The sun came out late the afternoon of July 27, and a good crowd turned out for Maine Art Gallery’s (MAG) opening of its annual member exhibition, “Made in Maine.”  In addition to the about 138 works on display, attendees enjoyed the music of Katie Daggett as they conversed with the artists.

Oil painting and watercolor, collage, photography, printmaking and sculpture created by artists from all over Maine were represented in the spacious gallery in the Old Academy building on Warren St. in Wiscasset. Some of this season’s shows have been dual exhibits, with different themes on the gallery’s two floors, which makes it somewhat easier to mount. For exhibition committee members Mark Coates and Michael Olszewski, it’s always a challenge to hang the varied works from so many different artists, they commented.

But both artists and visitors seemed delighted with the results. Member artist and MAG board member Sarah Fisher, who helped with taking in the art, said: “When you see the mountains of work all around, you wonder how in the world Mark and Michael are going to figure out where to put it. But they do. They have an exceptional eye for it.” 

Greeting visitors on the first floor is an oil painting, “Life Rich,” by Linda Powell Kelley, that just feels like mid-summer, with its exuberant field of brilliant flowers. One of the interesting sculptures in the show, by Jeff Dubin, is a very expressive head in plaster, originally in clay, and painted black. Dubin enjoys talking about his art, and had this statement accompanying his piece: “Style belongs to the deepest foundation of personality.” He sees his sculpture as a “visible record” of his encounters.

Conrad Guertin, of Bristol, has shown widely in the Midcoast area, as many of the other member artists have as well. He’s an abstract painter, often using oil on paper in geometric shapes, as he has with his two pieces in the show, “Cocoons” and “Untitled A.” His colors, shapes and textures create an effect that invites viewers to linger and meditate on them.

These are just a few of the many works worthy of comment. The exhibit will be up until Sept. 8. Hours are Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery thanks season sponsor Sherri Dunbar of Tim Dunham Realty, capital sponsor Islebrook Villages at Wiscasset, and Camden National Bank, sponsor of the "Made in Maine" exhibit.