American artist Greg Mort will host "Dusk Till Dawn Open Studio 2017" at his Port Clyde, Maine studio on August 5th & 6th, 2017, 10 am to 5 pm. Mort will welcome guests to celebrate his 40th summer painting in Maine with special events through both days. An artist talk and tour will take place on Saturday at 1 pm. Greg will be once again showing with his artist son Jon Mort who will present "Maine Treasures Open Studio 2017".
The beauty of Maine has inspired artists for centuries but painter Greg Mort's experience is a bit different because he finds Maine’s star filled nights as captivating as its sun drenched or fog bound shores. For Greg each inlet and island has it’s own mysterious personality and mood bathed in sunlight or surrounded by an inky blue nocturnal sky showed with stars and a brilliant Milky Way. For the past forty summer he has been driven to capture these ever changing images ruled by the declination of the, sun, moon, constellations and shifting tides. Weather creating a landscape or a still life, he prefer to paint directly from life. This preference has bought him face to face with many adventures and challenges. Greg’s Artist Talk on Saturday at 1 pm will include details of both. Also, as a life long amateur astronomer as well as an artist he will offer perspectives and hints for observing the upcoming Eclipse taking place on August 21, 2017.
“From my first visit in 1977 the constant beauty and mystery of Maine’s costal and island communities have excited me. It has been my good fortune to witness first hand the tight knit and supportive families who, through generations of determination and tenacity, built strong foundations in Tenants Harbor, Port Clyde and our nearby islands. The hardworking fishermen of these coastal and island ports are a source of admiration as well as inspiration. During my first summer I would hitch a ride on lobsterman and friend Sherwood Cook’s boat the “Gwendolyn J” out to Little Green Island at dawn for a day of painting. When he competed hauling his traps he would pick me up and critique my artwork as we traveled back into homeport. Many evenings the Armstrong family welcomed me into their warm home and fed me my first lobster. Since then Jerry Cushman and siblings have generously shared their knowledge and experiences. Kind island folks welcomed me including the Whitehead family on Southern Island, the Porters to Matinicus, the Trevors to Mosquito, the Smiths to Grapham, the Huppers to the Brothers and many others.
It is my good fortune that Maine has not only given me artistic inspiration but our family the gift of community. “