University of New England - Innovation for a Healthier Planet

Maine Women Pioneers III – Homage

Maine Women Pioneers III - Homage

January 2, 2013 - March 3, 2013

Portland Campus Art Gallery

Maine Women Pioneers III was co-curated by Anne B. Zill, Gael May McKibben and Andres A. Verzosa. This exhibition was the third on this subject in the history of this Art Gallery, striving for national impact in defining pioneering Maine women artists of our age.

Homage was the second of four exhibitions honoring 50 living Maine women pioneers. Homage  highlighted veteran artists who are powerful examples of career and lifelong originators of creative accomplishment, ahead of the curve without resting on their laurels. Some of the artists are well known and others who are less so deserve our attention, admiration and respect.

Artists included: Lois Dodd, Maggie Foskett, Susan Groce, Beverly Hallam, Allison Hildreth, Frances Hodsdon, Lissa Hunter, Dahlov Ipcar, Yvonne Jacquette, Frances Kornbluth, Rose Marasco, Marylin Quint-Rose and Katarina Weslien.

The three other segments were:

  • Vanguard featured avant-garde, experimental and innovative works by nine Maine artists who offer insights into the future using mixed media, conceptual installation, performance and video elements.  The artists featured were:  Susan Bickford, Diana Cherbuliez, Amy Stacey Curtis, Alicia Eggert, Lauren Fensterstock, Lihua Lei, Julie Poitras Santos, Carrie Scanga, and Ling-Wen Tsai.
  • Worldview focused upon the work of artists who are connected to their world–who create and are inspired by ethics, emotions and existential, holistic themes, as activists, healers, and visionaries.
  • Dirigo presented artists embodying Maine’s motto, I lead, whose works exhibit iconoclastic individualism and breaks with preconceived norms and traditions, expanding their mediums into pioneering terrains.

A series of educational programs was designed to utilize some of Maine’s enormously talented art professionals – gallerists, educators, entrepreneurs, media experts and writers. 

The Quimby Family Foundation generously provided the Maine Women Pioneers III with a lead grant. Donald Sussman also made an early contribution.  We remain enormously grateful to these and other contributors.