Sun, 04/22/2018 - 8:15am

Kim Traina

“Lemon & Sage Focaccia,” by Jim Amaral.

The Art at The Damariscotta River Grill series hosts three diverse and incredibly talented Maine photographers; Jim Amaral of Alna, Steven Dunn from Chelsea, and Andrea Mabee of Kennebunk. Opening Tuesday, May 1, this exhibition showcases images composed through the lenses of photographers whose creativity capture an array of whimsical moments, mouth watering creations, and timeless beauty found in Maine landscapes, islands and backyards. Join us for an artist reception Wednesday, May 2, from 4-5:30 p.m.

Amaral, founder of Borealis Breads, has been an avid photographer since high school. He is often seen on the courts and fields at Lincoln Academy photographing student athletes. The photographs in this show are slices of his life in Alna; the stream that threads around his property, the breads that are mixed, shaped and baked in his kitchen, and the feathered friends who frequent his bird feeders.

“The scale of these photos invite the viewer to examine in detail bird, bread and stream and ask did you see this, did you notice that? It is almost with a child’s sense of amazement that I prowl our woods and in quiet moments take the shot of that which I have become immersed in,” said Amatal. “I find photography to be a fermentation not of yeast, water and flour but of form, texture, color, composition and time.”

Dunn is an internationally recognized photographer most noted for his impressionistic images and has been referred to as “Monet with a camera.” Using such techniques as Polaroid manipulation, multiple exposure, montage and rear projection, he creates images that have a true painterly quality.

In addition to the U.S. his images have been exhibited in Europe and Asia. Mr. Dunn, a photographer for 30 years, has taught courses in visual design and the various photographic techniques that he uses. He recently published a book of impressionistic photographs of Monhegan Island entitled “Monhegan - Timeless Impressions of a Special Island” and is currently working on a second book. "If you look deeply into the images you create, you will find that each of those images contains part of yourself.”

Mabee was exposed to the arts while growing up in New York, moved to Maine over 40 years ago, and built her first darkroom. Today, her digital photography captures the juxtaposition of both the beauty and the harshness of Maine’s dramatic environment and the men and woman who earn their livelihood from the sea, in often intense and demanding settings. Her approach is sometimes whimsical as can be seen in her Geese series that capture both the gracefulness, and gregarious nature of this gaggle of Midcoast birds. “The subject matter of my photography is not limited to one particular genre. I am equally intent on trying to capture the essence of a flower, as I am the uniqueness of an individual. The challenge of capturing an image and successfully depicting it with an artistic vision is a truly gratifying experience.”

The show will run through June 11. Damariscotta River Grill is located at 155 Main St. Damariscotta. For more information about the show, contact Kim Traina at jumpstartcreative@gmail.com.