New to exhibiting at the Grill is pastel artist and graphic designer, Amy Audet, from Wells.  Her seascapes and landscapes of the Maine coast, marshes and woodlands are compelling. Amy shares, “ I see an exquisite natural world around me. I seek to seize that moment and document it. Light and color fuel this beauty. Not just the majestic but also the sublime. I typically capture the moment in camera, and paint that with soft pastel on sanded paper in the studio. I find the intense pigment in the pastel medium most genuinely and spontaneously give me what I need to portray this exquisite world.”

 

Douglas Houle, an accomplished oil painter from Augusta, and a seasoned exhibitor at the Grill, highlights the architecture of small town New England. “I am drawn to the charm and nostalgia around old homes and barns, store fronts, and light houses. Whether the places are frequently visited or passed by, they surround a town’s people, giving recognition to the historical relevance they have in our communities. I like to create a mood in my paintings that will remind you of a time gone by, and light and color are crucial for these pieces. Working primarily in oils, I leave the under layer of my painting showing through the planes and edges, which helps to develop a level of interest to the surrounding work.  Objects absorb and reflect all sorts of color and how that is manipulated impacts the mood. The light that each color creates is there to invite you. I want you to live in every one of these rooms, within each window, and behind every possible door.”

 

Valerie Thomas was born, raised, and educated in Boston. Prior to moving to Newcastle in 2018, her career in Boston included graphic design, art director, landscape architecture and creating three children’s books. She began seriously pursuing her love of painting with oils in 1999. “ I offer my effort up to the universe and the beautiful earth we stand on. I giddily hope for “nailing it” and thrill at the joy of doing that occasionally. My intention is that the viewer experience the feeling of that day that I have captured through my choice of subject matter, and expressed by my use of design, value, and color.”

 

First time exhibitor, Ze’ev Keish, has been exploring his art and his voice through watercolors. Originally from New York, Ze’ev and his wife, Sharon now enjoy life in Midcoast Maine. “Having spent my adult life on family and career, I have chosen in the final third of my life’s journey to pursue and expand my lifelong passion for art that was nurtured by my parents.

My journey into the world of watercolors began after my fourth trip to Spain. Going to museums is a source of great pleasure for me. Museums, while inspiring, are not enough; I need to create. Inspired by the masters of impressionism, expressionism, abstraction, and surrealism, I use vibrant color palettes to draw attention to flowers and landscapes. Damariscotta and Maine is a constant source of gorgeous subject matter.”