Maine: A Force Within American Art (1890-2026)
The Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine
Through January 3, 2027
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, Maine: A Force within American Art (1890–2026) is a major initiative that asserts Maine’s enduring imprint on American art and honors the artists whose vision and creativity have shaped the nation’s ongoing artistic legacy. Organized by the Farnsworth Curatorial Department and a group of Curatorial Advisors, Maine: A Force within American Art (1890–2026) presents the museum’s unique mission of celebrating Maine’s integral role in shaping American art. The convergence of two central themes—Maine and American art—serves as the cornerstone of this chronological exhibition.
From the early 20th century onward, Maine has been deeply interwoven with the most influential movements in American art. Artists who participated in the groundbreaking 1913 Armory Show—including Marsden Hartley (1877–1943), John Marin (1870–1953), and Charles Demuth (1883–1935)—found enduring inspiration in Maine’s landscapes and communities. Alfred Stieglitz’s circle, which included Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) and Marin, often drew upon time spent in Maine as they developed new approaches to abstraction and modernism. Meanwhile, Ogunquit emerged as a hub for modernist experimentation, welcoming artists like Hamilton Easter Field (1873–1922) and Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1889–1953), whose practices bridged regional creativity with national innovation. These intersections reveal how Maine served not as a distant outpost, but as a vital crossroads in the evolution of the canon of American art.
Maine: A Force within American Art (1890–2026) is curated in partnership with the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Hudson Museum, Indigo Arts Alliance, Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, & Maine Media, with Theresa Secord & Faye Hirsch.
This exhibit features several Indigo Arts Alliance alumni, including Rachel Adams, Sean Alonso Harris, Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Hector Nevarez Magaña, Anna Tsouhlarakis, Veronica Perez, and IAA Co-Founder and Artist Director, Daniel Minter.
Marsden Hartley (1877-1943), Stormy Sea No. 2 1936, Oil on board 12 1/8 x 16 inches. Museum purchase made possible in part by gifts from Mr. Edwin L. Beckwith and Dr. Peter Sheldon, 1983.2. Photography by Alan LaVallee 
Beatrice Whitney Van Ness (1888-1981), Whitecaps, Circa 1926, oil on canvas. 18 1/8 x 22 1/8 inches, Farnsworth Art Museum, Museum Purchase 1989.3. ©2026 Childs Gallery Ltd., Boston, MA. Photography by Alan LaVallee
Theresa Secord (born 1958), Periwinkle Snail 2, 2022. Blue and orange dyed ash and braided sweetgrass, 2 x 10 inches, Museum purchase Lynne Drexler Acquisition Fund 2022.40. ©Theresa Secord
Reggie Burrows Hodges (born 1965), On the Verge: Neutral Ground, 2019, Acrylic and pastel on canvas, 36 x 36 inches, Gift of Ned Black and Carolyn Davis, 2023.21. ©Reggie Burrows Hodges
George Bellows (1882-1925), Beating Out to Sea, 1913. Oil on plywood panel 14 5/8 x 18 7/8. Museum purchase, 1945.567. Photography by Alan LaVallee
Daniel Minter (born 1961), A Distant Hollo: Deep Inside Us, 2021, Mixed Media Wood Construction, 49 x 42 1/4 x 7 inches, Museum Purchase, supported by Ann and Dick Costello, 2022.3. ©Daniel Minter
Gallery Walk
Gallery Walk: A Closer Look with Jordia Benjamin & Ashley Page
September 24 @ 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
A series of monthly walks, each focusing on select themes or sections within the exhibition MAINE: A Force Within American Art (1890–2026).
Join Indigo Arts Alliance Executive Director Jordia Benjamin and Studio and Programs Manager Ashley Page for a curatorial walk-through of Maine: A Force within American Art (1890–2026).
Having served as curatorial advisors for the exhibition, Indigo Arts Alliance’s role as a Black-Led arts incubator space in Portland, ME has allowed them to keep their finger on the pulse on the creative, community and scholarly contributions of Black and Brown artists in and around the state. Through the exhibition, we simultaneously celebrate Maine’s role in shaping the visual aesthetic of what is considered “American Art” while complicating the narrative of what it looks like and those who create it. Indigo Arts Alliance’s mission of amplifying the voices and visions of Black and Brown artists, allows for a more contemporary and nuanced viewpoint into how we see Maine within the American artistic canon.
The walk will last approximately 30 minutes, after which guests will have the opportunity to explore the remaining galleries independently.
Ashley Page is the Studio and Program Manager at Indigo Arts Alliance. She serves as a point of contact for artists and supports the development of related public programs and special projects to best connect artists and communities. In her role, she ensures the smooth operations of the studio and its administrative needs. As an interdisciplinary artist, curator and community organizer, Ashley’s creative spirit, passion for community, and dedication to the artistic growth of artists of color is interwoven into her own artistic philosophy. Drawing from the power of vulnerability, collaborative honesty, and mutual understanding, her work creates the bridges between art and people.
Jordia Benjamin has over 15+ years in the nonprofit sector, Benjamin is the dynamic Executive Director of Indigo Arts Alliance. Under her leadership she has steered the organization’s million-dollar budgets, led the team through periods of rapid growth and change, and forged lasting partnerships across disciplines and geographies. Whether building IAA’s robust residency programs for Black and Brown artists, advising museums to reimagine collections through a decolonial lens, or mentoring the next generation of cultural workers, Benjamin leads with integrity, purpose, and vision.
Cost: $12; $10 for members. Includes museum admission.
Please meet in the museum lobby.
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Exhibition Support
Leadership support for this exhibition is provided by the Cornelia Cogswell Rossi Foundation. Major support is provided by Norbert and Christine Young.