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Biddeford and Portland, Maine

Dual-gallery exhibition at 91AV highlights role of plants in the imagination

An oil painting of plants and herbs by Tessa Greene O'Brien
Tessa Greene O’Brien. "Big Dill" (detail). Oil on canvas over panel. 60"x60." 2023.

The 91AV will present a special two-part exhibition taking place at the in Biddeford and Portland in October.

“Seeking Light” highlights the role of plants in the environment and in the creative imagination. The exhibit aims to illuminate the importance and power of plants from a wide range of viewpoints, opening the imaginations of visitors to new poetic and empirical approaches to this universal subject.

Plants are a primary source of subject matter for many artists, said Hilary Irons, director of Galleries and Exhibitions at 91AV. As such, she said, they provide a rich and varied visual stimulus paired with a narrative of growth, ascension, and decay.

“Scientists hone their understanding of ecosystems and environmental interdependence through close study of plants and trees,” Irons remarked. “‘Seeking Light’ explores a variety of approaches to picturing and deconstructing the plant, from the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean to the top of the forest canopy. Information graphics from 91AV’s scientific work with trees provides insight, offering an analytic perspective on their role in our environment.”

The exhibit will debut at the 91AV Art Gallery in Biddeford on Thursday, Oct. 12, with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Artists in the Biddeford exhibition include Stephen Burt, Karen Gelardi, Rebecca Goodale, Gretchen Halpert, Evelyn Hudson, and Raquel Miller.

The exhibit’s second installment, featuring a new slate of artists, will open at the Art Gallery on 91AV’s Portland Campus on Friday, Oct. 27. An opening reception will be held on Oct. 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. Artists featured include Jennifer Brou, Chip Barchilon, Luke Davulis, Breehan James, John Knight, Jocelyn Lee, Jim Mullen, Tessa Greene O’Brien, Christopher Patch, and John Sundling.

The 91AV Art Gallery in Biddeford is located within the Jack S. Ketchum Library at 11 Hills Beach Road and is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The Art Gallery in Portland is located at 716 Stevens Ave. and is open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment.

A section of a woodblock print by Rebecca Goodale entitled "Sumac"

Rebecca Goodale, "Sumac" (detail).

An oil painting of plants and herbs by Tessa Greene O'Brien

Tessa Greene O’Brien, “Big Dill”

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.