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Mimi Gregoire Carpenter

For over three decades, I have walked the shores of Maine, letting the tide guide my artistic journey. As a painter working in opaque watercolors, I find myself drawn to the quiet poetry of our coastal ecosystem – the overlooked treasures that most passersby might dismiss as mere detritus of the sea.

 

My process begins with beachcombing along the vast Maine shoreline, where each specimen I collect tells a story of life, death, and transformation in our marine environment. Every piece I paint – whether it's a weathered horseshoe crab carapace, the intricate architecture of barnacle colonies, or the sinuous forms of storm-tossed seaweed – comes from my personal encounters with Maine's coastline. These aren't imagined scenes; they're intimate portraits of actual objects I've discovered, documented, and preserved over years of careful observation.

 

Working in opaque watercolors allows me to capture both the delicacy and resilience of these marine artifacts. The medium's ability to layer and build texture mirrors the way time and tide leave their mark on the subjects I paint. Through my detailed realist approach, I aim to elevate these humble objects to their rightful place as worthy subjects of contemplation and artistic study.

 

My collection of found objects, amassed over thirty years, serves as both a personal archive and a historical record of Maine's changing coastal ecosystem. Each painting becomes not just an artwork, but a document of environmental presence – evidence of what lives, thrives, and washes ashore on our beaches. In this way, my work sits at the intersection of artistic practice and environmental observation, creating a visual testimony to the rich biodiversity of Maine's coastline.

 

I find profound beauty in what others might pass by – the knobby texture of dried seaweed, the elegant curve of a razor clam shell, the complex patterns of a barnacle cluster. Through my paintings, I invite viewers to share in this intimate view of our coastal ecosystem, to pause and consider these small miracles that the sea offers up with each tide. In doing so, I hope to foster a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance of our marine environment and the extraordinary beauty found in its most ordinary elements. - Mimi Gregoire Carpenter

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Mimi Gregoire Carpenter: Artist's CV Highlighting Achievements

SUMMARY​

Distinguished environmental artist recognized for revealing the overlooked poetry in coastal ecosystems. Named "environmental artist" by the Farnsworth Museum, specializing in detailed portraiture of marine life and seashore elements. Extensive exhibition history throughout New England with works featured in major publications and artistic adaptations across various media.

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Exhibition History

Museum Exhibitions

  • Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, Maine

  • Colby College, Waterville, Maine

  • Worcester Science Center, Massachusetts

  • University of Maine (Multiple Campuses):

    • UNE Biddeford

    • UNE Westbrook

    • UMA Augusta

  • The Brick Store Museum, Kennebunk

  • Round Top Center for the Arts, Damariscotta

  • Mt. Desert Biology Labs Gallery, Bar Harbor

  • The Nonantum Resort

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GALLERY REPRESENTATION

Massachusetts

  • Marblehead

  • Nantucket Island

Maine

  • Bar Harbor

  • Kennebunkport

  • Kennebunk

  • Rockland

  • Northeast Harbor

  • Ogunquit

  • Waterville

  • Portland

 

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Featured Publications

  • Down East Magazine

  • Maine Boats and Harbors Magazine

  • La Vie Claire

  • "Passion for Sea Glass" (Book Feature)

  • "Women and the Sea" (Book Feature)

  • University of Maine Sea Grant

Commercial Adaptations

  • ELMS Puzzles

  • Stevens Linens

  • Cape Shore

AUTHORED WORKS

Children's Books

  • "What the Sea Left Behind"

  • "Mermaid In a Tidal Pool"

  • "Lucky Pebbles and Mermaids Tears"

  • "Seashore Treasures"

 

LEADERSHIP AND SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS

Maine Arts Commission

  • Touring Artist

  • Artist in Residence

    • Service area: Van Buren to Kittery

Coastal Fine Arts Alliance

  • Director, "Galleries on the Green" program

 

 

ARTISTIC FOCUS

Specialized in detailed marine life portraiture and coastal ecosystem documentation. Known for elevating overlooked elements of marine environments through careful observation and artistic interpretation. Work characterized by meticulous attention to detail and ability to reveal the extraordinary in common coastal specimens, from seaweed to barnacles.

"Nothing is too lowly for her to notice, not the knobby seaweed, not the humble razor clam, not the ubiquitous barnacle, not the broken horseshoe crab carapace. She singles them out, and through her eyes, they reveal their poetry."
— "Women and the Sea"

For exhibition inquiries or commissions, please contact Art Agent Maine

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Environmental artist Mimi Gregoire Carpenter with her new collection of work at Roux and Cyr International Fine Art Gallery in Portland. Sophie Burchell / The Forecaster CLICK LINK FOR PRESS RELEASE

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