UMaine museum featured in art magazine

ORONO — The Museum of Art at the University of Maine is one of seven featured in the “Maine Art Museum Trail,” in the June edition of the American Art Review.

The magazine article focuses on the history and permanent collection of the museum, located in Carnegie Hall on the UMaine campus. The fine arts collection at the museum houses more than 5,900 works of art.

“This museum represents the flagship campus of the University of Maine System and its holdings belong to the people of Maine, as opposed to privately owned collections,” says Wally Mason, director of the Museum of Art. “It’s a good example of how valuable a state-owned institution can be.”

The collection began in 1947 under the direction of retired professor Vincent Hartgen, whose goal was to provide the people of Maine with significant opportunities to experience and learn about the visual arts.

The article features 20 color photos of works from the collection and information on particular donations, such as “The Elm” by George Inness, which was given to the university in 1956. Another print highlighted in the article is Edmund G. Schildknecht’s “Seated Figure,” which he bequeathed along with 23 other paintings to the museum in 1985.

This summer, 79 pieces from the permanent collection will be on display in an exhibit titled “Jump Into It (water as muse).” The exhibit will feature works that draw their inspiration from water and will include pieces by George Inness, Andrew Wyeth, Emily Muir and Alfred Bricher.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is free and open to the public.