Meet the Makers
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Amanda Pellerin
Baltimore, MD + Islesford, ME
As an artist my work is inspired by landscapes, urban and waterfront. I am interested in the beautiful crust, decay, layers of pressure and the marks of time. I seek to express the grit and truth of what I observe and experience.
My work is currently functional handbuilt tableware, made with mid-range porcelain fired to cone 6, and occasionally terracotta fired to 04. I love the feel and experience of working with wet clay. My decorating technique is a series of painted layers, stenciled and monoprints with ceramic underglazes that are applied to the clay when it is wet and soft.
Throughout my career I spent many years as a teaching artist, facilitating groups for large installations. I am drawn to places where the community and the landscape are working together, where there is connection to water and respect for the natural world.
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Anne Stringer
Baltimore,MD + Isleford, ME
I’ve been making art as early as I can remember. As a child, I was often scolded for getting glue, paint, nail polish, and paper scraps stuck in the carpet. With a BFA from MICA and an MBA from Loyola University, I use the power of creativity in everything I do. My wife Amanda and I “fill our cups” each summer on Little Cranberry Island. I call it “Summer Camp.”
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Anne Tommaso
Portland, ME
Anne is a mixed-media artist inspired by seasons, adventure, mountains, trails, her backyard, water, and unexpected moments of clarity. She lives in Portland and admires all parts of Maine for inspiration.
She likes to think of each patch as a mini quilt or fabric collage informed by the shapes and lines of landscapes. There are mountains, coastlines, trees, sunsets, and sometimes bridges or trails implied in the designs. She hopes the color combinations create energy and joy. The designs are cut from cotton and hand-appliqued on denim.
When she is not painting or working with fabric, Anne teaches multilingual high school students.
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Anne Woodman
Mount Desert Island, ME
As the daughter of two successful artists, finding my own medium and voice took a while. One day in my late twenties, bored at work, I started doodling with wire and something clicked. Now I make whimsical jewelry designs that mimic line drawings of natural shapes. The flowers make people happy and that has become the most satisfying part of my work. Each pendant is hand molded (by me) out of fine metal (mostly 14k gold filled) wire. My scraps are recycled and reused in an effort to have a waste free studio. Occasionally, my jewelry creations morph into larger pieces of wearable art, such as fascinators, bibs, shoulder pads(?)... I'm currently dreaming of creating a full dress out of gold flowers!
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Bennett Konesni
Belfast, ME
I make papercuttings, I’m a musician and garlic farmer.
After a lifelong interest in photography and eventually working in photojournalism, I returned to school to study photography, but discovered instead the field of book arts, printmaking and papermaking at the University of California Santa Barbara, where I earned a B.A. in Book Arts at UCSB’s College of Creative Studies.
I have enjoyed the many processes of book arts, printmaking and papermaking—namely the tactility and repetitive motions involved. There is something very satisfying about carving wood, pulling a sheet of handmade paper from a vat of pulp, rubbing a baren on the back of the sheet to print a woodblock, especially with a specific result in mind. The outcome of the work is visually satisfying as well, but the labor and repetitive motions involved with these processes seem to go relatively unseen. I have been fascinated by these things we cannot see and the things we are not seeing, and have been interested in transforming these concepts into the tactile and visual experience.
My name, Chiori, translates from the Japanese into Thousand Weavings. As I weave each new layer of experience—I am beginning to see the different textures of my fabric develop and tie into one another.
When I moved to Maine in 2007, my book projects turned into house projects and family. However, in 2010 I had the tremendous opportunity to attend the Paper and Book Intensive in Machias and took a course coloring paper pulp with Katie MacGregor. That my seemingly meandering path lead me to work with Katie, is so natural to me. I love the synchronistic connections that have brought my life and work as an artist together. I find that in working this way, one thing usually leads me to another, and eventually everything seems to come together. In the past 4 years, health issues have left me unable to do my previous work, but now as I regain strength I know my next path—the next textures—will reveal themselves.
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Chiori Beck
Mount Desert Island, ME
After a lifelong interest in photography and eventually working in photojournalism, I returned to school to study photography, but discovered instead the field of book arts, printmaking and papermaking at the University of California Santa Barbara, where I earned a B.A. in Book Arts at UCSB’s College of Creative Studies.
I have enjoyed the many processes of book arts, printmaking and papermaking—namely the tactility and repetitive motions involved. There is something very satisfying about carving wood, pulling a sheet of handmade paper from a vat of pulp, rubbing a baren on the back of the sheet to print a woodblock, especially with a specific result in mind. The outcome of the work is visually satisfying as well, but the labor and repetitive motions involved with these processes seem to go relatively unseen. I have been fascinated by these things we cannot see and the things we are not seeing, and have been interested in transforming these concepts into the tactile and visual experience.
My name, Chiori, translates from the Japanese into Thousand Weavings. As I weave each new layer of experience—I am beginning to see the different textures of my fabric develop and tie into one another.
When I moved to Maine in 2007, my book projects turned into house projects and family. However, in 2010 I had the tremendous opportunity to attend the Paper and Book Intensive in Machias and took a course coloring paper pulp with Katie MacGregor. That my seemingly meandering path lead me to work with Katie, is so natural to me. I love the synchronistic connections that have brought my life and work as an artist together. I find that in working this way, one thing usually leads me to another, and eventually everything seems to come together. In the past 4 years, health issues have left me unable to do my previous work, but now as I regain strength I know my next path—the next textures—will reveal themselves.
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Chong + Judy Lim
Scarborough + Cranberry Island, ME
Chong left South Korea for the USA at the age of 16. He earned a BFA in Printmaking and Painting from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Judi earned a BA from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN where she studied art and art history.
Together, they founded Island Designs on Gt Cranberry Island in Maine, later moving to Bar Harbor, then Scarborough.
Process: Chong transfers his original drawings to ¼” thick metal plates called “dies”. He carves his designs into the plate backwards and depth reversed using hammer and self-made chisels. When finished, he casts fiberglass into the die to form a “counter” before milling metal background areas down to 1/8”. A separate die and counter is needed for each color. Judi attaches the metal plate to a heat plate on their 1929 converted letterpress with the counter opposite on the platen. Paper or copper sheet material is pressed between metal plate and counter. Color is added via roll leaf, watercolor paint, colored pencil and brush pen. Paper pieces may be embossed multiple times to achieve the desired result.
Island Designs paper notecards, matted and framed pieces, ornaments and copper wall art and tiles are available at shows, through the website and at their Island Artins gallery in Bar Harbor.
Mission Statement: We are continually intrigued by the beauty of God’s creation surrounding us here in Maine and we hope our work will enrich and bless the lives of our customers.
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Elsa Comiskey
Cranberry Island, ME + Norway
Elsa was born in Lotin, a small village in Norway. Her favorite activiities during the early years were skiing, skating, and also knitting. At an early age in primary school, all Norwegian children —boys and girls — were taught how to knit. It was part of the curriculum.
After completing graduate school in the US< Elsa had several careers. She worked with international students at Northeastern University in Boston. Later, she managed a modeling agency in Boston for 25 years. Knitting is the one constant in Elsa’s life. She loves trying new, difficult and challenging designs. She can also create her own designs and loves the challenge. In retirement, this is a perfect activity.
Elsa’s spent the summers on Cranberry for the past 50 years.
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Gabriela Niejadlik
Mount Desert Island, ME
My work celebrates the richness of nature. Each piece aims to be a decadent sensory experience. The generosity and abundance of nature's palette motivate my color choices. My work is a love affair: the pleasure of painting, the anticipation of seasonal changes and the plants that arrive in the ever-changing landscape.
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Jen Judd McGee
Mount Desert Island, ME
Jen is a mixed media artist and illustrator living in Northeast Harbor; her favorite mediums are papercutting and drawing. She is largely inspired by the patterns and forms found in nature and the gorgeous landscape of MDI. She owns the shop Swallowfield in Northeast Harbor, where you can find more of her work alongside many other artists and makers she admires, as well as contemporary gifts, womens’ accessories, art supplies and letterpress cards.
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Kailey Lewia
Mount Desert Island,ME
ailey is a naturalist illustrator based in Otter Creek. She combines multimedia techniques with a love for science and wellness. When she is not working on visual arts, she sells sourdough and vegan baked goods through her microbakery, MDI Herbal Bakery, and does freelance graphic design work.
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Kaitlyn Miller
Mount Desert Island, ME
Middle-child (of five), mother (of one), potter, painter, dancer, singer, songwriter, musician, journaler, sculptor, poet, knitter, sewist, writer, improv artist, Mainer and lucky art teacher to the amazing kiddos at the Cranberry Isles School. I love tarot, astrology, Ukrainian egg decorating, drawing, gardening, embroidering, baking, making tea and seeking truth through the creative process. I lived year round on Little Cranberry Island for 15 years so the islands always feel like home.
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Katherine Emery
Middle-child, Hoosier, photographer, palindrome-lover, printmaker, overall fix-it gal with a background in mowing lawns and eating artichokes. Daughter, sister, mother, and maker. I yearn for the quiet, collaboration and space to create more, and the community to learn from and share poor puns with. I also am extremely satisfied with spreadsheet formulas, it’s the rising Virgo in me you’d never see.
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Kreg McCune
Mount Desert Island, ME
As a respectful steward of the natural world I bring to my work a sensibility toward the simple, timeless and artful lines and tones that reconnect us to the planet and our common human heritage. I strive to craft functional pots that are beautiful both alone and in combination with one another. I hold a deep belief that in our age of mass production, it is both radical and deeply important to use objects envisioned and created by human hands as part of our most basic and fundamental aspects of daily life.
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Laurie Wadsworth
Great Cranberry Island, ME
I make necklaces, earrings and sculptures from sea glas and beach items.
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Lelania Avila
Mount Desert Island, ME
Calligraphy. Puppets. Poetry. Collage. Animation and video production. Time is Art!
Lelania (she/we/tributary) playfully approaches challenges, embracing emotions as guides to inner wisdom. She builds community through the healing arts: Art of Listening, Art of Slowing Down, Art of Interruptions! Art of Simply being. With gratitude to get to live, work, and play in the homeland of the Wabanaki Confederacy, she’s dedicated to becoming a better ancestor and global citizen. She’s currently working on a multi-media project called Addressing the Ism-Schism from the Inside Out.
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Lilea Simis
Mount DeserI Island ME
I make beeswax candles, cards from my photos of my walking in the Park, and felted animals and ornaments. My big love as an artist is fiber. I love to take a fleece from the sheep to the shawl (or sweater/mitten/hat)! I clean, comb or card the wool, spin it into yarn and then knit it into something to wear! I do spin wool prepared by other fiber artists but I really enjoy the whole process of creating something from a raw fleece.
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Lise Williams
Surry, Maine
Lise (aka Lisa) is a Maine artist/designer who lives with her wife and their two scruffy dogs in Surry, Maine. She is most proud of raising two wonderful girls and now has a brand new grandson. Though Lise was born and raised in Texas, her heart and soul belong to Maine. She has an MFA in graphic design, MA in art history, and 30 years’ experience teaching, creating art, and working in graphic design.
Lise paints with a colorful passion depicting both representational and abstracted views of nature. She works in acrylic and mixed media with bold color, typically referencing whimsical or abstracted subject matter. Often her work includes varied layers intended to convey the depth of experiences.
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Lydia Johnson
Great Cranberry Island, ME
I am a fiber artist and potter. I primarily make functional, everyday items that are inspired by my life on Cranberry Island.
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Martha Miller
Woolwich, ME
My home and studio are in the woods of Woolwich, Maine, where I live with my husband Garry, our two cats, and several laying hens. I teach Life Drawing and Portraiture through the Continuing Studies Department at Maine College of Art in Portland.
I began drawing self-portraits at the age of fifteen. Though portraiture and work from the figure now comprise a significant body of my work, the self-portrait has long been a central method of expression.
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Megan Leavitt
Mount Desert Island, ME
From a young age Megan Leavitt dreamed of distant lands and was curious about our connection to community, culture and the natural world. An Artist, Educator, Mentor and Founder of the Wild Island Center, Megan is dedicated to preserving traditional wisdom, meaningful connection, and rich community through the sharing of creative expression and traditional living skills. Find out more at www.wildislandcenter.com
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Sugar Jones Atelier
Sugar Jones is the alter ego of Nikki Moser. Bespoke interiors, custom fabrication and a quirky addiction to factory work keeps Sugar churning out, blankets, bucket bags, and more. Making things that make the everyday more fun!
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Rose Edwards
Mount Desert Island,ME
Rose is an artist, marine ecologist, sailor, writer, dancer, cold dipper, and comedic improviser. While she has always called Maine home, her thirst for new reefs to study, landscapes to paint, and waters to sail has brought her all over the world. She is always happy to return home to the Mount Desert Island region.
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Sara J Cary
Mount Desert Island, ME
Science and nature drive Sara J Cary’s creative process. She enjoys spending time researching subjects and applying the relevant information into creating informative, pleasing, and functional illustrations and photos. Her art is full of accurate details along with intentional compositions, colors, and medium choices. Her preferred mediums are acrylic ink, colored pencil, and photography. She became a certified science illustrator in 2005. Getting inspiration from the place she lives and creating is important to Sara. She resides in Downeast Maine, where you can find her knee-deep in tide pools and meadows, searching for inspirational specimens for her work.
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Shannon Westphal
Mount Desert Island, ME + Great Cranberry Island, ME
My work is best described as contemporary minimalism. I attempt to create a grounded sense of place in my landscape paintings, bringing the viewer to the emotional experience that I feel when I am in nature.
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Sharon Whitham
Great Cranberry Island, ME
I’m a working artist and spend half the year on Cranberry Island. I also have studios in the Boston area and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. I am primarily a printmaker and mixed media artist inspired by both nature and culture with a focus on climate change and social justice.