PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Downtown Presque Isle now has a new art gallery that aims to showcase local artists and contribute to the community art scene.
In December sisters Raechel and Maya King and their parents Shannon and Jayne King, of Mars Hill, opened Ealaine Gallery on Main Street. The gallery’s name comes from the northern Irish word meaning “art” and the space is a project that Raechel King said comes from her family’s lifelong love of art.”
“My father is a mixed media artist and my sister makes furniture and sculptures,” said Raechel King, 18, who also makes jewelry. “Since there aren’t many galleries in this area we thought it would be important to have a physical setting where people can view art.”
Since opening Raechel has been in charge of promoting the business while Maya, 22, is the manager. Although their parents help with maintenance and the financial aspects of the gallery, they have allowed their daughters to assume most of the responsibilities to learn the ins and outs of running a business.
“As a parent I have always wanted my daughters to learn as much as possible,” said their father Shannon King. “We decided to open an art gallery to help the girls learn about business and working with the public and find a path to support themselves.”
Both Raechel and Maya were homeschooled and are currently researching college options. They hope that their love of fine art will encourage other local artists to take advantage of the additional exhibition space in town.
“We’re looking forward to opening new doors for artists and giving the community exposure to new ideas,” Raechel King said.
Currently Ealaine Gallery is displaying the landscape paintings of Kent Maxwell as their featured artist for the months of December and January. Beginning in February the Kings plan to showcase a different artist each month and open the exhibitions during the First Friday Downtown Art Walks. Raechel and Shannon King are also currently displaying their handmade jewelry and mixed media work, respectively.
Ealaine Gallery is open from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and is located at 423 Main Street in Presque Isle.
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- Ealaine Gallery on Main Street in Presque Isle recently celebrated its grand opening, in conjunction with the Dec. 7 First Friday Downtown Art Walk and hosted by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce. From left are Casey Bouchard, chamber board member; Kent Maxwell, featured artist; sisters Raechel and Maya King, owners; Dale Drost, chamber board member; and board president Floyd Rockholt. (Courtesy of Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce)
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- Raechel (left), 18, and Maya King, 22, stand in front of some of Kent Maxwell’s landscape paintings on display now at Ealaine Gallery in Presque Isle. The sisters, along with their parents Shannon and Jayne King, of Mars Hill, opened the gallery in early December and plan to host special art exhibitions throughout the year. (Staff Photo/Melissa Lizotte)
