings and background were fine just the way they were and the changes to the dory and foreground made the entire painting more harmonious and unified. One small detail she missed, because she was looking at small images was that I also used a razor blade to scrape out the edge of the rope lines to better highlight them.

To answer the question posed in the title of this post "When is a painting finished?", perhaps it is only finished once a collector takes possession of it.

Morning Sea Smoke in Castine, 2/4/11

2011-02-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

Castine takes on a surreal look as sea smoke engulfs it, briefly, in the early morning.

Glancing out my bedroom window this morning, I noticed a band of sea smoke over the Bagaduce River. I grabbed my camera and headed in town. What a surprise was awaiting me when I reached the top of Windmill Hill. The town was engulfed in a dense fog of sea smoke.

Living on the coast of Maine, sea smoke on cold winter days is not an uncommon phenomenon. What was uncommon about the sea smoke today was that it did not stay over the water, but moved over the entire downtown of Castine, creating a very surreal atmosphere. In the first photo above, the sun is seen dimly through sea smoke as we look toward the post office from Court Street.

Here are a few photos from this morning.

Looking out to the shrouded Bagaduce River, from Water Street

The Town Common and Unitarian Church from School Street as the sea smoke begins to disperse.

Looking toward Green Street from School Street.

Sea Smoke hanging over Hatch's Cove.

The sea smoke left a thick coating of frost or dew on the branches.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

As the sun sets tonight, there is the promise of a new day and a new year. I wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year and hope you enjoy this video of Scotland's gem, Eddi Reader singing the traditional end of year song "Auld Lang Syne". Be safe, fill your hearts with love, grow something this coming year, respect and nourish the soil and it will nourish you, reach out to someone in need and pray for peace.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T11:28:00.000-08:00

"After the Storm", Gregory Dunham Watercolor, 21x41", 2008, Private Collection

After the Storm, Christmas Day

Out on the river,

snow covers a thin layer of ice.

Clouds lift, skies brighten,

sounds are muffled as day begins,

transformed by a blanket of white.

Even birds are waiting

for the wind to stop,

as small drifts form waves.

The house is like a ship

anchored on a sea of white.

After the storm, the fields

are silent, no footprints yet.

Deer are resting among

islands of hedgerows and fence lines,

landmarks in a sea of white.

Slowly, the house awakens,

warmed by red oak and birch.

Down in the kitchen, coffee is on,

Christmas magic inside and out,

transformed by a blanket of white.

Though I in no way consider myself a poet, I was inspired to write the preceding poem to go along with the mood in my painting.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May you experience the magic of love, the warmth of family & friends, peace both within and without, and a sense of joy, wonder, hope & fulfillment, as the season turns and the light slowly begins its return.

You can see a larger image of the above watercolor at my web site: Gregory Dunham Watercolors a Christmas Card

The Story of a Drawing and the Passing of Time: from the Real, to a Drawing, to the Real

2010-12-16T10:19:00.001-08:00

The Story of a Drawing and a Knitted Hat

The Hat, 1976, Graphite Drawing by Gregory Dunham, Private Collection

Paris 1970

Nearly 41 years ago, on an extended stay in Paris during the winter of 1970, besides the outdoor produce markets, one of my favorite spots to visit was the Jardin du Luxembourg. I loved to watch the children sailing their pond boats, the kids on the carousel reaching for the ring with their sticks, old gentlemen playing boules, young mothers and nannies pushing strollers, lovers walking arm in arm and the many people on benches watching, reading or eating. They were all a wealth of material for future paintings. On one such excursion I noticed a young boy riding a pedal cart, wearing a knit cap and scarf with an elephant design.

Little Boy in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris 1970, Gregory Dunham photograph

I took a photo of him and stored the memory away in my mind, till six years later, in 1976, when I did a graphite drawing and a watercolor of the little boy in his hat. Both the drawing and the watercolor sold from a show I had that year at the Guild of Boston Artists.

Now the most interesting part of the story begins. Ten years later in 1986, we learned we were about to have a son, whom we would name Stow after my friend and mentor Stow Wengenroth. Giving thought to a birth announcement, I suggested we use my drawing of the young boy from ten years earlier. Unfortunately, I had no photographic record of the drawing or the watercolor, but I was able to contact the buyer of the drawing and she agreed to let me borrow it back for the announcement. Sadly, I was unable to keep track of the collector who purchased the watercolor and as a result do not know its whereabouts.

As the story continues, two years later, after the arrival of our daughter Abby some friends held a baby shower for us. One of our friends had had a hat, similar to the one on the announcement, originally worn by the little boy in Paris, knit as a gift for Stow. When we placed it on his head we were struck by the resemblance to my drawing and to the Parisian boy from nineteen years earlier.

Stow in "The Hat", 1989, Gregory Dunham Photo

Detail: Little Boy in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris 1970, Gregory Dunham photograph

I'll end my story of the passage of time from the real, to a drawing, to the real here. Stow turned 24 this year. The drawing is 34 years old and the little Parisian boy is probably about 43 by now and for all I know may have a little boy of his own wearing a similar hat.

Remembrance Day (UK) and Veterans Day (USA) A personal story of remembrance and thanks.

2010-11-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

Shortly before 11 AM, whilst strolling about Brixham in Devon, UK, on November 11th 1999 with Pat, Stow & Abby,

Brixham, Devon, UK, 1999

church bells began to toll and shops and offices emptied as people began to gather at various points around the city and at exactly 11AM on the 11th day of the 11th month, the entire town fell silent. We stood among them in silence, men, women and children, keenly aware of the solemnity of the moment. No cars moved, no boats in the harbor moved, no sounds at all, but for that of our breathing. Most eyes were moist with tears as they remembered those lost in war. The observance lasted, perhaps, 15 minutes with prayers and a hymn after the silence. It was a very moving experience for us.

Today, 11 years later on 11/11 at 11 am, I observe a few moments of silence in honor of Veterans Day (USA) and Remembrance Day (UK) to serve as a reminder that our freedom is not free. In particular I remember my father William James Dunham,
who served in the Atlantic and my stepfather Chester Otis Kingsbury who served in the Pacific, both of whom survived the war.

God bless those that gave their lives, so that we may live in freedom and those that are serving today around the world, so we may continue to enjoy the precious gift of freedom.

Corea Harbor, Maine - Graphite Drawing: When the Past Becomes a Ghost or Let's Keep Our Working Waterfronts - Working

2010-10-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

Corea Harbor, graphite, 15x22, 1982, Private Collection

I did the above drawing of Corea Harbor, Maine in 1982, years before the gentrification of the waterfront. It always puzzles me why people are attracted to an area by its rustic and picturesque beauty and then proceed to "improve" what attracted them in the first place. Maine is losing far too many of its harbor fronts to gentrification. Unfortunately, when I returned to this location, I was saddened to see, it is no longer worth a second look. It has been "improved" to all of our loss.

2010 Dunham Solo Show at Courthouse Gallery, Ellsworth, ME

2010-07-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

My 2010 solo show opens with a reception at the Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth on Thursday, July 29th from 5 - 7 pm. There is a catalog featuring some of my available work at the gallery or online: Courthouse Gallery 2010 Dunham Catalog

I will be showing my first five oil paintings added to my ongoing Granite Series watercolors. I will also have a small oil of the Bucksport waterfront, with beached lobster boats, railroad boxcars and the paper mill, and of course, many new watercolors. The show will run through August 25th.

Searsport Watercolor

2010-05-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

My latest watercolor:

"Morning Light, Searsport", 29.5x41.5"

19th Century Hudson River School paintings complement American Paintings Collection at the Hood Museum

2010-02-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

We just returned from a visit with Abby at Dartmouth. While there, she brought us to the Hood Museum to see a magnificent collection of 19th Century Hudson River School paintings on loan from a parent of a Dartmouth student, including among others, Thomas Cole’s Schroon Lake, 1835–38; John Frederick Kensett’s Landscape (Reminiscence of the White Mountains), 1852; Sanford Robinson Gifford’s Mount Mansfield, 1859; and Albert Bierstadt’s Haying, Conway Mountains (Peace and Plenty, North Conway, New Hampshire), 1864. You can read more about this exhibit by following this link: Private Collection Complements the American Paintings Collection at the Hood Museum

One of my favorite works on view is this little gem from the Hood's Permanent Collection, "Below Mt. Manadnock", oil on panel painted around 1913, by Abbott Handerson Thayer, (American, 1849-1921).

In this painting Thayer reverses earlier landscape tradition, by bringing the distant peak into focus and merely suggesting the middle and foreground by an almost calligraphic use of brush strokes.

Another favorite in the exhibition is “The First Thaw”, 1913, Oil on canvas by Willard Metcalf , (American, 1858-1925)

Hood Museum of Art Collection, Dartmouth College

This Painting has a spontaneity and freshness of brushstroke with a wonderful glow of sparkling color that does not show as well in the photo as in person.

The exhibit will run through November of this year.

There is also an exhibit of Modern and Contemporary Art including a wonderful Rothko and a brilliant Sean Scully, that runs through March 14th.

"Wall of Light Summer", 2005, Oil on Canvas, by Sean Scully

If you’re up that way, be sure to visit. Admission is free at the Hood Museum.

Introducing the Drawings of Susan A. Cooney

2009-12-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

In this post I’m going to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of Maine’s hidden gems, Susan A. Cooney and her exquisite graphite drawings. I found her and her drawings in a visit to her small Belfast studio, during the December First Friday Art Walk. As you will see, exquisite aptly describes her delicate and sensitively drawn work.

She lives on a boat and so works in graphite for its portability and out of necessity in such a confined space, but the drawings belie the necessity of space and show a true love and mastery of the medium.

"Grog Island", Stonington, ME, Graphite Drawing, Susan A. Cooney

One wall in her Belfast studio contains a large map, where pushpins indicate all the places along the Maine coast and islands she has visited on her boat and her drawings document these places in all their many moods. I’ve provided a friends link to the right, where you can see more of her wonderful work at the Island Institute.

"The Cranberries", Graphite Drawing, Susan A. Cooney

In other news, I'm the featured artist of the month at the Woodstock Gallery. Maybe it's time to go skiing and buy art.

The Woodstock Gallery Announcement, Woodstock, VT

2009-12-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to announce that the Woodstock Gallery has begun representing my work in Woodstock, VT.

Pat and I delivered 10 paintings to the gallery on Wednesday in the midst of a major snowstorm, but all arrived safely, despite driving through unplowed roads and whiteouts. It was an exciting trip to say the least. Woodstock is a beautiful little town with lots of interesting shops and plenty of skiing nearby. One of the new paintings is shown below. It is of a picturesque farm with a bright red barn snuggled at the base of a mountain in Pomfret, a town bordering Woodstock.

Near Woodstock, 3.5x7" Watercolor, Gregory Dunham

Belfast Framer Holiday Gala and The Tarratine Gallery Announcement

2009-12-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

I will be showing two watercolors at the Holiday Gala at The Belfast Framer. Featuring a variety of works by area artists, December 3rd through December 31st.. A reception to meet the artists will be held on Friday, December 4th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.

"Three Pears", 2.75x4", Watercolor by Gregory Dunham

The Belfast Framer & Gallery is located at 96 Main Street, Belfast.

Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturdays, December 5th, 12th and 19th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

For more information, please call 338-6465 or visit The Belfast Framer.

I will also be exhibiting 4 small watercolors at the Tarratine Gallery Holliday Show, 5 Main St., Castine, ME

The opening day is Saturday the 5th of December as part of the Castine Merchants’ Holiday Season, including special refreshments that day and a wine reception from 5-7 PM. The show will run through December on Saturdays and Sundays: December 5,6,12, 13, 19, 20. Open hours will be from 10 AM until 4 PM. I hope to see you there.

Small Works 09 Courthouse Gallery Fine Art Announcement

2009-11-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

I will be exhibiting 5 new 3"x6" watercolors in the Small Works Show at:

COURTHOUSE GALLERY FINE ART

Small Works 2009

DECEMBER 3 - DECEMBER 24, 2009

Holiday Open House: Thursday, December 3,

5-7PM

Courthouse Gallery Fine Art is celebrating with a Holiday Open House on Thursday, December 3, 5-7pm. A selection of small paintings and sculptures will be exhibited. Visitors are invited to enjoy the artwork, hot cider and holiday treats. A selection of the works can be viewed at courthousegallery.com

GREGORY DUNHAM, "Late Winter", 2009, watercolor, 3 x 6 inches

2009 Small Works 2009 Participating Artists

David Graeme Baker, Judy Belasco, Louise Bourne. Ellen Church,

Jane Dahmen, Gregory Dunham, Freda Dunn, Kate Emlen, Kerstin Engman, Philip Frey, Francis Hamabe, Liddy Hubbell, William Irvine, MaJo Keleshian, Starr Kopper, John Knight, Beth Lambert, David Little, Eliot Markell, Emily Muir, William Muir, Ed Nadeau, John Neville, Rebekah Raye, Robert Shetterly, Jessica Stammen, Stephen Pace, Colin Page, Gail Page, Stephen Porter, Cynthia Stroud and Michael Vermette

OPEN MON - SAT 10am-5pm

Located at 6 Court Street, Ellsworth, ME

Influence, Inspiration and Six Degrees of Separation: Stow Wengenroth, Andrew Wyeth & Charles Sheeler

2009-11-29T12:40:00.000-08:00

Three of the strongest and most enduring influences on my work are the lithographs and dry brush drawings of Stow Wengenroth, the drawings of Charles Sheeler and Andrew Wyeth’s drawings and paintings.

"Down East", 1958 Lithograph ed. of 40, by Stow Wengenroth (Stuckey #249)

I’m currently reading a book entitled Linked by Albert-Laszio Barabási. In it, he demonstrates how everything is linked by networks of one kind or another and that all networks follow a similar pattern of individual nodes with, maybe as few as two connections, in turn, connected to hubs with many connections, in effect connecting all the nodes with each other. One concept discussed is known popularly as, “Six Degrees of Separation”. In a nutshell, this idea suggests, (with some exceptions), that we are only six links or degrees away from anyone else on Earth. In this blog entry, I will use link and degree interchangeably while discussing the concept of the linkage of individuals.

As I pondered this idea over the weekend, I realized that my three strongest artistic influences were, at most, two links away from me. Stow Wengenroth, who I knew as a friend and a mentor, is one link from me. As a friend of Stow’s, Andrew Wyeth was two links from me, until I met him personally one day while in Tennents Harbor. At that moment, Andrew Wyeth became just one link away from me, as did Helga, who I also met at the time.

Artwork images are copyright of the artist or assignee

Charles Sheeler, who I never had the opportunity to meet, was another story. How many links would it take to reach him, (figuratively, of course). Then I realized, he was only two links away, because of his friendship with my uncle, the photographer, Paul Strand, who was just one link from me. The art world was becoming smaller, because of the links we are all connected to. You probably begin to see the pattern here. I have a friend, Donna, who is connected to Desmond Tutu through her work as a facilitator in conflict resolution. She is one link from me. That makes Desmond Tutu two links from me and everyone Desmond knows in South Africa and beyond is, in a sense, just three links from me. You can see how the world is shrinking. We may, indeed, be only six degrees away from anyone, anywhere on Earth.

In a future blog I will discuss the ways in which the work of Wengenroth, Wyeth and Sheeler helped form my artistic direction and sensibility.

"On the Rocks", 1984 Lithograph ed. 35, by Gregory Dunham

Penobscot Marine Museum opening reception

2009-10-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

Below are two photos from the opening reception of the "Painters of the Maine Waterfront" show at the Penobscot Marine Museum on September 17th.

Pictured left to right are artists Robert Pollien, Amy Pollien and myself.

Pictured left to right, myself, artist Nancy Morgan Barnes, Abby Dunham (Dartmouth '11)

The photos are a bit blurry due to low light and no tripod. The exhibition ends on the 20th of October. If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth the trip to Searsport.

Rockport Art Association Popular Prize Award Announcement

2009-09-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

I just learned that my painting “Fish Beach, Monhegan” has received The Reine Rose Strisik Popular Prize ... awarded by popular vote of visitors to the 3rd Summer Show of the Rockport Art Association. This award is in addition to the “John F. & Margaret Kieran Award for Landscape Painting” already announced for this painting by the awards jury. This painting will be on view at the Penobscot Marine Museum exhibition “Painting the Maine Waterfront” curated by Carl Little September 15 - October 20th and is pictured below.

The year so far: Awards, publications and exhibitions

2009-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

My watercolor “Up for Repairs, Gloucester Marine Railway”, (shown below), will be included in the 95th Anniversary Exhibition at the Guild of Boston Artists on Newbury Street in Boston, September 10 through 27.

This has been a very productive year for me, so far. I received three awards from the Rockport Art Association in Rockport, MA, one in each of its first three summer shows. The painting above won the "Amee B. Davis Memorial Award" in the second summer show. Two of my paintings were featured in an article “Artists of the Working Waterfront” by Carl Little in the May issue of Maine Boats Homes & Harbors . In conjunction with this article, there will be a “Painting the Maine Waterfront” exhibition at the Penobscot Marine Museum, curated by Carl Little beginning September 12th through October 18th. The show will feature four of my watercolors. Some of the other artists in the show will be Nancy Barnes, George Bayliss, Phil Frey, Katharina Keoughan, Linda Norton and Amy Pollien.

Publicity-wise, I was also a featured artist in the “Annual Artist Listing” of Maine Home & Design’s April issue and the Castine Patriot ran a feature article about me, my work, my organic garden and my local activism in the July 30th edition.

Working on a series of figurative paintings for the Courthouse Gallery show was a fun and instructive departure from my regular subject matter. I hope to include more figures in my future work.

The high bid for a Monhegan Island painting I donated for the Center for Maine Contemporary Art’s Annual Auction held at the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum sold for 70% above the reserve price.

Rock Point Gallery in Northeast Harbor opened this summer and I’m happy to announce, became the third Maine art gallery to represent my work. It has a small stable of well established and up and coming artists and a very nice space to exhibit in. Beyond the “Maine Artists and the Figure” show at the Courthouse Gallery, I continue to show my work there and at Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland.

Welcome to the Gregory Dunham Studio Blog.

2009-08-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome! (CÉAD MÍLE FÁILTE)

This is my first blog post. I'm a Contemporary Realist working primarily in watercolor. I gather subject matter from all over Maine and New England with a particular fondness for Monhegan Island and working harbors, wherever they're still found. Trips to Cornwall & Devon, UK and more recently to Ireland were inspiring and provided plenty of amazing subjects. The painting pictured here is the first watercolor from a recent trip to Ireland, "Walking the Claddagh Quay, Galway". The Claddagh was formerly a fishing village, just outside the city walls and thought to be one of the oldest fishing ports in Ireland. The boat in the painting is called a Galway Hooker. This painting was included in a recent exhibition: "Maine Artists and the Figure" held at the Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth, ME. and has been sold.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you are interested in any of the paintings shown here, most are for sale, either through the galleries that represent me or directly from my studio. Thanks for visiting.