I never had a fondness for books of “Maine humor.” You know, titles that focus on the supposed quirks of Down Easters and the oddness of the state’s locale. Oh, it’s not the political incorrectness thing that bugs me; every state and its “typical inhabitants” (think Texas) has its foibles and deserves to take some […]
Arts & Entertainment
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Art Review: Using art as a weapon of conscience
“The War on Peace” at Waterfall Arts in Belfast is an exhibition featuring two of Maine’s nationally acclaimed artists: Robert Shetterly and Alan Magee. It is a powerful show. It’s tough but rewarding, and its critical outrage is thoughtfully poised. Shetterly is best known for “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” a painting series he began […]
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In The Arts: Three shows: One fascinating, one eloquent, one ambitious
This is an article about three shows: Two on photography and a third that introduces itself with a photograph — a very old one. My bias in favor of traditionally achieved photographs has nagged at this column for years. Photography as we knew it — a blend of chemistry, light and glorious skill — came […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Life & Culture
Postcards from the cutting edge
A new exhibition by nine women at the gallery at UNE explores what art in the 21st century is all about.
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Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry
Betsy Sholl, a resident of Portland, is the former Maine poet laureate. You might guess that the gulls of her poem come from the outskirts of her city, but you’d be wrong. Betsy explains that she spotted these “bad boys” near her in-laws’ condo in Florida, where she “decided to sit on the beach for a little while and watch.”
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Day-Lewis positively presidential as Lincoln
You think you’re not going to be surprised by Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham “Lincoln” — you’ve seen the photographs, you know he looks right — but the first full shot of him in Steven Spielberg’s majestic “Lincoln” may well take your breath away. There he is in silhouette, the light behind him: the long profile, […]
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Calendar
Art “Weatherbeaten: Winslow Homer and Maine,” 35 major oils and watercolors, Portland Museum of Art. portlandmuseum.org. Through Dec. 30. “Between Past and Present: The Homer Studio Photographic Project,” contemporary photography made with historic processes, Portland Museum of Art. portlandmuseum.org. Through Feb. 17. “Iconic America: The U.S. Outline as National Symbol,” University of Southern Maine (Osher […]
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Society Notebook: Along for the ride
Friends of Biddeford’s Community Bicycle Center turn out to support its benefit auction.
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Television: Reliving an American nightmare
Ken Burns turns his lens on the Dust Bowl in a two-night PBS special.
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Dine Out Maine: Go west to 91 South to be wined and dined to perfection
The plotline is familiar: After much seeking, the girl falls deeply in love with the boy who lives next door. Except in this case, the boy next door is the restaurant around the corner — and the “restaurant” is actually 91 South, a wine club tucked inside Gorham’s Pine Crest Inn. What is a wine […]