Radio Maine with Dr. Lisa Belisle

Be Inspired by Laurie Fisher as She Describes How She Found Confidence in Her Art

With her graduate degree in clinical psychology, artist Laurie Fisher has been trained to look for, and understand, the factors that fundamentally make us who we are, and who we might be. She has used these in her own creative development, as both a writer and an artist. Laurie speaks eloquently about her creative path, the uncertainties that plague most artists, and the joy of meeting advocates and supporters who have furthered her career and contributed to her artistic confidence. A relatively new addition to the artist roster at Portland Art Gallery, Laurie has had notable national art representation for many years. Please join Dr. Lisa Belisle on Radio Maine for our conversation with artist Laurie Fisher.

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.

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

Home Is Where The Heart Is: An Interview with Acclaimed Vermont Artist, Sage Tucker-Ketcham

By the time Sage Tucker Ketcham entered high school in Burlington, Vermont, she and her mother had moved over 20 times. Their travels took them throughout the U.S. and Europe, with memorable stays in England and Italy.  Sage’s mother, herself an artist and musician, made sure that art played an important part in their experience. Sage went on to obtain a more formal art education from the Maine College of Art in Portland, before eventually returning to Vermont, where she now lives with her husband and son. Her paintings suggest an interesting blend of stasis and movement, likely informed by her own peripatetic past, weaving the transitional nuances of seasons and time of day with comforting depictions of home. Learn more about Portland Art Gallery artist Sage Tucker Ketcham 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 her art.

Matthew Barter Is Leading the Way for the Next Generation of Maine Folk Artists

Matthew Barter has always approached his artistic training, and his life, in a unique manner. Homeschooled in rural Downeast Maine, his parents exposed him to art, art galleries and the working waterfront from a young age. His father, himself an artist and fisherman, served as one of his early role models. Over time, Matt moved from working construction jobs to becoming a full-time artist and sculptor. His dedication to both persistence and play has put him on track to be one of Maine’s iconic artists.  Join our conversation with Matt Barter 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.

Ed Wintner, a Former Biochemist, Applies a Scientific and Methodical Approach to Art

Ed Wintner had more than a fleeting passion for art while in high school, and took his studies seriously at the Philadelphia College of Art (now part of the University of the Arts) during those years. His career would, however, take a very different path.  After earning a PhD in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, he joined the fast-paced biotechnology world, on the front line of drug discovery. After successfully launching two biotech start-ups, Ed made the decision not to remain in that field, instead returning to his early love and devoting himself full-time to being an artist. Ed draws parallels between the seemingly unrelated professions as he describes the neurologic processes involved, and the uncertainty of discovery inherent to each. Learn more about Portland Art Gallery artist Ed Wintner, and his unique artistic style, 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 Maine Artist Creates Dramatic, Abstract Seascapes That Will Blow You Away: Meet MJ Benson

Artist MJ Benson loves swimming in the ocean, and the accompanying profound, visceral sense of the balance between breathing and not.  What she experiences so deeply in that realm is reflected in the play between light and dark in her abstract landscapes. MJ is highly attuned to emotional contrasts:  her sorrow over her  brother’s death from cancer in the midst of COVID generated  a renewed appreciation for her family, her friends and her life in Maine. Over the past two years, MJ poured this appreciation into her art, and her paintings soared as a result. Today’s conversation with MJ Benson provides a glimpse into an artist’s emotional experience and the impact it has on her art. 

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.

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

A Reluctant CEO Navigates Her Grief and Continues to Create Her Art: Meet Anne Heywood

​​Anne Heywood was an accomplished full-time artist and gallery owner when, in February 2020, her husband of thirty years passed away suddenly. Still navigating her grief, she assumed the role of CEO of her late husband’s engineering firm as a global pandemic unfolded. Her resilience and fortitude kept the business moving forward, enabling The Thompson & Lichtner Co., Inc. to celebrate its 125th year that October. Two years later, Anne is still running the Canton, Massachusetts-based company, while once again finding time to visit her beloved home in Waldoboro, Maine and resume painting the Maine scenes that bring her peace.

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.

Artist Dan Daly on Sketchbooking, His Various Careers, and Volunteering at Maine State Prison

When Maine artist Dan Daly leaves his house, he checks off the essentials: keys, wallet, sketchbook.  Over the past several decades, he has filled hundreds of sketchbooks with ideas and inspiration from his day-to-day travels. It’s not only images that capture his attention--Dan is equally drawn to people and their stories. He easily relates to people from a broad range of backgrounds, from the janitorial crew he worked with to make money so he could go back to college, to the inmates with whom he volunteered at the Maine State Prison. His sketchbooks, and his stories, reflect deep bonds with people and the world.  Join our conversation with Dan Daly 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.

A Model Boat Builder Paints Breathtaking, Realist Maritime Landscapes: Meet Artist Steve Rogers

Steve Rogers has an appreciation for history, tradition, and service. This, in addition to his lifelong fascination with the ocean, boatbuilders and, (as he refers to them) “watermen,” has resulted in an almost documentary feel to many of his works: his attention to detail related to the working waterfront is unparalleled. On today’s episode of Radio Maine, Steve talks about his rare, but much anticipated, childhood trips to the Jersey Shore where he first fell in love to access to the water, his time teaching model boat building at the legendary Wooden Boat School in Brooklin Maine, and his personal commitment to leadership and giving back to his community.  You’ll look at his work differently after listening to our conversation with Steve Rogers 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.

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

Willa Vennema’s Path to Becoming an Established Encaustic Artist Will Inspire You

Willa Vennema’s life is as wonderfully layered as the encaustic pieces she creates. Raised by art-loving parents in New York City, she became a talented flautist, attending what is now called the LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts—the school that inspired the ‘80 film, television series, and musical, “Fame.” She also began a decades-long relationship with Swan’s Island, a remote enclave in Hancock County, Maine, that claims its musical connection through the 32-year-old Sweet Chariot Music Festival. While studying at Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio, Willa realized a newfound passion for the visual arts, spurred on by courses in art history and printmaking. She would go on to become an arts-focused preschool teacher, eventually moving with her family to Southern Maine. Swan’s Island has remained her muse throughout this time, and her art—developed through layers of color and wax–embodies her continued evolution. Join our conversation with Willa Vennema 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.

David Moser of Maine’s Thomas Moser Furniture Family Discusses his Enduring Passion for Sculpture

Sculptor David Moser has creativity woven into his DNA. A member of the Maine family known for the Thos Moser furniture company, David learned much from its entrepreneurial founder–his father, Tom. The wisdom that he gained, alongside his three brothers, would influence an early interest in business and economics. His comfort in working with his hands would eventually lend itself to the craft of sculpting, an artistic endeavor that he now pursues full-time. In this first Radio Maine episode of the New Year, David willingly explores the emotional depths, and vulnerabilities, inherent in this choice. Thank you for joining our conversation.

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.