“It is a place only I have been. It is the epitome of New England’s perfection. It is a piece and a part of each beach, mountain, or ocean I have visited. It is where I am at peace, but it is wherever you find happiness,” says artist Craig Mooney.

We are happy to be hosting artist, Craig Mooney for his one-man show beginning July 20th at Shows on Maine Art Hill. This show will run for three weeks and contain, not only his classic seascapes and landscapes but also many fabulous new works.  Born and raised in Manhattan, Mooney left the city in 1988 to attend Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where he received a fine arts degree in 1992. After so many years in the city, he has now found a quieter place to live and work, Vermont. “All the places I have called home have inspired me, my native New York, the mountains and farms near my studio in Stowe, Vermont, and the beaches of Maine and Massachusetts,” says Mooney. “In all my work, it is always the sense of atmosphere I am after.”

In Mooney’s upcoming show,  he has a variety of newer themes as well as older ones. The romantic themes of weather and storms that were familiar to the 18th and 19th-centuries seascape painters have always influenced his work, but this show will be more.  “In the past, I tried to capture a ‘moment in time’ which evolved into works more about symbolism. The sea and land, the sailboats in the distance, these are more metaphors for a more in-depth dialogue with the subject,” explains Mooney. “This way, the paintings can be entered by anyone.” 

All the works for this show are done in oil, and some pieces are quite large, exceeding sixty inches, which is classic Mooney. The hook this year, he is also experimenting with small 12 x 12 inch works. “I want to capture the essence of my inspirations in smaller works. Can the vast skies and landscapes be felt in miniature? I have proven they can,” Mooney says. “There will be a few more surprises, though. I have departed from past shows with the inclusion of a variety of new subjects - seals, waterfowl, and different wildlife of coastal Maine. It is going to be fun.”

Mooney loves his studio in Vermont, but with all the time he spends in Kennebunk and the weekends spent with family on Cape Cod, he has become a “coastal painter.” He is not sure when it happened, but it is part of who is, so the new works are a fascinating new addition. John Spain, owner of Maine Art Hill, notes, ”I am always thrilled to have a solo show with Craig Mooney. His talent and ability to capture Maine and its beauty never cease to amaze me. With the addition of small works and new themes, this show is a must visit.” Mooney looks forward to discussing his work and his process during his Artist Reception on Saturday, July 20th, from 5 to 7 PM.  This show runs through Thursday, August 8th. Shows on Maine Art Hill is at 10 Chase Hill Road and is open from 10 AM to 5 PM daily. FMI visit www.maine-art.com or call  207-967-0049.

Virtual Tour will be available the evening of Friday, July 19th. Click here to view.

To read more stories and insights from Craig Mooney follow this link

To see our entire collection of Mooney's work follow this link