Museum Opens May 28 with Marine Dioramas,
Paintings of Local Scenes

New Exhibits by Marpeau, Morgan-Barnes

Anne-Emmanuelle Marpeau

Nancy Morgan-Barnes

May 21, 2010 -- Penobscot Marine Museum opens for 2010 with exhibits of Maine-inspired art by two contemporary female artists with dramatically different choices of subject matter and media. "Inside the Box -- the Art of Anne-Emmanuelle Marpeau" is an exhibit of dioramas depicting scenes of maritime lore and legend from Maine's past. In "A Sense of Place -- Paintings by Nancy Morgan-Barnes," the Searsport -based artist explores modern scenes of work and leisure in the Penobscot region. Both exhibits and the museum itself open May 28.

Local residents and visitors will recognize many of the locales in Nancy Morgan-Barnes's oils in "A Sense of Place." Bold blocks of color and surprising perspectives of street scenes, a pool hall, a working port, a visiting circus and a boxing club reveal an incisive view of the region's attitudes and everyday life. The exhibit runs through June 27, with a reception June 11 at 6 pm. On June 12, the artist will demonstrate her painting technique at the museum from 10 am to 2 pm, followed by a talk about her work. The reception and the demonstration/talk are free.

A native of Brittany, France, Anne-Emmanuelle Marpeau crafts intricate dioramas (also known as shadowboxes) based on history and stories from Maine's islands and remote coastal communities. Maritime disasters, lighthouse keepers, legends of ghost ships and tales of long-ago island celebrations are depicted with whimsy, imagination and a touch of mystery.

Click here for more details and images from both exhibits.