Ephemeral Art
The Camden Garden Club’s 75th Annual Garden Tour is July 20 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. and features native plantings, sustainable horticulture, private gardens, works by local plein air artists, local food and music, and a retrospective exhibit. Tickets at CamdenGardenClub.org.
New to You
Downeast Art & Antiques Show returns to Blue Hill’s George Stevens Academy August 2–4, with the preview party on August 1. Internationally renowned Nina Campbell is honorary chair of the event, and she is also one of the 2023 Bar Harbor Designer Showhouse’s designers.
Where the Wild Things Grow
For fans of where art and nature intersect, the Ogunquit Museum will be showcasing artist Liam Lee this summer in a can’t-miss exhibition. Liam works with hand-dyed and felted wool, creating bio-morphic, abstraction-referencing microbes, fungi, flowers, and seeds.
Catch a Flick
Summer brings an onslaught of much anticipated local film festivals—three of which are Camden Film Festival, Maine International Film Festival, and Maine Outdoor Film Festival. CIFF and MIFF have been around for 19 and 26 years, respectively—holding weight in the world of independent films. And, for those who love adventuring in Maine’s abundant wilderness, mountains, and coast, the MOFF is an outdoor-centered viewing experience that highlights a different side of the state.
MDI’s Biggest Event this Summer
The wait is almost over to see inside Bar Harbor’s 2023 Designer Showhouse, open for public tours from Sunday, July 30, through Saturday, August 19. A roster of both local and international designers is at work to transform the home’s interiors (and exterior!), and we can’t wait to see the result. MDI Hospital will be the beneficiary of this year’s Showhouse.
The Perfect Pillow
Located at 119 Main Street, right in the heart of the Northeast Harbor village, Erika Wibby Mitchell, Kim Swan, and interior designer Melanie Millner are the creative visions behind a new pillow and book shop called “The Nook.” There will undoubtedly be more surprises in store, so make sure to swing by!
Trail Blazing Art
A stunning seaside location, award-winning artists, live music, and spirited bidding—this is summer in Maine at its best! Don’t miss Paint for Preservation, where juried artists paint scenic Cape Elizabeth landscapes en plein air. The resulting artwork is auctioned Sunday, June 25, 2023.
Taking it In
We highly recommend visiting Colby College Museum of Art’s new exhibition: Ashley Bryan / Paula Wilson: Take the World into Your Arms. Through their art, Ashley and Paula channel the beauty and spirituality found in humanity and nature, using texture, color, and light to convey magical lyricism, while also examining the cultural history of identity and self-representation.
