PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Since she was in high school, Lindsey Cyr knew that she wanted to pursue a career as an artist, but not until recently did she find the courage to fully follow her passion.
On Friday, May 4, Cyr, who is from Ashland but now lives in Presque Isle, shared her work with family, friends and community members during her solo exhibition at Wintergreen Arts Center, as part of the First Friday Downtown Art Walk.
Cyr is a mixed-media artist who displayed acrylic canvases, clay leaves and candle holders, and wood-carved signs. Many of her acrylic pieces were born from the personal tragedy of her father’s death last fall.
“I suppressed all my grief into these canvases. I wish he were here to see tonight’s show,” Cyr said, about her father.
During the show, Cyr also displayed photographs of nurseries and children’s bedrooms that she has decorated for friends and family. She has now turned those side projects into a new business — LC Small Town Creations. Cyr will soon have an office located in Hillpointe Crossing, formally the Crow’s Nest building, and will be available to create handcrafted gifts, personalized items, home decor and nursery and bedroom murals.
Although Cyr previously studied art at the Maine College of Art in Portland and the University of Maine at Presque Isle, she never finished either of those degrees because of work responsibilities and personal circumstances. But now she said she is looking forward to seeing where her artistic vision will take her.
“I hope people walk away inspired to follow their dreams,” Cyr said, about her exhibition. “I’m finally following my own dreams.”
Cyr’s artwork made a great expression on community members who came to Wintergreen during First Friday.
“Her work really resonates with me,” Cynthia Leslie of Perham said. “My favorite piece is her white candle holder. I commissioned her to make me one that’s similar because the one in her show already sold.”
Therese Cyr of Presque Isle, who is unrelated to the artist, said that she appreciated the variety of work displayed.
“I like how she creates different types of work such as paintings and kitchen gadgets to the wood carvings with different phrases on them,” Cyr said. “She’s very talented.”
