The Fine Living Blog
The Origins of the Festival, part 1
Several years ago at a small gathering of Kennebunkport business people, in the middle of winter, the idea for an early summer event sprang to life. Initially driven by the desire to offer an opening of the season calendar item, Art in the Inns (as it was known in 2005) was born. The first year the festival was organized by me and by an innkeeper colleague, Bruce Jackson who owns the Engligh Meadows Inn along with some of our innkeeper friends. It was, by all accounts, a home grown – work out of the garage type of event. We had a family member make signs, we worked with local artists and we had 15 Inns and 15 artists work togehter to host a tour on the first weekend of June.
The idea was that the work of local artists would be displayed in the unique settings of Kennebunkport’s most historic Inns. We had a nice weekend and the program attracted between 75 and 100 people to the tour. We were able to make a small donation to a local charity. However, we’re fairly certain that the event did not draw any folks from the outside world to Kennebunkport. This non-withstanding, as an innkeeper I felt that we succeed in giving our guests something interesting to do during the weekend.
Here’s the promotional material and message from the first go-around:
Welcome to the
1st Annual “Art in the Inns”
June 4th and 5th 2005.
Celebrate the first weekend of summer with us by enjoying the 1st Annual “Art in the Inns”. Two of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport’s greatest assets are being combined to offer a great weekend of art in the unique setting of some of our most famous Inns. Fifteen local artists will have their art on exhibit in the Inns. The art on display, most of which is also available for purchase, represents a cross section of the art community in the Kennebunks. With works from award winning artists, the exhibits include oil, watercolor, acrylic and gouache paintings; sculptures in wood and clay; ceramics, and fabric art. At the same time, get a tour of some of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport’s renowned Inns. And while you are here, why not make this weekend special and stay over night and sample the hospitality that the Inns are so famous for.
Dates: Saturday June 4, 1:00 – 5:00pm with
Meet the Artist Receptions 3:00 – 5:00pm
Sunday June 5, 12:00 – 3:00pm
Place: Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Inns
(See List of participating Inns and Artists)
Refreshments will be served for the Artist Receptions
Come join us for a great early summer weekend of fabulous art and the gracious hospitality of our famous Inns.
From the artist’s perspective
From William B. Hoyt:
The event in June 2009 with its food, art, and amazing weather was a joy for my wife Kathy and I to participate in. Our lodging at the Bufflehead Cove Inn was congenial and comfortable. Erin, now the owner, is running the operation with his parents Harriet and Jimmy Gott. The events in tents overlooking the breakwater kept eclipsing each other from the reception with paintings and sculpture, to the wine and cheese and food tastings, to the televised Chef’s Kitchen combining the inventiveness of chefs and the art that served as inspiration. My “artist dinner” at Bruce and Beth Webster’s expertly cooked by Jason Leighton of Hurricanes Restaurant was over the top. Artists spend most of their time painting alone and after a winter of work this event felt like a celebration and confirmation for all the effort past and present.
Plein Air Painters Invitational
The Gallery on Chase Hill will host the third annual “Plein Air Painter’s Invitational” as part of the Kennebunkport Fine Living Festival. The past two years gave us wonderful artist turnouts with brilliant weather for the “Paint Out” that takes place Wednesday through Friday of the Festival. We are excited to announce that this this year’s Invitational is to benefit the Heartwood College of Art. We are also pleased to have ten of Heartwood’s faculty members join us as artists in the Invitational. The opening reception will be Saturday, June 5th and we hope everyone will be able to join us to view the results of this year’s three-day “Paint Out” and embrace the opportunity to meet all of these talented artists. I’m looking forward to seeing returning artists from previous years, and to meeting those that are joining us for the first time this year!The Origins of the Festival, Part 2
Using the first year of the festival as a guide, we spent some time considering things that could be done better, that would possibly draw some people totoa
