Susan Bartlett Rice’s Maple Shadow, a 30-by-30-inch acrylic painting on canvas, from 2019.
A selection of springtime paintings, titled “Early Spring,” by Susan Bartlett Rice will be on display in the Carey Gallery at Skidompha Library, located at 184 Main St., Damariscotta, throughout the month of March and April.
Rice’s big colorful paintings include many images of spring: melting snow and ice, maple sugaring, and the start of planting season. “Spring seems to have arrived a little early this year. All at once, we’ve traded the cold and snow in for mud season. There is a collective sigh of relief that comes with the warmer weather and the beginning of the growing season. I hope my paintings brighten the library’s walls and celebrate this seasonal transition.” Rice said.
Rice said, “In Maine, if you don’t paint the season, it’s gone for another year. The weather, light, and palette constantly change, which keeps me on my toes. There is so much natural beauty here, it’s hard not to want to capture it.”
After graduating from Lincoln Academy, Rice earned a degree in studio art and art history from the University of Vermont. Following graduation, she worked in collections management and exhibitions coordination for several museums including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. She returned to Maine in 2003 and opened her working studio in Walpole. Her paintings have been exhibited and collected widely.
In addition to her studio work, Rice also paints large public murals. Her most recent project was a 2019 mural in downtown Biddeford measuring over 100 feet wide. Rice was recently featured in the ArtMaine 2020 Annual Guide published by Maine magazine as one of 75 artists noteworthy Maine artists.
Skidompha Library is open Monday 2-6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information about the artist, go to susanbartlettrice.com or find her studio on Facebook at facebook.com/susanbartlettricestudio or Instagram @susanbartlettrice.
