It's no secret that Portland Maine's art scene is happening. First Fridays once a cool swanky kinda thing to do has morphed into the GODZILLA OF ART NIGHTS, bursting forth a cascade of humanity that descends into Portland's Art Galleries onto the sidewalks and into the streets. It's become more of an "event" than an "art event" and that has been good for the cities stores, restaurants and ancillary businesses as well as the galleries & artists.
Still my really favorite thing about Portland Art Scene is the surprise! There's always a surprise around the corner, at the next gallery or the next art walk. For me it's this unexpected, unknown that keeps me coming back time & time again.
Two years ago the surprise was the underground 1 day art opening in the BASE CAMP. Located just outside the mainstream this Presumscot street warehouse opening was edgy, campy and elegant in one fleeting breath.
Fast Forward to February 2013 and the BASE CAMP has resurfaced , this time not a flash in the scene but as an artist collective, a co-op of creativity and life. There are a few things that I look at as barometers of the health of a community: one is recruitment of new blood and the second is leadership with passion. Last week I found them at the BASE CAMP. Artist and spearhead Will Sears has retrofitted a section of a Presumscot Street warehouse. In addition to Will's studio & hand lettered sign business he has organized studio space for 12 other artists. In my brief experience at last weeks opening I met; Painters, Sculptors, Digital Artists, an Electro-Fiber artist, Wood workers, a Woodcut-Printmaker and a flow-fiber paper 3-D creator those are just the ones I met. The buzz is big! I felt the power of a not as yet fully operational art muthership and I liked it! Like chocolate or Ox Bow Farmhouse ale I like what I tasted and I left that evening wanting more. The excitement is legit and the birth of a new art environment can only fast track creativity for the BASE CAMP GANG. I'm looking forward to the cross pollination of art that will please our eye and blow our mind. These are exciting times and the artists of the basecamp are not just living it, they have pitched a tent in the local art scene and look to be here to stay!
Go because your good mind needs good art!
The Gallery Talk is made possible by the generosity of the WMPG Radio listening community. The blog is the text version of the art rant heard every Thursday at 7am, 5 & 9:30pm on WMPG college and community radio Broadcasting from the University of Southern Maine
90.9 , 104.1 and streaming on the web at http://www.wmpg.org/
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| Season of Love April 2011 Series by Kyle Bryant |
BASECAMP Facebook page
Alex Asplund -
Kyle Bryant - www.KyleBryant.net
Harlan Crichton - http://www.harlancrichton.
Luke Dubois -
Liz Hardy- www.lizhardy.posterous.com
Deborah Klotz -
Tina McLuckie - www.TinaMcluckie.com
John Nelson - johncalvinnelson.com
Tessa O'brien - Tessagreeneobrien.com
Will Sears - WillSearsFineArt.com , BetterLetterHandPaintedSigns.
Griffin Sherry - GriffinSherry.wordpress.com
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| Ha Ha by Tessa O'Brien |
The diversity of artists is refreshing
The potential pollination is beholden .
Opening vibe was jacked
It's an assemblage of artisans that possess crazy mad skills.
Vision
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