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Take a Closer Look at Mainely Gallery and UMVA Midcoast in August

Alternative Vision is the name of the exhibit featuring both artists from UMVA Midcoast as well as the regular artists who show at Mainely Gallery, 181 Searsport Ave., Belfast, beginning August 2nd and continuing through August 21st. An opening reception is planned for Friday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m. This marks the first time that the Midcoast chapter of the UMVA has collaborated with a commercial gallery.

Gail Wartell Keeping Our Heads Above Water

The exhibit features the work of local artists exploring the theme of alternative vision. This broad theme applies to a different way of looking at things and interpreting them, including different technology, or perspective of other creatures, including a dog and a fly. It includes new digital work, as well. UMVA artists include: Bernadette deCesare, Deb Bergman, Janelle Delicata, Gail Wartell, Sue Garrett, Arlene Leighton, and Pamela Faber. 

 The UMVA, founded in 1975, is a non-profit organization that promotes and advocates for the visual arts, artists, and all arts supporters. As artist advocates, the UMVA initiated and saw enacted into state law the Maine Percent for Art Program (requiring a percentage of funds for state buildings to include art) and the Artist's Estate Tax Law (allowing art work to be used to pay artists estate taxes). Other programs and projects supported by UMVA include: The Maine Arts Journal, an online, quarterly publication featuring essays by and about artists, interviews, UMVA member submissions, poetry, UMVA updates about its current projects, local chapters, and more; ARRT! Artists' Rapid Response Team, a collaboration of artists & progressive groups making art to create positive change; Lumen ARRT!!, a group creating large-scale video projections in public spaces to give a visual voice to progressive non-profits; and the New England Emmy Award-nominated Maine Masters Project, a video series of 19 compelling profiles of some of Maine’s most distinguished and often less recognized artists. There are currently two chapters: Portland and Midcoast. More information is at www.TheUMVA.org.  For more information, contact: Gail Wartell – gwartell@yahoo.com – 207-772-0792

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