UNE Campus Center in Biddeford showcasing oil paintings by Vanessa White-Capelluti

Image of painting, "Island's Edge," 24" x 36", oil on canvas
Vanessa White-Capelluti. “Island’s Edge.” Oil on canvas. 24” x 36.”

A collection of 16 oil paintings by Maine artist Vanessa White-Capelluti is now on display at the Biddeford Campus Center through Jan. 17, 2023.

Born in upstate New York, White-Capelluti earned her teaching degree from Indiana University and began teaching in northern Indiana. She moved to Maine in 1982, where she taught middle and high school art and completed graduate studies at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) in Boston.

As a teacher, White-Capelluti began collecting objects and artifacts she hoped would intrigue and inspire her students. As she began to spend more time creating her own art, she found those objects of interest herself.

Her paintings are based on observation and deal with carefully curated still lifes and natural settings.

“I enjoy the careful creation and orchestration of bringing seemingly unrelated, quirky objects together in one unified still life,” the artist stated. “These generally disparate items are connected in various ways using color, line, shape or pattern, allowing the viewer's eyes to travel around and through the painting.”

A resident of South Portland, White-Capelluti’s additional areas of interest include pottery and photography. A Hoosier Scholar, White-Capelluti has received awards from Indiana University as well as from MassArt. She also was a semifinalist for Maine Teacher of the Year and earned national board certification in art education.

The Campus Center is located at 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, Maine. Hours for the academic year are Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Masks are optional indoors for visitors to UNE’s campuses.