The show on display at Stable Gallery through Oct. 21 features two artists whose boxes are distinctive and yet share similar features of intentional, quality, and traditional craftsmanship.

Local Damariscotta artist Denise Rankin learned her craft from a teacher of Shaker Box Making at the Fletcher School for the Arts in Vermont. She was attracted to this traditional box form by its clean lines, warm woods, and simplicity of form.

Rankin’s teacher once put a six inch oval box on the floor and stood on it to demonstrate the strength of the design. Functional and beautiful, Rankin's boxes have five coats of varnish and are sanded between each coat.

These beautiful oval boxes are labors of love reminiscent of the Shakers’ simple life. Denise’s boxes have been showcased at the Portland Museum of Art and the Farnsworth Museum.

The second artist, Wayne Maines started creating boxes reflective of the Native American tradition after taking a course in meditation at Chewonki. He was in this beautiful place and asked not to talk, so as he says, “I started to notice all the pine needles. As a child I liked to sew, and stitch, and so I came up with this method of patiently working with pine needles as an alternative meditation.” 

As he works, Maines becomes calm and happy as many who are involved in the arts have found. He is drawn to different pieces of wood that he uses as bases for his designs. To finish each piece, Maines applies melted wax as a preservative and also because of the pleasant aroma.

The Stable Gallery has a variety of sizes of these boxes on display along with the art of thirty other Maine artists. Stable Gallery is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours to be open 5-7 p.m.  for the Damariscotta Art Walk, third Fridays on Sept. 16 and Oct. 21.