CRANBERRY ISLES — Dozens of people turned out last Saturday for the dedication of the Wini Smart “village” on the grounds of the Great Cranberry Island Historical Society.
The village is a collection of three buildings that were owned by Smart, the prominent local artist and gallery owner who died two years ago at age 85. Her former home is now a gift shop. Her painting shed is a space for children to learn about and create art. A third small shed is used for storage.
A granite bench has been placed at the center of the village in memory of Smart.
The village was created by members of Smart’s family, 15 of whom attended the dedication.
Smart’s daughter, Gail Cleveland, herself an artist who owns the Smart Studio gallery in Northeast Harbor, donated one of her mother’s paintings to be raffled off.
“Everyone’s hair raised on their necks when Fred Quackenbush was picked the winner, by chance,” Cleveland said in an email.
That’s because Quackenbush and Smart were childhood friends who married decades later, in 2008. Cleveland’s sister, Debbie Martinez, had bought a single raffle ticket for Quackenbush, who now lives in Tennessee and was not at the dedication.
Cleveland said the raffle raised more than $800, which will be used for landscaping and other improvements at the Wini Smart village
Dick Broom
Latest posts by Dick Broom (see all)
- DOE to help MDI boost power grid - June 29, 2022
- Acadia’s May visits up 0.8% - June 29, 2022
- Edmondson among eight semifinalists - June 24, 2022
Leave a Reply