PORTLAND

MECA graduate joins panel for upcoming symposium

Vivian Beer, a graduate of the Maine College of Art and current resident of New Hampshire, will participate in a full-day symposium called Making, hosted on Sept. 10 by the School of Art+Design at Purchase College — SUNY. The event will examine the ways in which the current cultural climate influences furniture makers who have grown out of traditions of craftsmanship, but are shifting through the present models and means of production.

In addition to Beer, the symposium will feature Matthias Pliessnig of Philadelphia, Tonya Aguinuga of Los Angeles and Bruce Metcalf, also of Philadelphia.

Beer, whose work is included in the public art collection of the City of Portland and located along the Back Cove, is enjoying an active and successful career. She was a spring Windgate Artist in Residence at the School of Art+Design, School of the Arts, Purchase College. She received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2004. Earlier this summer, she had a show at Courthouse Gallery Fine Art in Ellsworth. She describes her creative process as “sophisticated daydreaming.” 

Broadway performer will participate in concert series

Broadway performer Mark Jacoby joins a collection of University of Southern Maine faculty and visiting guest artists gathered by School of Music faculty member Betty Rines to perform two instrumental/narrative works in the first of the USM School of Music’s Fall 2011 Spotlight Concert Series.

Rines and Friends will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 16 at Hannaford Hall, Abromson Community Education Center on Bedford Street in Portland. Tickets cost $15, $10 for seniors and USM employees, $5 for students and children. Tickets may be purchased at the door. For additional information, contact the USM Music Box Office at 780-5555.

The evening will include the two 20th-century classics “L’histoire du soldat” and “Facade.”

SOUTH PORTLAND

Mad Horse Theatre calls crafters for Family Fun Day

Mad Horse Theatre Company issues a call for crafters for its Family Fun Day on Sept. 17 at the Hutchins School, 24 Mosher St., South Portland. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A large, recently paved parking lot is the site of the event, which will include food, games, face-painting and makeup booths for kids and adults. The charge to participate is $25, and participants must provide their own tables and displays.

BOOTHBAY HARBOR

Juried one-day art fair scheduled for Saturday

Art @ Waterfront Park, a juried one-day art fair, is set for Saturday. Oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, acrylics, pastels, photography, sculpture, stained glass and fine pottery will be on display. New for 2011 is the addition of music. The Greenfields will perform on the park stage from 1 to 2 p.m. The trio of David Fields, Debra Arter and Joe Brennan play and sing Americana, sea songs, cowboy tunes and Irish ballads.

The festival will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If the weather is bad, it will move to Sept. 4. This event is sponsored and produced by the Boothbay Region Art Foundation. Admission is free.

KENNEBUNK

Heartwood College hosts ‘Paint the ‘Bunk’ art sale

Heartwood College of Art presents the second annual “Paint the ‘Bunk” art sale from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Brick Store Museum’s Program Center, Route 1, Kennebunk. Artists capture the uniqueness and beauty of the working town of Kennebunk from the beaches to the rolling farms, the blueberry plains, historic buildings, church steeples, gardens and more. One hundred pieces of original artwork will be sold for $200 each. Proceeds benefit Heartwood College of Art in Kennebunk. “Paint the ‘Bunk” is sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank and the Brick Store Museum. For information, call 985-0985.

SOUTH PARIS

Moore Park gives awards to artists at Aug. 13 show

Moore Park in South Paris awarded nine ribbons to artists as well as a purchase award from Chandler Funeral Homes during the art show on Aug 13:

Best painting: Ron Hamilton of Oxford; second place, Joelle Zupokska of South Paris; third place, Brends Sauro of South Paris.

Best photograph: Olivia May Berger of Waterford; second place, Aaron DiMillo of Jay; third place, Greg Currier of Camden.

Best artisan: Susan Peterson of Durham; second place, Kat Dumais of Lewiston; third place, Clayton Berry of South Paris.

The purchase award, sponsored and selected by Chandler Funeral Homes, went to Ellen Rawding of South Paris.

THOMASTON

Haynes Galleries presents ‘The Art of the Still Life’

Haynes Galleries presents “The Art of the Still Life,” a wide-ranging exhibition featuring the work of 20 contemporary artists. There will be an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, and the show will be on view through Sept. 29 at Haynes Galleries, 91 Main St., Thomaston.

In the hands of contemporary masters, a bowl of eggs, a bouquet of flowers or even a lemon peel can look and feel exciting.

“The Art of the Still Life” showcases American realist painters working today, including masterful trompe l’oeil from Michael Thiese, luminous tableaux by rising star Jesus Villarreal and lush florals by Karen Horn.

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Call 354-0605.