PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Art Gallery presents “Figures and Faces: New Additions to the Carl and Alice (Graves) Hitchcock Collection” from Feb. 3-24. The exhibition will feature more than 25 new additions to the collection that focus on portraits and the human figure and feature paintings, drawings, and sculptures by several important artists.
The public is invited to view the exhibition throughout the show’s run and attend an opening reception on Friday, Feb. 3 from 6-8 p.m. This event is free and open to the public and Reed Art Gallery Director Frank Sullivan will be on hand to discuss the works in the show. This reception is being held in conjunction with the Presque Isle First Friday Art Walk. The Reed Gallery is located on the second floor of the University’s Center for Innovative Learning.
The Carl and Alice (Graves) Hitchcock Collection is a collection of over 350 works of art, which have been on long-term loan to the University of Maine at Presque Isle since 1995, through the generosity of David Hitchcock, who was raised in Mars Hill and now resides in Portland. The collection is a veritable treasure trove of modern art and features works in a wide range of media, including paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture, and styles ranging from academic realism to Abstract Expressionism.
Many of the artists represented in the collection have a strong connection to Maine, including Frederick Lynch, Natasha Mayers, Edwin Gamble, Eric Hopkins, and Ellen Gutekunst. Hitchcock’s intent was that the collection of artworks be shared with the University community as well as residents of and visitors to Aroostook County. Many of the works are or have been displayed in public areas throughout the UMPI campus.
“Since assuming my role as director of the Reed Gallery and University Collections, I have gotten to know David Hitchcock through numerous email correspondences. His passion for art is unmistakable and he has a remarkable knowledge of modern art and many important artists, many of whom he knows or has known personally. It has been tremendously educational and fascinating becoming familiar with the collection and learning about some wonderful artist, both through studying the work and corresponding with Mr. Hitchcock,” Reed Gallery Director Frank Sullivan said. “On my return from a recent trip to Boston, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hitchcock in person. He was generous enough to add several new pieces to the Collection and I am very excited to present them to the community in the Reed Gallery next month.”
Many important artists are represented in the Figures and Faces exhibition, including Amedeo Modigliani, Alex Katz, Jack Beal, Tom Wesselmann, Marsden Hartley, Leon Kroll, Gaston Lachaise, and Ken Joslin. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, mixed media, lithographs, and sculpture.
“One of the greatest aspects of the visual arts is that it can allow us to see the world through the eyes of each individual artist, as each translates their own unique perspective into visual form. The work in this exhibition offers an incredibly wide range of expression and diverse approaches to what is arguably the most popular subject in art: the human form,” Sullivan said.
All are invited to view the exhibit Feb. 3-24, and to come out to the First Friday Art Walk on Feb. 3 and take part in the free reception and brief gallery talk by Sullivan.
The Reed Art Gallery is located on the upper floor of the Center for Innovative Learning in the heart of the UMPI campus at 181 Main St. in Presque Isle. Regular gallery hours during the academic year are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sundays from 2-8 p.m. The Reed Art Gallery is closed on Saturdays and holidays. For more information, contact Gallery Director Frank Sullivan at frank.sullivan@maine.edu or 207-694-1920.
