Wolfgang Busse and Polly McGrory pose with Max the gallery dog at McGrory & Wolf Gallery in downtown Waldoboro on Thursday, Feb. 1. (Christine LaPado-Breglia photo)
Welcome, McGrory & Wolf: I had mentioned to several people last year, after attending ArtWalk Waldoboro, that the art scene in Waldoboro seemed to be picking up steam. The addition of Valerie Greene Studio, for one, to the excellent local lineup was exciting.
This year, things are looking even more promising with the recent addition of newcomer McGrory & Wolf Gallery, at 9 Friendship St. I popped in on Thursday, Feb. 1 to check out the gallery and chat with artists Polly McGrory and Wolfgang Busse, the husband-and-wife duo that runs the gallery.
Recent transplants from Warren – and before that, Boston – McGrory and Wolf are about as likeable as it gets, as is their adorable little gallery dog, Max.
The entrance to McGrory & Wolf Gallery on Friendship Street in downtown Waldoboro. (Christine LaPado-Breglia photo)
Surrounded by their fine paintings – McGrory has an affinity for painting dogs and foxes, Busse for boats – the pair praised the warm welcome they have received since coming to Waldoboro.
“The people here are open and very enthusiastic about new people,” McGrory said. “We were welcomed by all the galleries. We were in a happy, smiling fog!
“The night we opened (Dec. 9), we had a blizzard, but we had a steady stream of people,” McGrory said, adding that the gallery stayed open an extra half-hour that evening because attendance was so good.
McGrory & Wolf Gallery is a wide-open, welcoming space with a beautiful, glossy wood floor. One enters via a gloriously purple door. Do go and visit this very nice gallery run by very nice, friendly people.
Winter hours are Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.
“Pearl on the Oriental,” a painting by Polly McGrory. “I like painting on the diagonal,” said McGrory. (Christine LaPado-Breglia photo)
Find McGrory & Wolf Gallery online at mcgroryandwolf.com.
Congrats, Lincoln Theater: I turned over much of my Jan. 23 column to Lincoln Theater Executive Director Andrew Fenniman, as he had plenty of interesting things to say about the progress and program of the Damariscotta theater. Among those things was the fact that Lincoln Theater ended 2017 in the black and was “on track to be debt-free by June of 2018.”
Well, on Feb. 1, Fenniman sent me this email message: “While I don’t know if it relates to your last column on the theater or not, shortly after publication, supporters asked me what was the amount left on the debt. I told them. They said, we have talked about this for a while and we would like to pay it.
“As of this morning, 11:15 a.m. to be exact, the theater is debt-free and all of its debt retired, thanks to wise stewardship by our board and incredibly generous support from our community. Celebration to come …”
Awesome!
Laid-back art class: South Bristol artist Joy Vaughan is offering an “Off the Edges and Outside the Line” workshop on both Saturday, Feb. 10 and Friday, Feb. 16 (take your pick) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “This workshop is for people who want time to explore imagery and art materials, increase their intuitive faculties, and try out ideas on paper without facing criticism or judgment,” writes Vaughan.
A wide variety of art materials will be used. The cost is $65.
Contact Vaughan at joy@tidewater.net for more information and to sign up.
(Email me at clbreglia@lcnme.com or write me a letter in care of The Lincoln County News, P.O. Box 36, Damariscotta, ME 04543. I love to hear from readers.)
