Hosted by Historic New England (HNE), at the iconic Nickels-Sortwell House, “Favorite Places in Maine” is a plein air art exhibit featuring artists from across the state, displaying paintings of their favorite Maine locations. From the Casco Bay Islands to the blueberry barrens of Clarry Hill, from the rooftops of Bar Harbor to the slopes of Castine, from Camden Harbor to Pemaquid Point, each painting offers quintessential Maine vistas and emblematic symbols. On Thursday, July 25, artists were onsite to discuss the often personal reasons why they chose to paint their subjects.

Over 20 Plein Air Painters of Maine participated in the exhibit and reception. Valerie Thomas of Waldoboro wrote in her statement regarding her piece, “Summer Clarry Hill” which was an oil painting on linen, that “Clarry Hill is immense, and I love the sense of space when painting there. No matter what the season, there’s always beautiful light.”

Susan Tan of South Portland also used light as the foundation for her piece titled “Final Warmth.” Tan was visiting Portland for the first time and hopped a mailboat to the Casco Bay islands. “That’s when I saw the image that would become this painting. The sun lit up the trees and face of this cottage, and like the sun, it was yellow. The contrasting darkness that surrounded the cottage seemed to impart that the warmth was transient, a final expression of lazy days and a radiant pallet.”

John Sawyer has been going to Pemaquid for 61 years. “I’ve been going there since I was about 8 years old. I have lots of connections to Midcoast Maine and enjoy painting my favorite spots. I’ve been working on different surfaces too, one is on a wood panel, another on linen,” he said.

Mat O’Donnell’s watercolor “Ausel Hamor’s House” is an artistically technical homage to his childhood neighbor’s home. O’Donnell is one of nearly a dozen children in his large Irish family. The roofline of his neighbor’s house in Bar Harbor was one of his favorite views as a child. “There was always a fire in the fireplace, and the house always felt warm,” he said. “He was 84 years old and a gardener. He loved animals and lived alone. I met him as a child and have many pleasant memories. He was a good human being.” The piece depicts the roof and chimney of the home. Light plays with shadows and smoke against a blue-gray evening sky.

Cecilia Ludwig of Wiscasset, plein air painter and HNE member, curated the show. “I thought the theme would be interesting because sometimes one looks at a painting and wonders why the artist painted that particular subject/landscape. Most paintings tell a story, but often that story may not be evident. This year I invited artists from all over Maine and left it up to them where their favorite places were,” she said.

“My husband and I are fortunate to live next to the Nickels-Sortwell House. We are collectors of antiques and live in an historic 1799 Federal style home. When we first moved to Wiscasset, we toured Castle Tucker and were so impressed by the quality and professionalism of that, we joined HNE. As a member of several plein air groups in Maine, the idea for the exhibit, the location, and working with HNE just clicked, she said.

Wiscasset Art Walk provided the backdrop to the artists’ reception. The exhibit continues at the Carriage House located behind Nickels-Sortwell House, Fri. – Sun. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., through Oct. 14, and in the evenings of Wiscasset Art Walk, the fourth Thursdays of August and September. A portion of each sale goes to HNE to help preserve the house.