The village of Wiscasset’s first art walk of the 2015 season is on Thursday, June 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. Visitors from away and local residents are invited to park their cars and stroll the village. Visit gorgeous art galleries and studios, peruse Wiscasset’s remarkable array of unique shops, sample tasty treats at a variety of food venues, and enjoy beautiful Sheepscot River views from the pier. And be sure to notice the abundance of historical architecture throughout the village.

A fine example of the blending of art and architecture is the Maine Art Gallery (MAG) on Warren Street, a short and pleasant stroll from the village center. The Gallery opens its 2015 season with a juried exhibition of works by Maine artists, and the public is invited to the artist reception during the June 25 Art Walk. Exhibiting artist Ruth Monsell will be doing a live demonstration of cutting traditional freehand silhouette portraits from 4 to 7 p.m.

The Maine Art Gallery resides in the old Wiscasset Academy, built in 1807. According to local lore, The Rev. Hezekiah Packard arrived in the village in the early 1800s and found a community with “alarming evidences of recklessness and dissipation,” chiefly in the form of “card-playing parties” and “family dances.”

His solution to turning around such depraved behavior was redemption through education. He organized a group of the town’s leading citizens and together, for a cost of $4,000, they erected the two-story brick building on Warren Street, now home to the Maine Art Gallery. The school received a charter from the General Court of Massachusetts on March 12, 1808, and continued, uninterrupted, until 1923.

In its early years, the Academy was a private school and, by 1848, 87 students were registered at a cost of five dollars for an eleven-week term. Students were instructed in English and in the classical courses of Greek, Latin, and French with an option to study Italian, Spanish, music and drawing.

More endearing stories can be found on the Museum in the Streets panels throughout the village.

The Wiscasset Art Walks are held on the last Thursday June through September. Participant sites are marked with shiny pom-poms and touring maps are available throughout the village.

For more information about participating in Wiscasset Art Walk as an artist, performer, volunteer, or sponsor, contact event coordinators Lucia Droby at ludroby@verizon.net or Violet Brandwein at 917-327-1449.