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

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

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

My latest watercolor:

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

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

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

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

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

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.