Night Vision

From the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Penobscot County to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Maine Woods – the latter holding the title as the first and only International Dark Sky Park in New England – Maine boasts some of the darkest skies east of the Mississippi. But while stargazers flock to the state to admire their beauty, a new art exhibit aims to raise awareness of their cultural significance and role as a natural resource.

Open from January 17-February 28, Dark Skies is a juried art exhibition at Waterfall Arts in Belfast, Maine, presented in collaboration with Dark Sky Maine and the Union of Maine Visual Artists (UMVA). The exhibit includes paintings, photographs, and mixed-media artwork by over 30 artists, both locally and nationally known, with the goal of educating viewers about the ecological role of the night sky and its impact on area wildlife. “By showcasing artwork that explores celestial phenomena, nocturnal wildlife, and the interplay between darkness and light, we hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for preserving our dark skies for future generations,” says Katherine Devereux, the marketing manager of Waterfall Arts.

Artists were selected through a meticulous evaluation process led by Nancy Hathaway, the president and co-founder of Dark Sky Maine, photographers Liv Kristin Robinson and Arlene Jurewicz Leighton, and painter Emily Sabino. Together, they sought out works that not only captured the beauty of the night sky, but that also spoke to its “ecological and metaphorical importance,” says Devereux. “Special attention was given to how each piece honored the natural world and its creatures—pollinators, night frogs, birds—and reflected the interconnectedness of life under the stars,” she elaborates.

Many of the featured works were inspired by the local landscape: Katherine Bradford’s painting “Mill at Night,” depicts what Devereux describes as a “quintessentially Maine scene” of a purple night sky and a mill over the water, while Dee Peppe’s “Schoodic Point” portrays its namesake peninsula in Down East Maine.

Members of the public are invited to lineup of events surrounding the exhibit itself, including a glow-in-the-dark constellations workshop for families, a lantern-making workshop, a film screening, a tour of the exhibit, and more. On February 22, Devereux notes, “Elizabeth Dickerson’s presentation on the Maine Aurora Borealis Watch will teach attendees how to view the auroras during the upcoming solar maximum.”

Tip: Don’t miss the opening reception for Dark Skies on Saturday, January 18, 1-3 PM, at Waterfall Arts.