PARTNERS
The Guild works with a number of organizations to foster community across the state.
The Schoodic International Symposium
The Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium (SISS) was founded by Jesse Salisbury of Steuben, a well traveled sculptor seeking to spark cultural activity in his home community. A group of supporters developed sponsorships with involved communities and stone suppliers, and created the first SISS in 2007 at the Schoodic Education and Research Center campus at the Schoodic section of Acadia National Park in Winter Harbor.
Thanks to a grant from the Quimby Family Foundation, SISS has conducted a number of workshops for teachers to promote the use of the Sculpture Trail across the Curriculum. From geology to physics and math, the sculpture trail can be a backdrop for interdisciplinary explorations.
The Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium has created the Maine Sculpture Trail, a 34-piece outdoor exhibit spanning over 200 miles along the coastal region of Downeast Maine. You can learn more about it here!
The Don Justin Meserve Collection
The Maine Stone Workers Guild works with the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium (SISS) to preserve the legacy of the Meserve Collection. Don Justin Meserve (1938-2010) explored narrative and abstract themes over the course of his 40-year professional career. He is best known for “Cleat,” a monumental work in granite commissioned for the waterfront of Winter Harbor and created during the first Schoodic Sympsoium in 2007. “Cleat” is featured on the Maine Sculpture Trail which runs through coastal villages from Bucksport to Calais.
MOFGA Common Ground Country Fair
Since 1985, a group of stoneworkers has gathered at the Common Ground Country Fair to demonstrate and educate the public about the versatility and creative possibilities of stone. The Guild’s work is apparent all around MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center, from the entrance garden and sundial (the Guild’s first contributions to MOFGA), to several granite benches, pocket parks and more. After the Guild’s official start in 1996, the organization has continued to work with MOFGA every year in an ongoing educational effort.
Boothbay Region Land Trust
The Boothbay Region Land Trust offers more than 30 miles of hiking trails open to the public, year-round, free of charge. Properties include woodlands, wetlands, salt marshes, islands, seabird and wading bird habitat, feeding areas for migratory birds and butterflies, historical and archaeological sites, and working waterfront. A small committed staff, dedicated and enthusiastic board members and hundreds of volunteers and members generous with their time and money have brought BRLT successfully through its first 40 years.
This summer the BRLT will be hosting six of our sculptors for a Stone Symposium on the seaside field of Oak Point Farm. All sculptures created during the Symposium will be auctioned the following week at Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Art Auction on August 4. The Maine Stone Symposium is free and open to the public.