Radio Maine with Dr. Lisa Belisle

The Artist and the Sea: Painter Whitney Heavey’s Fascination with the Sea Goes Back Generations

Whitney Heavey’s family has an intergenerational appreciation of the ocean. Her grandfather was the captain of the (then) fastest transatlantic ocean liner, the SS United States, before air travel became widespread; her father was a navigator for the Navy’s first nuclear submarine. The sea features prominently in Whitney’s work as an artist, and has helped her heal after a series of recent hardships. She is deeply appreciative of her life, and the lessons she has learned by working through challenges. Join our conversation with Whitney Heavey on today’s episode of Radio Maine.

 

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

Whitney Heavey is represented by the Portland Art Gallery of Maine. Click here to view her art.

Dr. Lisa Belisle Reflects on the Collaborative Effort Behind Radio Maine Podcast

In this week’s episode, our host, Dr. Lisa Belisle, reflects on the collaborative effort that makes Radio Maine possible.  Beginning in the midst of a global pandemic as a primarily distance-based project, the show has evolved to include in-person interviews, and now has more than 60 episodes. A lover of books, art, people and their stories, Lisa continues to see her work with the Portland Art Gallery as a means of exploring shared humanity. Thank you for taking a moment to pause and ponder this concept with us this week, and every week, on Radio Maine.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

Sunil Malhotra, Cardiac Surgeon at Maine Medical Center, Balances an Intense Work Life with Art

For Dr. Sunil Malhotra, being surrounded by art that evokes a certain emotional response helps him “right the ship.” As a practicing surgeon and the director of the newly created Congenital Cardiac Surgery program at Maine Medical Center in Portland, his work life has a high level of intensity. Fortunately he was able to draw on the experience of multiple physician family members, including his father, grandfathers and sister, when he chose this path. He reflects on his chosen profession, and the balance that art provides, on today’s episode of Radio Maine.  

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

Wallpaper Designer Brings Passion for Patterns to her Paintings: Meet Maine Artist Sarah Ingraham

Newly graduated from the University of Vermont in Burlington, Sarah Ingraham took a calculated risk and moved to Brooklyn, New York to pursue a career in art. After working briefly in the wallpaper business, then as an artist’s assistant, she decided to hone her own craft full-time. The Maine native now paints in a 10 x 10 foot space in her apartment, and receives regular support from friends from her home state, including fellow Portland Art Gallery artist Page Eastburn O’Rourke. Learn more about talented emerging artist Sarah Ingraham on today’s episode of Radio Maine.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

This artist is represented by the Portland Art Gallery of Maine. Click here to view their art.

This Sculptor was the Second Highest-Ranking Woman in the US Government: Meet Paula Stern

Paula Stern kept her passion for sculpting hidden from her family, friends and colleagues for many years–at one point even her husband was unaware. With a masters degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University in Boston, and a PhD in International Studies from the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Medford, Mass, her professional career had been more globally oriented. After time spent as a journalist in the Middle East, writing for the New Republic and the Atlantic, she and her husband, Paul London, settled down in Washington, DC to pursue a career in government. This culminated in her role as the chair of the US International Trade Commision, making her (at that time) the second highest-ranking woman in the executive branch of the US Government. Paula’s quiet obsession with sculpting eventually became known, and her subjects would include such notables as Nelson Mandela, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and former president Bill Clinton. Learn how Paula integrated these very different aspects of her life on this week’s episode of Radio Maine.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

This artist is represented by the Portland Art Gallery of Maine. Click here to view their art.

From Construction to Artist: Maine Artist Allen Bunker Reflects on a Life Full of Unexpected Turns

Allen Bunker turned to art as a counterbalance to his fast-paced career in residential construction. Through experimentation and persistence, Allen developed a unique artistic approach. He soon left construction behind to open an art gallery in the coastal town of Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He learned much over the years that the gallery was open, including the fact that collectors loved the art he created. When Allen reentered the construction business, he did so under his own terms.  His alignment with the Portland Art Gallery has been well-received by the many collectors who value his work.  Join our conversation with Allen Bunker, as we discuss entrepreneurism, the search for life balance, and how art has made this possible for him on today’s episode of Radio Maine.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

This artist is represented by the Portland Art Gallery of Maine. Click here to view their art.

Christina Thwaites: an English Artist in Portland, Maine

Originally from England, artist Christina Thwaites has lived around the world, enjoying time in such far flung locales as Scotland, France, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, Netherlands and Australia. Painting has long provided a means of finding home wherever she lands. Now living in one of Maine’s university towns, Christina has recently been inspired by the rugged coastline of the Pine Tree State. She notes an interesting narrative intersection between geography and the old photos that often provide a starting place for her work. Join our conversation with one of the Portland Art Gallery’s newest artists, Christina Thwaites, on today’s episode of Radio Maine. 

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

Interested in Maine artists? Check out the Portland Art Gallery of Maine.

Overcoming a Rock Climbing Accident to Get Back to Art: The Inspiring Story of James Bonner

Growing up in the land of the Razorbacks, it is perhaps not surprising that James Bonner is a former football player and sports enthusiast. More intriguing is the longstanding attraction that this Little Rock, Arkansas native has felt toward Maine art and artists. This first manifested as an attraction to the work of the Wyeth family. Drawn to Andrew Wyeth in particular, James began a decades-long love affair with Maine, traveling frequently to the state’s Mid-coast region to immerse himself in the environment that has inspired countless creative spirits. James has become known for his attention to detail, using a painstaking multi-layered process to create simplified yet evocative Maine scenes. We explore the inexplicable allure of our beloved Pine Tree State with James Bonner on today’s episode of Radio Maine.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

This artist is represented by the Portland Art Gallery of Maine. Click here to view their art.

Small Business Spotlight: Emma Wilson on Pivoting an Art Gallery During a Global Pandemic

Emma Wilson has become intimately familiar with the challenges of managing an art gallery during a pandemic, including the potential impact on the livelihoods of artists. With a roster of over 55 Maine-centric artists, the importance of continuing to meet high standards at the Portland Art Gallery cannot be overstated.  As the director, Emma worked with her team to meet and exceed these standards, in part by finding new ways to connect with art lovers around the world. Please join our conversation with Emma Wilson on the first episode of season two of Radio Maine.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

Emma Wilson is the director of the Portland Art Gallery of Maine.

Acrylic Flow Painting with Maine Artist Scott Bowe

Artist Scott Bowe has long been inspired by the ocean. He spent his formative years enjoying summers at the coastal Maine property his great grandfather acquired. As a college student, he participated in the Semester at Sea program, where he expanded his senses as he traveled around the world.  It wasn’t until he was pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles that Scott began to experiment with art. He adopted a method of painting first created by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, who developed a process called acrylic flow painting, or acrylic pour painting, in the 1930’s. This technique allowed him to explore themes of aquatically-inspired movement and constant change. Join our conversation with Scott Bowe on this episode of Radio Maine with Dr. Lisa Belisle.

Every week, Dr. Lisa Belisle brings you an interview with a member of Maine’s community, including artists, designers, and more. Subscribe to Radio Maine on YouTube, so you never miss an episode.

This artist is represented by the Portland Art Gallery of Maine. Click here to view their art.