Join us for dinner Thursday evening, June 29 for the opening night of our new exhibit showcasing the art of  Sandra Leinonen Dunn, Gwendolyn Evans and Sandra Harper. To celebrate the artists, the Grill is hosting a Prix Fixe three course menu, with a choice of wine pairings, or choose a selection from the regular menu. A portion of the dinner proceeds will be used to fund a scholarship for a Lincoln Academy student pursuing an art education. Please call ahead to make a reservation. Art can be viewed through Aug. 8.

 

Born and raised in Maine, Sandra Leinonen Dunn is a prominent Maine artist. Her works are part of collections throughout the U.S, and abroad and she is represented by several galleries in Maine and Massachusetts. Using her intuitive sense of color, and her lyrical brushwork, Ms. Dunn creates paintings which express both her passion for beauty as well as her interest and respect for classical painting techniques.

 

She shares, “I am a traditional painter working mainly in oils. Painting for me is like mediation. When I am working on a  subject, I am in my right brain where logic and words do not exist, and where the world becomes only nameless shapes and infinite shades of color. The more I look at my subject, the more I see! This is what fascinates me.  I find inspiration for paintings all around me, and often it is the shape, or color of a subject, which interests me as much (if not more) than the object itself. I want my paintings to contain a little bit of something beautiful  frozen in time.  The only thing certain in this life is change. Through  painting, I can capture, (and hold onto) a moment, a bit of  light, a splash of vibrant color, which I can then share with others.” She has a studio at her home in Chelsea.

 

Gwendolyn Evans’ art - as diverse as the 35 places she has called home - includes watercolor landscapes, pastel portraiture, nude figures, oils, and mixed media abstracts. Gwendolyn has exhibited her work in more than 80 juried regional, national, and international exhibitions, and her paintings are in hundreds of private and corporate collections. She shares, “For me, making art is like breathing. I cannot live without it! Making art is a means of understanding and communicating what I see and feel. Prolific and intense about my work, I am interested in many styles from realism to abstraction, and work in many different mediums. Always I am interested in capturing light and dark, whether physical or spiritual. I love working en plein air capturing the feeling, tone, colors and meaning of each unique place. As I breathe every day, so I paint every day. Spirit permeates everything. Whether painting, writing, teaching, preparing an exquisite meal—it’s all one—creativity flows from ideas held dear; for me these ideas center around truth, love, beauty, nature, and gratitude for good. Dark days are the chiaroscuro in an artist’s life to make the light all the brighter. One of my greatest joys is showing my work and sharing the stories behind it.”  Gwendolyn lives and creates on the Pemaquid peninsula.

 

An artist all of her life, Sandra Harper has been inspired for over 30 years to paint the beauty of Maine through seascapes, coastal villages, lighthouses and inland landscapes. Sandy paints in a style of traditional realism employing a light touch and a focused attention to detail.  She prefers oil as a medium as it allows for the subtle blends and depth of color that are a hallmark of her work. She uses elements of light and color to present the beauty, the magic and the power of nature. Seascapes continue to be a favorite genre with their challenge to capture the ever changing light and dynamic movement of both the sky and water.

 

Sandy shares “My goal is to capture the magical moments in time, to reflect the mood and movement of the sea and the radiance of the light striking the land.  I paint not only to memorialize these scenes but to share them.” Her work can be found in private collections throughout the country and has shown her work in New York, Massachusetts and Maine. Since 1988 Sandy has lived and worked in the rural town of Litchfield where she has her studio. 

 

The Grill is open Monday through Saturday at 3 p.m., Happy Hour is 3-5:30. Closed Sundays. Lunch hours to resume soon.  To make a reservation, please call 207-563-2992. For more information: www.damariscottarivergrill.com