In an exclusive interview, Jamie Wyeth discusses his Maine island sanctuary and new works now on view at Farnsworth Art Museum.
Twelve nautical miles off the coast of Maine sits Monhegan Island, a rock that juts out of the Atlantic measuring just 4½ square miles. Though the population is less than 100 people, the island is home to a curious lot. There’s a Rockefeller on a porch, a squealing man with a lobster bib, a World War II POW, a communist artist and vicious seagulls.
And artists. Lots of artists. Some of the best. George Bellows, Robert Henri, Edward Hopper, Edward Willis Redfield. All ghosts, except for one. Jamie Wyeth. The painter— son of Andrew Wyeth, grandson of N.C. Wyeth—maintains a home and studio on the island where he paints some of the locals and gets lost amid the mist of the sea and the fog of time.
“It’s quite fantastic living here, which I guess is the problem—too many people are thinking the same way. During the winter there’s maybe five families on the island, but then summer rolls around and it balloons to hundreds of people, mostly day-trippers,” the 76-year-old Wyeth says. “It’s physically spectacular. You’re just out here in the middle of the Atlantic. I have a house here, where I avoid the crowds inside my box where I work.”
This story is from the September 2019 edition of American Art Collector.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2019 edition of American Art Collector.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FULL EXPOSURE
Photographer Conor Martin documents the present using photographic methods of the past.
Autumnal Light
The landscapes and nature scenes of painter Jennifer Sowders are irresistibly tactile, filled with varying textures that seem to leap off the canvas.
Art for All
Members of Art Dealers Association of America come together for a philanthropic affair.
Modern Marketplace
Redwood Art Group brings together the San Diego region for another class-act celebration of contemporary artwork.
An Enchanting Evening
Scottsdale Artists’ School knows how to throw an art party.
Timeless Tales
Soft, warm undertones underscore the mood of enchantment that runs through Nom Kinnear King’s paintings.
Next Exit New York
Coming off his series that focused on San Francisco and Los Angeles freeway signs, artist Eric Nash’s sights are now set on New York. Now on view at George Billis Gallery's Manhattan location are seven of Nash's new oil paintings and two drawings that explore the signage of New York City freeways. Although Nash's work is tightly rendered, he doesn’t consider himself a photorealist, but rather someone who utilizes those techniques to express ideas.
Monster Mash
Vampires, witches, ghouls and all things that go bump in the night are the theme of the exhibition Monster Mash, now at Abend Gallery.
Inside/Outside
Those familiar with Geoffrey Johnson's populated by inky figures and trailing shadows that bleed into the wet streets, and architectural elements obscured to varying degrees by the misty atmosphere.
Bold Figures; Bold Color
For Brooklyn based painter J Louis, it’s all about balance, which can mean many different things in a composition, but for Louis, it’s about balancing his female figures among a unique landscape of color.
