The newest show at the Maine Art Gallery at 15 Warren St. in Wiscasset plans to open on Saturday, Aug. 20, with seven artists who bonded during abstract painting classes at the Maine College of Art and Design. They developed a strong connection with their teacher Michel Droge, and chose to repeat their class several times. During this period they also became such close colleagues that when the class was discontinued, the artists searched for a way to continue to meet with Droge. The result was SEVEN, an artists collective.

The artists include Emily Blaschke, Don Peterson, Celeste June Henriquez, Alicia Etheridge. Doreen Nardone, Brenda Overstrom and Jenny Campbell.

“I suggested that they form a collective and write a manifesto describing their mission. We all would meet once a month to critique each other’s work. I maintained a mentor role and led the discussions. there has been great value in their serious, rigorous practice of painting and critique,” Droge said, according to a news release from the gallery.

These seven strangers, who came together in a community to support each other, created a manifesto that changes periodically, but each artist is primarily an abstract painter who meets with the group in a spirit of generosity.

The collective named this show Collective Imagination. An opening reception will be held in newly air conditioned comfort from 5 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 20, with music by Simons & Goodwin. Refreshments will be served. The show continues during normal gallery hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, until Sept. 17.

There will be a second opportunity to meet the artists at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, when the gallery presents an artists talk. The group members will talk about what it’s like to be in a collective, discuss their work, and describe the sources of their inspiration.

For more information, visit maineartgallerywiscasset.org, and find it on Facebook and Instagram.

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