DAMARISCOTTA — Savory Maine Dining and Provisions will exhibit the paintings of Brunswick artist Barbara Bean from Wednesday, July 5, through Aug. 15.

Bean spent most of her early years drawing. She became an art major in high school, art editor of her year book and recipient of a scholarship to the College of Fine Arts at Syracuse University. Following graduation, she was employed as display manager of the Bachrach Photographic Studios, which were located in as many as 13 U.S. cities. Somewhat later, she was trained as a clinical social worker at New York University and spent the next 30 years supporting families and children affected by developmental differences. She loved to use art materials in her practice as many children were unable to use spoken language and enjoyed the opportunity to express themselves by drawing. Time also was spent studying with Robert Bishop, founder of the American Folk Art Program at New York University.

Since her retirement Bean has been able to be in her home studio every day. She works long hours and permits herself the luxury of saying no to activities which take her away from her work. Like many artists she will work on several projects simultaneously because she finds that creations developed side by side often talk to each other and stimulate new ideas. As a result, the two dimensional art here displayed is enhanced by its cohabitation with clay sculpture, bookmaking, jewelry, assemblage and printmaking. These and other varieties of her art making rely on old tools, collected papers, inks, fiber, photographs, reeds, metals and found objects. All parts of her early imagined art life were given birth by her father’s scrap yard, his father and the generations before them.

After moving to Maine in 2003, Bean became a founding member of the Points of View Art Group and Gallery in Brunswick and an associate member of the Center Street Arts Gallery in Bath. She also has shown at the Georgetown Historical Society, the Curtis and Topsham libraries, Thornton Oaks Retirement Community as well as the River Arts Galleries in Damariscotta. Her works have been sold to private collections as well as to special collections at Bowdoin College and to the University of Maine in Augusta.

While Bean works in many media, she is steadfast in her love of ink. Her early drawings in Maine were the plants and wildlife explored on the bogs, marsh and meadows near her Georgetown summer camp and Cumberland County as well as in Downeast at Lubec and Campobello. She is inspired by her love of Maine and by the rarity of its plant and bird life .She enjoys depicting the overlooked and uses brilliant color, exaggerated size, alterations of plant territories and seasons to surprise her viewer.

A reception for Bean will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, July 14. Savory Maine will provide finger foods, and wine and beer will be available.

Savory Maine is located at 11 Water St. For more information, call 563-2111, ‘like’ Savory Maine on Facebook, or visit www.savorymainedining.com


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