join usJoin Ogunquit River Painters, a community based Artist Group
Professional & Amateur Artists welcome with a connection to Ogunquit Benefits: • Scheduled Plein Air Painting Days in 2024 in Ogunquit/Wells/York • Promotion of your Website on ogunquitriverpainters.com • Networking and small artist painting groups • Special Activities to Promote Art • Potential Shows and Exhibitions • Cost $0 about usA group of distinguished, local visual artists are forming a new group, “Ogunquit River Painters” with the intent of re-establishing a community whose work reflects the rich tradition and styles of those painters who came to Ogunquit over a century ago and founded a thriving art colony.
Ogunquit has a rich artistic history that traces back to Charles Woodbury in the early 1900s. The natural beauty of the seacoast attracted him and many other artists who established a thriving summer art colony. With the opening of the Ogunquit Playhouse in 1933, the town quickly became more popular, not only with beachgoers but also with those seeking cultural enrichment. The Ogunquit Museum of American Art, which Henry Strater founded in 1951 as “The Museum of Art of Ogunquit,” has historically exhibited both past and present artists from the area. This rich legacy sets Ogunquit apart from any other town on the Maine coast. “We not only need to celebrate this rich artistic history, but we have a responsibility to do what we can to continue to bring new art enthusiasts to the area by attracting, encouraging, and supporting artists of all types” says Bigbee.
The seasoned artists who are founding Ogunquit River Painters, Claire Bigbee, Ric Della Bernarda, Paul Noel, and Doug Taylor, intend to partner with Ogunquit town management, local businesses, and existing art establishments, to promote other local artists who keep those forebears’ traditions alive, thereby strengthening the town’s artistic heritage and attracting new artists to Ogunquit.
Ogunquit River Painters intends to work with the town of Ogunquit to initiate new programs to attract artists and art businesses to the town. These future proposals include a parking program for artists to visit and paint for the day, incentives for art galleries to come to Ogunquit, and more art events in town to benefit businesses and attract tourists with an interest in art. In addition, Ogunquit River Painters would like to work with the Ogunquit Museum of American Art to continue Henry Strater’s original vision for art “of Ogunquit.”
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