The Art Gallery is opened by Appointment only.
Please contact the Curator;
Mrs. Julie Lang at (207) 728-4853
The Gallery is located at:
356 Main Street, Madawaska, Maine.
Email: jjlang2@myfairpoint.net
Background
I was born and raised in St. Jacques, New Brunswick and have been living in Madawaska, Maine since 1967. My interest in the arts started in adolescence, at which time I drew for my mother who encouraged me to develop my talents. However, mothering three children of my own diverted my energies until they were mostly grown. The landscape in the St. John Valley and my children enrich my art and serve as the impetus for fostering the arts in the community.
Since 1980, I have worked in the fine arts and completed course work in drawing, oils, acrylics, encaustics and have since discovered photography. My first experience with formal art instruction was with Mr. Claude Picard, an internationally known artist who taught drawing at the local college in Edmundston, New Brunswick. Mr. Don Cyr, an artist rooted in the St. John Valley, then provided instruction in oils, with about half of my work in oils since then. Also in my early career, I took classes with Joël Levasseur who taught acrylics at University of Maine at Fort Kent. He helped me perfect that technique while instilling an appreciation for working outdoors. I enjoy painting out of doors and attend on-location painting sessions yearly with regional artists in Charlevoix, Quebec. This has enabled me to explore my passion for color. I have been refining its application through course work with Mr. Clarence Bourgoin since 2003. Recently, I have attended the University of Moncton in Edmundston to supplement this with the technical aspects of drawing and abstract painting. The encaustic medium is self-taught and comes from pure interest in applying modern materials to traditional and modern subjects.
In 2003, the Cultural Society of Saint Basile invited me to display my work at the gallery of Maurielle Voisine. I presented a diverse set of encaustics. This was a very rewarding experience for me because people really seemed to appreciate my work for its originality. Since 2004, I have shown a variety of work yearly at the Rendez-Vous des Artistes in St. Leonard, New Brunswick. These works have included a variety of oil, photography, and mixed medium. This is an important event to which many artists from around the world attend.
To bolster the St John Valley's interest in the arts, I developed a weekend symposium and art show in 2006 that runs concurrently with the Acadian Festival in Madawaska. Although preparation for the event takes significant time and planning, the experience has been very rewarding. Artists from outside the area have attended and shared their unique perspective in the arts. The youth from the community were encouraged to participate as well. Local teachers from surrounding towns encouraged students to enter the drawing contest and the students even helped to make signs for the event. My goal is to make the art show a yearly event, one that keeps the arts alive in the Valley for generations to come. During the last eights years, I have spent time in both Canada and the US searching for inspiration. I paint with my emotion, seeking beautiful vibrant colors. Expressing myself through the arts helps me to convey feelings of warmth, freedom, happiness, and serenity that I want to share with others. I founded an Art Gallery in Madawaska, Me in 2010. In 2012, I organize a group of artists to participate on "Culture Days" in Edmundston, N.B. in collaboration with Mrs. Lyne B. Picard.(sport et loisir) in Edmundston, NB. For me, this work has no boundary and fellow artists are forever friends.
