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"Thunderstorm Rolling In" by Marlys Farn-Guillette


Restoring the Steinway C with Robert Cloutier
The Steinway Parlor Grand piano at Eastport Arts Center (EAC) – a rare model C built in 1888 that hasn’t been produced domestically in the past century – has received a much-needed refurbishment by piano technician Robert Cloutier. Cloutier, who recently retired from a four-decade career that saw him traveling the world to work on concert-level instruments, donated his expertise to repair the piano provided new hammers for the instrument could be obtained. “For EAC, this work
lura93
6 days ago3 min read


Submissions open for Hearts for the Arts
Calling all artists! The 6th Annual Hearts for the Arts online auction will soon be underway. This increasingly-popular event serves as a key fundraiser for the Eastport ArtFests (including the Mermaid Festival and the Witches Festival, both of which are under EAC's umbrella this year) - along with providing artists with a great opportunity to earn money for their work! Participating artists can choose from a 70/30 split (keeping 70% of the proceeds), a 50/50 split, or a 30/
lura93
6 days ago1 min read


2026 Prize for Poetry announced; submissions wanted
Submissions will open on February 1 for the 2026 Charles Moore Poetry Prize Competition sponsored by Eastport Arts Center (EAC). Now in its fourth year, the competition has seen a steady increase in the number of submissions from Maine and beyond. Submitted poems are collected into an annual anthology available for sale from the EAC, online, and from A Boatload of Books, with previous volumes being Of Woods and Waters , Connecting Nature and Worklife, Lifework . Contributors
lura93
Jan 201 min read


Artist Spotlight: Judy Clendenning
Rage Judy may be tiny in stature, but her paintings are big, bold and powerful. The colors are rich and dense. Her work sometimes leans heavily towards emotional abstractions and sometimes sways into realism. In some you see anger or pain. Others make you smile with delight … especially when you find one of the surprises she might tuck onto a panel. From the Heart Judy describes her work as intuitive. She says, “I never know what the end product will be, but it comes from my
jpmaffett
Dec 22, 20254 min read


Applications open for Jay Skriletz Playwriting Competition
The Literary Arts Program of the Eastport Arts Center is excited to announce the Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative. This state-wide competition offers early-career Maine playwrights under 30 years of age a chance to receive production experience. The winning writer will receive a $1,000 prize and a week-long workshop at the Eastport Arts Center, culminating in a staged reading. Lodging will be provided and a meals and travel stipend are also included. To be eligible, writer
lura93
Dec 22, 20252 min read


Festival of Trees a Rousing Success
The 16th annual Festival of Trees at EAC was a spectacular success with guests from around the extended community coming to place their bids on 25 fully festooned young evergreens. The event, one of EAC's biggest fundraisers of the year, raised approximately $3,000 to support the center's ongoing efforts to promote the arts in the area. We would like to give special thanks to Georgie Kendall for donating the trees; Chris Farr for providing musical accompaniment; Cynthia Morse
lura93
Dec 18, 20251 min read


Stage East: Proposals & original plays wanted
"The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon", performed in 2025 Proposals wanted! Stage East continues to be interested in hearing from any person or group that would like to propose a theatrical project or idea to be performed at EAC for the coming year. Please contact or send a proposal to Cookie at cookierepp@yahoo.com to do so. Original plays sought In an effort to support and showcase the work of local playwrights, Stage East invites area writers to submit their original plays f
lura93
Dec 18, 20251 min read


Stage East: Help wanted for 2026 season
Jude Kempe in lighting booth, 2025 (Manuela Brice photo) Are you interested in the theater? If so, we’re interested in you! Stage East is looking for directors, producers, stage managers and crew capable of handling set design and set construction, set painting lighting, sound, costumes, and props. (Don’t worry if you have little or no experience as you will learn while doing and there will be somebody to guide you as needed.) Our interest is in cultivating theater in the ext
lura93
Dec 8, 20251 min read


Sunday Afternoons at the Arts Center 2026 season announced
Jane Lanctot's Cambodian music show during 2024's Sunday Afternoon series was a big hit. One of the Eastport Arts Center's most popular ongoing series is Sunday Afternoons at the Arts Center, during which a presenter is welcomed to share information about an interesting topic - from local history to a travel adventure to a subject of their expertise. These informal, interactive presentations are always held on Sundays at 3 pm and are free to the public with donations accepted
lura93
Dec 4, 20252 min read


Stage East productions announced
Stage East is thrilled to announce a captivating lineup of plays currently in development for our 2026 season! The first theatrical production, “Noises Off”, is a three-act farce that emphasizes physical comedy, while the second, “The Savannah Sipping Society”, tells the story of four Southern women over 50 who meet during a hot yoga class. Local plays and a 10-minute play contest are also planned for this season (stay tuned for more info!). In “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn,
lura93
Nov 20, 20252 min read


Artist Spotlight: Marlys Farn-Guillette
Marlys Firing Raku Pottery Marlys Teaching at EAC Marlys’ work bubbles and bristles with enthusiasm and energy whether it is created in clay, painted on canvas or assembled from found objects. With titles such as WHISTLE BLOWER, Ravages of Mankind, Silenced, Keeper of the Sea, Storm’s Burst and Luminous Dancers , you witness her awe of nature’s sea and sky as well as her desire to express her activist or social awareness ideas. Diving In As Marlys eyes a spot clearing on h
jpmaffett
Nov 17, 20254 min read


John "Al" Churchill on the Great Saxby Gale
Watch the full presentation on YouTube Exactly 156 years after the Great Saxby Gale nearly destroyed Eastport, John “Al” Churchill, president of the St. Croix Historical Society, gave a presentation on the gale’s impact at Eastport Arts Center (EAC). Churchill began by setting the stage. At the time, Eastport “punched above its weight” when it came to appearing in papers across the country, to the point that people in 1800 would have known Eastport first in all the state. Eas
lura93
Oct 21, 20254 min read


Bob Peacock on the Downeast Sardine Industry
The lower floor of the Eastport Arts Center was properly packed on Sunday, September 14, as Captain Bob Peacock provided a compelling...
lura93
Oct 2, 20253 min read


Video: Aftermath of the Colfax Massacre
We were pleased to host Charles "Chick" Moore this past Sunday for a compelling presentation on the aftermath of the Colfax Massacre and...
lura93
Oct 2, 20251 min read


Artist Spotlight: Courtney Moore
Courtney’s artwork is a celebration of nature. She says that she “aims to create paintings that show intimate moments of the beautiful...
jpmaffett
Oct 2, 20254 min read


Artist Spotlight: Valerie Michael
Being a middle school teacher is not for the faint of heart, especially as an art teacher. But Valerie Michael found it, not only to be a...
jpmaffett
Jun 11, 20253 min read


Artist Spotlight: JoAnne Houlsen
Sometimes an artist or a poet or a writer looks at a blank page or canvas and wonders where to begin. For JoAnne Houlsen, that moment is...
jpmaffett
Jun 11, 20253 min read


Artist Spotlight: Jon Taner
As a young boy, Jon Taner thought his love of art would lead him to a career in auto design. He was always drawing and modeling cars. As...
jpmaffett
Jun 10, 20253 min read


Learners Enjoyed Gelli Print 'Play Day'
We're grateful for the crowd of engaged and inventive students who joined in for our recent gelatin printing class with Jen Maffett....
publicity115
May 22, 20251 min read


Poetry Competition's Deadline Nears
There’s still time to enter the Eastport Arts Center’s 2025 Prize for Poetry Competition! This year’s theme is “Work,” defined as broadly...
publicity115
May 20, 20251 min read
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