ART AT THE FARNSWORTH
Rockland, an hour or so north of Southport, is a charming town with some intriguing little shops and a variety of small restaurants plus a movie theater. We usually head up here for just the art museum and lunch, but we should really return sometime and dally in the shops. Maybe next year.
The Farnsworth Art Museum is home to an expansive collection of art by several generations of the Wyeth family. Lots of paintings and drawings by Andrew Wyeth, but also the works of his father, N. C., and his son, Jamie. This year’s featured exhibit, while presenting some of Andrew Wyeth’s paintings, focuses on the role his wife Betsy had in selecting buildings to rehab as homes or studios and her hand in designing the interiors. The exhibit is entitled, By Design: The Worlds of Betsy James Wyeth. It’s a different approach to the collection, but I didn’t find it as engaging or successful as some other recent exhibits.
I was more interested in the walls that showcased works by other Maine artists, lesser-known ones in some cases, who visited Maine or were part of one of the several art schools or artist colonies that sprang up in the late 19th and early 20thcenturies. Some of these artists had works in the 1913 Armory Show or were exhibited at other small galleries in Manhattan. The three paintings below were painted in Maine between 1926 and 1928.
On the lower floor, we reveled in the color and energy of the works of Portland-based sculptor Benjamin Spalding. Go Bang! showcases several of his life-size figures constructed of wood, metal, and paint. They are lively, unusual, and eye-catching. Diva Dancer 2 is poised at the entrance to this gallery and shown below.
I was also struck by Alex Katz’s sculpture of a cow. I like his flat portraits that are often boldly colored with minimal detail. His cow is made out of cut aluminum, then painted, and appears 3-dimensional. It’s unmissable in the gallery!
No visit to the Farnsworth is complete without time in their lovely gift shop crammed with note and greeting cards, art pencils, books, cocktail napkins, and toys for kids. Across the street is 365 Gallery, their larger shop and design space where one will find paintings for purchase, elegant glassware, and currently, a few ceramic pieces on display.
CASUAL LUNCH
Waterworks Restaurant (Rockland)
A short walk and a few blocks down the main street and then left on Lindsey Street is Waterworks. It’s a pub located in an old building that was once part of Rockland’s water system (hence the name) and has a cozy and welcoming vibe. There’s lots of dark wood, a long bar, and scattered tables for four or eight; it would be especially nice on a cold winter’s night.
The menu encompasses everything from fresh lobster rolls to chowder and fish to more traditional fare such as quesadillas, linguine, salads, and sandwiches. After visiting the art museum, our group of four lunched here. A couple of us skipped seafood in favor of a Caesar salad with chicken or New England style Shepherd’s Pie.
The other two were happy with fish and chips with slaw and fries and a chopped salad with hard-boiled egg, almonds, and blue cheese dressing. Whatever you crave, there’s bound to be something to tempt your palate. Usually when we come here, the dining room is slightly full; this day, every table was soon occupied with even a group waiting in the wings. It was just a Wednesday in July—high summer.
Note: Photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
