Midcoast Conservancy is delighted to be hosting a new exhibit of local artists’ work at its office gallery in Wiscasset. We welcome Barbara Bean, Ed McCartan, Jackie Melissas and Ann Slocum to the space. Their work ranges widely in style and medium but all are informed by organic and natural forms and materials.

Barbara Bean's recent work is botanical in nature — some from Maine and others from remote climates the artist “can only imagine.” For more on this artist, visit http://povartistsmaine.com/artists/barbara-bean.

“My subject is the depiction of rare and exotic specimens introduced to us by 17th and 18th century botanists and explorers who risked their lives collecting plants in wilderness never before explored,” said Bean. “The stories and art work generated by their travels continues to excite and interest me. I believe it accounts for my strong attachment to plant life and my drive to depict it.”

Ed McCartan's works represent his exploration of botanical and gestural imagery. For inspiration, the artist looks to nature “and the possibilities inherent in the materials.” He often incorporates stenciling and prints into his work. Visit http://povartistsmaine.com/artists/ed-mccartan to learn more about him.

“I often use the double image because I am interested in the ‘dialogue’ that this creates between the different areas of the work. Small natural forms, twigs, ferns, flowers, etc. leave room for experimentation with sumi-like strokes and lines and the layering of glazes throughout the composition,” McCartan said.

Jackie Melissas' current work reflects an examination of archeological roots and contemporary aesthetics. Her ceramic creations, many of them smoke-fired to an almost iron-like hue, reflect that she is “drawn to the sensual nature of clay and fire and to the organic use of media.” For more on this artist, visit http://jackiemelissas.com.

Ann Slocum, of Brunswick, is an abstract artist “intrigued by architectural and geometric shapes and images.”

“My interest in pattern and design lends itself well to the mixed media experience,” writes Slocum on her website. “I take collage elements made of different substances and use them to solve the design puzzle — to discover how they fit together. Then I apply acrylic paint to emphasize the key elements and unify the whole.” For more on Ann Slocum, visit http://povartistsmaine.com/artists/ann-slocum.

Midcoast Conservancy is located at 36 Water Street in Wiscasset Village.