News At The Museum
Multiple Exhibits And Talks In Camden, Belfast
20 January, 2012 – Several exhibits of historic local photography from the archives at Penobscot Marine Museum, and a number of illustrated talks about those exhibits, are scheduled in Belfast and Camden, now through April:
Knox County Through Eastern's Eye (exhibit): Historic photographs from the Eastern Illustrating Collection of Penobscot Marine Museum (PMM). Free. At Camden Public Library. Now through Jan. 31.
From the Atlantic Fisherman Collection
From the Elmer Montgomery Collection
Selections from the Elmer Montgomery Collection and Selections from The Atlantic Fisherman: Two exhibits with boats and the sea as their subjects. Free. At the Hutchinson Center, Belfast. Now through April 30.
Maine Agriculture: Views from the Past: Historic farm photography from the Eastern Illustrating Collection. Free. At the Belfast Co-op. Feb. 1-28.
Digging Deeper into the Eastern Illustrating Collection: Illustrated talk by PMM Photo Archivist Kevin Johnson will elaborate on the exhibit "Maine Agriculture" and other Waldo County photography. Free. At Belfast Free Library. Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m.
Digging Deeper into The Atlantic Fisherman Collection: Illustrated talk by PMM Curator Ben Fuller, elaborating on the "Atlantic Fisherman" exhibit. Free. At the Hutchinson Center, Belfast. Wednesday, Feb.22, 6:30 p.m.
Digging Deeper into the Elmer Montgomery Collection: Illustrated talk by PMM Curator Ben Fuller, elaborating on the "Elmer Montgomery" exhibit. Free. At the Hutchinson Center, Belfast. Wednesday, April 25, 6:30 p.m.
The largest of the collections on display, the Eastern Illustrating Collection contains more than 100,000 images taken by a Belfast postcard publisher. It includes town and country scenes throughout Maine and New England in the early 20th century. The Atlantic Fisherman, also based in Belfast, was a trade paper for commercial fishermen. The archives of its photography document the early days of mechanized fishing. The collection of Elmer Montgomery, born in South Thomaston in 1912, contains hundreds of finely-crafted photographs of boats, ships and waterfront scenes in Rockland and other midcoast communities prior to World War II.
Circus Exhibit Extended Through February
January 13, 2012 – Penobscot Marine Museum has extended "The Circus Comes to Town" for another month. The free exhibit of circus models, art, photography and memorabilia will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through February 26.
The heart of the exhibit is the Bex Bros. Circus, a complete circus scene comprised of thousands of scale models depicting every element of a traditional circus, including sideshows, clowns, trapeze artists and animal acts. Also on display are circus posters, circus art by Maine artists Alan Fishman, Nancy Morgan-Barnes, and the late Waldo Peirce, and circus images from the museum's own collections of historic photography.
"The Circus Comes to Town" was scheduled to close at the end of January, but the exhibit's popularity on most winter weekends encouraged the museum to obtain an extension of the loan of the Bex Bros. Circus from its owner and creator, Capt. Les Bex.
"The Circus Comes to Town" is in the museum's Main Street Gallery at 40 E. Main St. Admission is free.
Arts & Crafts & More This Winter
Learn new arts and crafts like making bound journals with Abbie Read.
December 27, 2011 – Tours, exhibits and arts & crafts classes are scheduled at Penobscot Marine Museum during the winter and spring, keeping the Searsport institution active and open to the public.
Nor'easter Days is a series of arts and crafts classes for adults, led by locally-known experts. Held on the last Saturday of the month, January through April, the classes run 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is $50 per class ($45 for members) and includes all materials, with lunch catered by The Good Kettle. To register, contact Susan Henkel (207-548-2529 ext.202; shenkel@pmm-maine.org) at least two weeks in advance of any class:
January 28: Drawing from the Collection with Nancy Morgan-Barnes. Drawing techniques using the exhibit The Circus Comes to Town and paintings from the museum's collection as models.
February 25: Maritime Watercolors. Anne Spencer will teach watercolor technique using ship models and paintings from the museum's collection.
March 31: Sailor Valentines with a Twist. Use shells and seeds to decorate a frame for a mirror or favorite picture. Taught by Betty Schopmeyer and Susan Henkel.
April 28: Creating a Bound Journal with Abbie Read. Capture your thoughts, poetry, musings and art of the day the way Maine's Summer Folk did in years past.
The museum is also offering "Overcoat Tours" on the same dates: January 28, February 25, March 31, and April 28 (all Saturdays). Collections Manager Cipperly Good will guide visitors through the exhibits in the museum's historic Merithew House at 2:00 p.m., and the Seabag Visible Storage Center will be open 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The tours are free, and no registration is required. Visitors are urged to dress warmly, as Merithew House is not heated during the winter.
"The Circus Comes to Town," the museum's free winter exhibit of circus art, memorabilia, photography and hundreds of miniature circus figures, continues on the following dates: Thursday, December 29, Friday, December 30, and the weekends January 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, and 28-29. Exhibit hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Admission Center/Gallery at 40 E. Main St.