Welcome to the MMPA website. Here you’ll find our latest exhibition, the next in line, links to: what we’re about, who we’ve collaborated with, what we have for sale and a pretty complete display of what we’re passionate about. MMPA is artist run and shallowly funded. We welcome Thinkers, collectors, academics, novice enthusiasts + Experts, students, PHILANTHROPISTS and the public. We invite you to take in our handy work, revel in the talent in this state and beyond, and make a connection, purchase or donation. - Denise Froehlich, Dir. MMPA Gallery/The Maine Museum of Photographic Arts
MMPA Gallery Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Our Current exhibition
THE NEW ABSTRACTION
June 6 - July 26, 2025
"Our tendency is to make something of the photograph, to try to say immediately what it means and how it works and why it is made. But these images are more disjunctive than that, and often frustrate our impulses. Though approaches to photographic abstraction are varied, the end results all deny the viewer a discernible reference to reality, defying the most conventional norm in photography. There is a tendency among photographers to rebel against the photographic norm and revel in the basic appeal of the unpredictable impact of abstract processes." - Lyle Rexer is an author, curator, critic, and columnist who lives in Brooklyn, New York and has taught at RISD and the School of Visual Arts in NYC
Panel Discussion Friday, JULY 18, 5-8pm with: Rush Brown, Deb Dawson, Paul Rider and Drew O’Brien
DEB DAWSON
BRYAN GRAF
CAROL EISENBERG
TARA SELLIOS
PAUL RIDER
LUC DEMERS
RUSH BROWN
JOHN GINTOFF
JOAN FITZSIMMONS
CAROLINE SAVAGE
ANDREW O’BRIEN
BRENTON HAMILTON
Caroline Savage, Trees are Dancing, Alvin Ailey, 1/1, Inkjet print, 48 x 38 inches, $2000.
Women in Print: A Celebration of Works on paper
A COLLABORATION WITH GRIPPY TANNINS FEATURING A CURATED GROUP OF WINES BY WOMEN VINTNERS & THE IDEAL MAINE SOCIAL AIDE AND SANCTUARY BAND COME WHOOP IT UP WITH US!
AUGUST 1 - SEPTEMBER 27
Opening reception: 5 - 8 PM, FRIDAY AUGUST 1
ARTIST TALKS: FRIDAY, 5 - 8 PM AUGUST 22 AND SEPTEMBER 19
June Kim, Alien Dog, 1/1, 2025, Mixed media on inkjet print, 18.5 x 24 inches, $2,750.
Unlike other mediums, women were at the forefront of the advent of photography as makers. Because of this, they helped shape the development of the art form, and experimented with every aspect of the medium. One hundred and eighty- ish years later in Maine it’s still happening. MMPA is lucky to collaborate with quite a few contemporary innovators and experimenters; women photographers that we esteem. This exhibit runs the gamut from the traditional to the avant-Garde, and is executed with superior works in a range of contemporary and antique processes (many artists employ several all at once). The topics also have a breadth of variety; The self, the landscape, conservation, motherhood, companions (or in some cases dogs), aging, place, unconditional love, documentation, the psyche, trees, identity or cultural heritage (via food), feminism and beauty are all explored in this exhibit. Come, meditate on the medium and the great women photographers of Maine and New England. - Denise Froehlich, Director of MMPA
JUNE KIM
DEB DAWSON
JOYCE TENNESON
LISA MOSSEL
JEANIE HUTCHINS
SAL TAYLOR KYDD
ASIA KEPKA
TARA SELLIOS
CLAIRE SEIDL
ELIZABETH GREENBERG
ASTRID REISCHWITZ
SUZANNE THEODORA WHITE
BERNICE ABBOTT
CAROLINE E. SAVAGE
SARA STITES
KAREN OLSON
LINDA CONNOR
FAY GODWIN
CAROL EISENBERG
CHRISTINE HIGGINS
D.M.WITMAN
SUSAN ROSENBERG JONES
A Call For Works
Of Home + Place
Exhibition Dates: December 5, 2025 - January 29, 2026
Deadline for submission: September 2, 2025 (read below)
Talks: Friday, 5-8pm
December 19 + January 16, 5-8pm ( 3/4 artists each night + family Dedication)
A James R. Salomon Memorial Photography exhibit
Jamie Salomon (1963 - 2024) was a distinguished photographer whose passion for the art began at age 12 with his father's Rolleiflex camera. He earned a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and later established his career in Maine after relocating with his wife, Susan. Over more than three decades, Jamie specialized in architectural, editorial, and commercial photography, developing a unique style characterized by a keen eye and a sensitive use of light. An avid nature enthusiast, his deep knowledge of the woods, oceans, and flora and fauna often permeated his photography, bringing his passions vividly to life in his images.
The sense of place, as the phrase suggests, does indeed emerge from the senses. The land, and even the spirit of the place, can be experienced kinetically, or kinesthetically, as well as visually. If one has been raised in a place, its textures and sensations, its smells and sounds, are recalled as they felt to a child’s, adolescent’s, adult’s body. Even if ones history there is short, a place can still be felt as an extension of the body, especially the walking body, passing through and becoming part of the landscape. - Lucy Lippard
Sense of place is the sixth sense, an internal compass and map made by memory and spacial perception together. The desire to go home that is a desire to be whole, to know where you are, to be the point of intersection of all the lines drawn through all the stars, to be the constellation-maker and the center of the world, that center called love. To awaken from sleep, to rest from awakening, to tame the animal, to let the soul go wild, to shelter in darkness and blaze with light, to cease to speak and be perfectly understood. - Rebecca Solnit
Jamie Salomon with his dog, Olive.
To Submit: Send us an email with “Call for Works” in the subject line, a short bio (2-3 sentences), an artist statement (3–5 sentences about the content of the work.) and 6–36 jpgs (1500 pixels, long edge) and an image list (artist, title, edition, date, medium, size, pric. Please number jpegs and image list.) to contact.mmpa@gmail.com
Please note for national and international applicants, MMPA cannot pay for shipping. This exhibit is underwritten by the Salomon Family and there is zero charge for submission. Send us your best.
SUBMIT YOUR WORK
HAVE A PORTFOLIO THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
SEND US AN EMAIL WITH “PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION” IN THE SUBJECT LINE, A SHORT BIO (2-3 SENTENCES), AN ARTIST STATEMENT (3–5 SENTENCES ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE WORK.) AND 6–36 JPGS (1500 PIXELS, LONG EDGE) TO CONTACT.MMPA@GMAIL.COM
PLEASE NOTE, WE REQUIRE A SMALL DONATION FOR $50 TO CONSIDER A SUBMISSION.
Eugène Atget, The Ragpickers, n.d. Silver print, 10 x 8 inches, $2,500.
Eugène Atget, (1857 - 1927) a French flâneur and early documentary photographer, dedicated himself to preserving the vanishing architectural and street scenes of Paris due to modernization. Though he struggled in his earlier pursuits, including acting and painting, Atget found his calling in photography around the age of 30. He became a professional photographer, providing visual references for artists and capturing the essence of Paris pre industrial revolution. His work gained recognition in the early 20th century, thanks in part to Berenice Abbott's efforts. Tragically, Atget passed away in 1927, before seeing the profound acclaim his photography would ultimately achieve. His legacy lives on through the invaluable visual record he created of a bygone Paris.
A Book Feature
MMPA is proud to have offerings from Radius Books, MW Editions + Artist monographs and Book Arts
New titles are constantly coming in.
Robert David Atkinson, Silent Witness to Beauty, 2024, Limited Edition Soft bound book, 148 pages, 8.25 x 11.5 inches, $45.
A Silent Witness to Beauty is a journey through the lens and the imagination of photographer Robert David Atkinson. This unique collection combines black-and-white photographs with fictional narratives to offer a truly immersive experience. Through the intimate portraits of birds, each photograph and story invites you to pause and contemplate the beauty of nature in its rawest form. From tales of resilience to moments of quiet reflection, this collection celebrates the diverse tapestry of life and the profound connections between all living beings. R.D.A.
Robert David Atkinson Photographs (from the book)
Robert David Atkinson, The Waiting, 2025, Pigment print, 16 x 12 inches, $500.
My Fine Art portfolio consists of nature and landscape photography. It is my way of sharing the profound beauty of the natural world. Each landscape and each bird in flight has a story to tell. I strive to capture those narratives through my lens, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and appreciate the untouched splendor surrounding us. Everything is worth observing, from the natural world to everyday objects, from the elegant flight of a songbird to urban decay exploration. To capture these things in a photograph or sound recording, to create an image from nothing, has been my lifelong work and passion. I am always looking. -RDA
Robert David Atkinson is a Commercial / Fine Art photographer based in the heart of New York City. He has recently won awards from Communication Arts and American Photographic Artists. Robert started his career in the 1980s, shooting commercial work with large format cameras, then transitioned to digital in the 90s. From the streets of New York City to the tranquil landscapes that inspire his work, his lens has become a tool for capturing the essence of subjects in all their forms. His portfolio showcases his journey, reflecting a blend of technical prowess and an artist's sensitivity. In every shot taken, whether it's a product, a landscape, or a bird in flight, He is reminded of the incredible privilege it is to share stories, evoke emotions, and spark conversations through the art of photography.
VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Office Assistant need- Send us a resume.
Email us at contact.mmpa@gmail.com with VOLUNTEER in the subject line.
spotlight on Artist, Christine Higgins
Color, pattern, light, and movement are found in my work. I am drawn to contrast and juxtaposition – the presence of fragility and strength. Water wearing down the hardness of rock, moss clinging to untenable surfaces, the abandoned and forgotten, growth despite adversity. Present are layered elements of time in what has come before, vestigial traces of history portraying past evidence in the present. I look to the sublime in the sometimes over-looked ordinary. CH
Christine Johnson Higgins works in her woodland studio in Readfield Maine. She earned her B.A. in art from Marietta College, Ohio, and M.Ed. in Integrated Arts from Lesley University, Cambridge, Mass. Her work has been exhibited throughout the Northeast, Ohio, Ecuador and Finland, and she has been featured in various publications. Seasonally, she explores pulp painting and other fiber techniques during the summer, while taking photographs and translating them into photogravure prints year round.
