In rather stark contrast to the restful landscape and seascape paintings one expects to find at the Smart Studio gallery in Northeast Harbor is, for one week starting today (Thursday), a show of “protest art” by about 20 area artists.
“Some of the topics that are covered are the #MeToo movement, war, the wall, children and families separated, Stormy Daniels, guns and, of course, Trump,” said gallery owner Gail Cleveland.
Asked how this very uncharacteristic show for the Smart Studio came about, Cleveland said, “I have a lot of Facebook friends who are artists, and a lot of them were posting their silent protests, photographs of their paintings or other art that they created.
“They had no other place to show it,” she continued. “I just kept (thinking) that these things need to be seen.”
Cleveland said both year-round and summer residents have artwork in the show.
An opening reception for the protest art show is planned for Aug. 16 from 5-7 p.m. at Smart Studio.
Last month, Cleveland announced that she was seeking submissions for the show. Since then, she said, she has received quite a bit of feedback about the concept.
“Most of it has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “I have had very limited negative [response], but [it has been] a little threatening online. So, I asked the police to be there Thursday when we have the opening because the ones that do come in negative have a lot of anger.”
Dick Broom
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