The Kneeling Art Photography Project ( thekneelingartphotography.com ), under the direction of Portland artist Titi de Baccarat, opens their final Portland exhibit at the UMVA Gallery inside the Portland Media Center (PMC), 516 Congress St.   This community social justice/art project explores the meaning and evolution of the Take-A-Knee gesture by having Maine photographers turn their cameras on diverse Mainers who are fighting for social justice in the state.  There are eleven photographers taking part in the exhibit from seasoned professionals to people new to the craft.   Gallery hours are from 3 to 6 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until August 27th.  A special panel discussion, "The role of Art in the resolution of social conflicts", will be taped at the PMC studio and will be broadcast beginning the week of August 21st on Channel 5 and continuing for four weeks.  Donations are still being requested to fund the project and can be made at https://www.thekneelingar

Rage/Love: Goddess Rage/Love: Goddess, co-curated by Christine Sullivan & Ann Tracy for May 2020, originally focused on environmental themes and the power of the female to redeem our planet, was cancelled by the pandemic at the 11 th hour.   With all submissions were in, the world went haywire.     The show was re-scheduled for May 2021, and the curators moderated the theme to invite consideration about the disproportionate influence the pandemic had on women’s, BIPOC, and LGBTQ lives.   The calls attracted an excellent range of media, subject matter, and deeply personal statements about the world and the work presented.   It explores many of life’s highs and lows emphasized by pandemic times.   The Portland Press Herald covered the event in Thursday’s Entertainment (formerly “Go”) section in an appreciation by Aimsel Ponti, featuring a compelling image from the show by Diane Dahlke.   The blog had more than 700 views, mostly from the US, with a couple of readers in Germany

The Mid-Coast Salon, a monthly discussion group of about two dozen artists with diverse disciplines and styles present: Art Matters , an exhibit at the UMVA Gallery at 516 Congress Street, Portland, Maine for July 2021. For more than 30,000 years, humankind has used visual imagery to narrate, to translate, and give clear interpretation to the worlds within and around us, with artists often at the forefront of awareness. This exhibit represents what the artists of the Salon interpret to mean as Art Matters . The show will open with the Portland-area First Friday ArtWalk on July 2, 2021 from 5pm to 8pm. Salon members will sit at the gallery thereafter on Fridays and Saturdays from 1-4pm. Guests may also visit when the Portland Media Center is open. Click here for more info on our website . African Zebras by Russell Kahn

The Union of Maine Visual Artists is pleased and proud to present its annual June Members Exhibit, opening June 4, 2021. Featuring 22 artists whose talents are expressed through painting, photography, mixed-media and collage; the works range from Abstraction to Realism to Impressionism and Photoshopped to Straight photography. This will be our last virtual exhibit as our Gallery will be re-opening for our July Exhibit.  Please visit https://theumva.org for more information.  Any inquiries about works for sale should be directed to the artist or the curator (Amy Bellezza - amybellezza@gmail.com). Thank you for visiting and viewing!  The Ghost of You                                                            Euro in Libro                                                        Amy Bellezza These two photographs are reminiscent of the Victorian Era.  Euro in Libro is photoshopped and sized like a tintype and The Ghost of You is also photoshopped and nostalgic of the times of the religion