BRISTOL PAINTER SELECTED FOR 2009 RESIDENCY ON MONHEGAN ISLAND

PORTLAND— Daniel J. Corey, a painter from Bristol, Maine, has been named the 2009 Monhegan Island artist in residence by the Monhegan Artists' Residency Corporation (MARC). The program provides lodging and stipend for a five-week residency on the island for an emerging Maine artist each summer.

A plein air painter, Corey creates his paintings from direct observation. “I enjoy the challenge of painting nontraditional views/subjects and finding the beauty in them, along with the views that make Maine , Maine ,” he explained in a statement.

Corey's work has been included in shows at the Atrium Gallery at Lewiston-Auburn College and River Arts in Damariscotta. He has also participated in benefit exhibitions, including Aarhus Gallery's recent “44N 69W: Radius Belfast,” which supported local food banks. Corey's first solo show, “Life from Paint,” recently opened at Tidemark Gallery in Waldoboro.

This year's judges were Philip Isaacson, photographer and art critic for the Portland Press Herald ; Susan Danley, chief curator of the Portland Museum of Art; and Kate Cheney Chappell, artist, poet and member of the Peregrine Press. Nearly 40 applications were submitted this year.

MARC is a 501(c)(3) organization supported by individual donations and foundation grants.

The Residency and MARC

For well over 150 years, Monhegan Island has inspired countless artists, including Robert Henri, George Bellows, Rockwell Kent, Reuben Tam, Elena Jahn and Jamie Wyeth, to name a few. While Monhegan continues to attract artists from across the country and around the world, it is increasingly difficult for Maine artists to find affordable housing for an extended visit on the island. The Monhegan Artists' Residency is designed to give back to Maine artists part of their heritage and tradition. Each year the residency program offers one or two emerging Maine artists the opportunity to work without constraints on Monhegan Island

Loosely modeled on the MacDowell Colony and Vermont Studio programs, the Monhegan Artists' Residency does not require that the artist produce a body of work, although the residency should be viewed as an excellent opportunity for professional development. Each artist will receive a stipend of $500 to cover food and other basic expenses. Because of the size of the cottage and studio, which are simply but adequately furnished, and because the residency program is designed to provide a brief respite from the day-to-day cares of family and work, no guests (including family members) are allowed to stay at during the residency.

The Monhegan Artists Residency Corporation (MARC) is a nonprofit organization with IRS 501(c) (3) status. The MARC Board of Directors, is responsible for raising funds to support the artist residencies, supervising the annual juried competition for residents, and administering all aspects of the program. MARC also sponsors educational programs on topics relating to the art of Monhegan Island, contemporary Maine art, and the art of past MARC residents. Funding comes from gifts and donations from many individuals in Maine and beyond, numerous Maine art galleries, foundations, and other granting entities, as well as from occasional special benefit events. Please click on the Support MARC link on this website to find out how you can contribute.

MARC Board of Directors

The Monhegan Artists' Residency Corporation, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, is made up of ten Directors and others who volunteer their time and efforts to administer the Monhegan Artists' Residency Program.

President Gail Scott Treasurer Bonnie Cochrane Boyd Secretary Carl Little Directors Susan Danly Edward L. Deci Joe Kievitt Sally MacVane Lynn Travis Beth Van Houten Victoria K. Woodhull