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FACES OF LITERACY, VOICES OF COURAGE
Opening October 2, 2009, the special exhibition Faces Of Literacy, Voices Of Courage celebrates hope and success by highlighting people who have changed their lives through the Maine Literacy Volunteers Network. This special exhibition includes about 20 photographs of Maine literacy learners, their tutors, and families by students and recent graduates of Portland’s Maine College of Art. The project will premiere with a special event in Portland on September 17 and will then travel to different venues throughout the state. The Saco Museum is proud to be the premiere exhibition venue for this thought-provoking and wide-ranging project. Faces of Literacy, Voices of Courage will be on view at the Saco Museum October 2 through November 15, 2009, with an opening reception (free and open to the public) on Friday, October 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Presented by Literacy Volunteers of Maine (LV Maine), Faces Of Literacy: Voices Of Courage aims to erase the stigmatized, narrow world that surrounds adults with low literacy. Fifteen percent of Maine's population struggle with reading to the degree that activities of daily living are often compromised. Yet each year, over 1,000 adults bravely step into Literacy Volunteers offices throughout Maine to better their lives and open new doors with the help of dedicated tutors. Still, over 200,000 Mainers need help with literacy to become more independent citizens.
In a first-ever collaboration with Literacy Volunteers of Maine, photography students from the Maine College of Art have traveled the state to create compelling portraits of real people who have achieved literacy. These portraits will be exhibited with their extraordinary individual stories at the Saco Museum, as well as at the event on September 17. The photographers are Melissa DiPaola, Ashley Earl, Jeff Fujiu, Diane Wren, Jessica Perro and Emma Sampson.
A special evening of entertainment will take place September 17th at Portland's Abromson Community Education Center, headlined by Vicki Myron, author of the #1 New York Times adult bestseller Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World. Festivities begin at 5:15 with a reception of live jazz of The Clam Flat Five, hors d'oeuvres, raffles, book buying, viewing the photography exhibit, and more. The stage program follows at 6:00 pm, with a book signing at 7:30. Tickets are $25; $15 for teens/students/seniors. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit Maine Literacy Volunteers Network. To purchase tickets or to learn how to be a program sponsor, call 207-773-3191, 1-800-322-5455, or email info@lvmaine.org.
About Literacy Volunteers of Maine:
Literacy Volunteers of Maine is dedicated to increasing access to literacy services. Our fourteen LV affiliates provide free, confidential reading instruction to over 1,000 adults each year through a network of dedicated and well-trained tutors. www.lvmaine.org.
About Maine College of Art:
Maine College of Art delivers a demanding and enlivening education in visual art and design within an intimate learning community. The College teaches each student how to transform aspirations and values into a creative practice that serves as the foundation for a lifelong pursuit of personal and professional goals. www.meca.edu.
Image credit: George Heino, Rockland 2009
Photograph by Jeff Fujiu
Upcoming Exhibitions at the Saco Museum
FACES OF LITERACY, VOICES OF COURAGE
October 2 through November 15, 2009
Photography students at Portland’s Maine College of Art have teamed up with Literacy Volunteers of Maine to create portraits of individuals whose lives have been changed by achieving literacy. The Saco Museum is proud to be the premiere exhibition venue for this project.
VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS: 2009 FESTIVAL OF TREES
November 28 through December 31, 2009
Our fifth annual Festival! Beautifully decorated trees, wreaths, and more. Join us for this wonderful community event, now extended until New Year's Eve.
MAINE ART EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
January 12 through March 20, 2010
You've seen what the students can do in our biennial student art exhibit; now take a look at the top-notch work being created by Maine's art teachers!
THE MILL-ENNIAL: Celebrating the Art and Artists of the Cities on the Saco
April 2-June 13, 2010
An open juried exhibition of works in all media by artists connected to Saco, Biddeford, and Old Orchard Beach. More info is on its way--keep an eye on our website for application forms and instructions!
MAKING HISTORY: Art and Industry in the Saco River Valley
Opening May 29, 2010
Our new, permanent local history exhibition opens next spring! Get ready to see the history of the Saco River Valley as you never have before, with art, historical artifacts, computer activities, and hands-on exhibits for all ages! This exhibit is a part of "Public History in Public Places," a multi-venue exhibition of local history funded by a Preserve America grant administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and by the Maine Humanities Council.
IN A PLACE BY HIMSELF: The Graphic World of Winslow Homer (working title)
June 26 through November 14, 2009
Winslow Homer spent much of the last 30 years of his life right here on Saco Bay, at his studio on Prouts Neck. Having begun his career as an illustrator and printmaker for magazine's like Harper's Weekly and Appleton's Journal, he came full circle in this final chapter of his career, making stunning and monumental etchings of Maine's coast. This exhibition provides an overview of his career as a graphic artist, featuring works from the Saco Museum's collection and on loan.
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