What We Carry at the Maine Jewish Museum

Runs Through February 25th

We are more complicated than we think we are. We are even more complicated than the stories we tell. We react and respond to the world without one breathe in between. We don’t see the someone right next to us. That someone could be carrying with them an entire room-full of trauma, a deep dis-connect to others, severe loneliness or a radiant joy that could be spread like wild fire. Where has it become our nature to engage before listening or looking? Revealing or attempting to engage with others about the difficult aspects of our human nature can make us feel vulnerable. There is far too much shame in looking at the “stuff ” we carry. Could humans act more compassionate if they could see what they and their neighbors carry? These artworks explore the weight of burden and create conversations about one’s perspective.

Hélène Farrar is known for her nature inspired paintings of trees, critters, flowers and birds. Her work reflects a deep connection to place, often of the woods surrounding her home. Personal “landmarks” act metaphorically as subjects for introspection, visual meditation, and quiet. Hélène works primarily in the ancient medium of encaustic. She shows her work nationally and has been invited to participate in many exhibits, some of which include the Saco Art Museum, the Fuller Craft Museum, the University of Maine at Farmington Art Gallery, and the Art Complex Museum. Farrar is a Teaching Artist at the Farnsworth Art Museum and has taught across New England, some of which includes the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and the International Encaustics Conference. She received her BA in Art from the University of Maine in 1998 and an MFA from Goddard College in 2005. In 2021 she illustrated her first children’s book, “The Deer Man”. Farrar is represented by Archipelago Fine Arts in Rockland, Maine.

To inquire regarding purchase contact Nancy Davidson, Maine Jewish Museum Curator at (207) 239-4774 or nancyd.mjm@gmail.com

To hear Helene’s recent talk, click here.

The museum is open Sunday - Friday 12 to 4 PM. Closed Saturdays