Margaret Gerding’s paintings are quiet conversations with light, mood, and memory, capturing the soul of the Maine coast. At Maine Art Hill, her work invites viewers to slow down and experience the nuanced beauty of the landscape and seascape she knows so well.

For Gerding, painting is not just about what light looks like but how it feels. She explains, “This body of work is about light, not just how it looks but how it feels. The way it pours across the marsh or catches on the edge of a cloud is where everything begins.” This emotional connection to light is at the heart of her art. She is captivated by the subtle shifts of the sun as it illuminates snow-covered fields, softens dunes, or glows behind veils of fog. “Whether it’s the hush of snow or the drama of a storm, the sun shapes the mood. Along the coast, even quiet moments are lit with intensity.”

One of her striking pieces, Ocean Clouds X, perfectly illustrates this. Despite the clouds’ seemingly threatening appearance, it was their strength and calmness that drew her in. “The ocean was still, like glass, reflecting the upper sky in a beautiful violet hue. The path leads us to this sense of peace.”

While Margaret is best known for her evocative landscapes, she recently challenged herself with a 30-day Postcard Challenge focused on architecture and light—a subject she rarely explores intentionally. “It might sound simple, but for me it was a real shift. I rarely include buildings in my work, and that’s intentional. I’m usually drawn to the natural landscape, the softness of marshes, or the rhythm of the tide.” But through the challenge, she found a new way of seeing. “It pushed me to notice the quiet charm of rooftops catching late-day sun, or how morning light grazes a row of weathered clapboards.” Since moving to Maine ten years ago, she has gradually fallen in love with the character of its coastal towns. This project gave her a fresh way to connect with that charm “one small painting at a time.”

Her process is one of constant observation and discovery. “I’m always watching the way light moves, how it softens the dunes, pushes through fog, or stretches across still water. It’s never the same, and that’s what keeps me painting.” She reflects on coastal light as being powerful in its gentleness. “It doesn’t shout. It lingers, brushes past, and leaves its mark.” There is a deep reverence in those fleeting shifts. The sun breaks through clouds, and a cloud glows from within. Gerding strives to capture that brief grace before it changes again.

Margaret Gerding’s work is a celebration of place, presence, and the subtle dance of light across the Maine landscape, whether in large canvases or intimate postcard-sized paintings. Her work resonates with those who appreciate the quiet magic of coastal life. 

Her latest collection is available for viewing at Maine Art Hill in Kennebunk, where she is a featured artist. Postcards From Maine runs through August 6. Visiting the gallery is a reminder of the stillness, strength, and beauty inherent to Maine’s coast.

Maine Art Hill invites art lovers, collectors, and coastal wanderers alike to a stunning new show featuring the work of three New England artists: William B. Hoyt, Margaret Gerding, and Olena Babak. The show will be held at 5 Chase Hill Road, Kennebunk. Experience the work and celebrate another extraordinary summer of art on the coast of Maine. The show runs until August 6th, and the gallery is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. FMI www.maine-art.com or 207-967-2803.

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Postcards From Maine