Abbe Museum Partners with Stanley Subaru on Membership Drive

The Abbe Museum is excited to partner with Stanley Subaru on a unique membership drive for the month of April 2017. Customers who purchase a full, premium, or signature detail at Stanley Subaru in Ellsworth will receive a membership to the Abbe Museum. Customers don’t have to have a Subaru to get a detail.

"We’re delighted to partner with the Abbe Museum," said Mark Politte, dealer principal at Stanley Subaru. "The Museum is a vital part of celebrating Maine communities. We are impressed by the way the Museum avails Wabanaki people to tell their stories and lead the way in collaborative, inclusive stories of art, history, and culture. Working together opens up the fullness of Maine to Stanley Subaru's guests. We have always been committed to the Down East community and working with the cultural and educational opportunities here. We are proud to be supporters of the Abbe Museum."

Through the support and dedication of members, the Abbe has become the only Smithsonian Affiliate in the state of Maine. When you become a member, you’ll continue to make Wabanaki art, culture, and history matter, as well as enable the Abbe to continue making bold, forward-thinking choices in its decolonization practices.

Abbe President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko shares, “This exciting demonstration of support for our mission is inspiring. We can’t thank Stanley Subaru enough for showing their support this way and for passing along their enthusiasm to their customers!”

A full detail will get customers a Season Ticket membership, which grants free access to the Museum July - October, a 10% discount in the Abbe gift shop, and reduced fees for special programming.

A premium detail will get customers a Dual membership, which grants two adults unlimited free entry to the Abbe for a year, a 10% discount in the Museum gift shop, priority entry, invitations to exhibit openings and events, reduced fees for special programming, access to the Membership Lounge, invitations to member-only events, and two additional personalized benefits members get to choose.

A signature detail will get customers a Family membership, which grants two adults and all named children in the household under 18 (including grandchildren!) unlimited free entry to the Abbe for a year, a 10% discount in the Abbe gift shop, priority entry, invitations to exhibit openings and events, reduced fees for special programming, access to the Membership Lounge, invitations to member-only events, and three additional personalized benefits members get to choose. 

Contact Stanley Subaru at 207-667-4641 to schedule service or ask any questions.

The Abbe is currently open Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm, through April 30, 2017. From May 1 through October 31, 2017, the Museum will be open seven days a week. The Abbe’s Acadia National Park location at Sieur de Monts Spring will be open seven days a week from mid-May to mid-October. Please visit abbemuseum.org for more details. 

About Stanley Subaru
Stanley Subaru, located at 22 Bar Harbor Road, Ellsworth, is your premier, award-winning retailer of new and used Subaru vehicles in Maine. For more information about Stanley Subaru please call 207-667-4641 or visit stanleysubaru.com.
 

Come Meet our New Education Team

There are some new faces at the Abbe Museum! We've scheduled two specific programs that will enable you all to meet Starr Kelly, our new Curator of Education, and Angela Raup, our new Manager of Guest Experience. 

On Wednesday, April 12th from 3:30 - 5 pm, all local educators are invited to come explore our collection of educational materials, join our Book Club, and offer feedback on past and future programs. Expect great conversation, light refreshments, and surprise get-to-know-you activities!

On Thursday, April 20th from 12 - 2 pm, the local community is invited to come and participate in a white glove artifact experience and learn about upcoming Abbe events. There will even be a specially curated exhibit for you to explore and get to know the new team. Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public. 

Stanley Subaru and the Abbe Museum Partner on Membership Drive

Stanley Subaru and the Abbe Museum have gotten together to make all the terrain of Maine available to Stanley Subaru customers, including all the history, too. We are partnering throughout April to provide Stanley Subaru customers this window into a piece of Maine's culture!

When you purchase a full, premium, or signature detail in the month of April, they will buy you a membership to the Abbe Museum!

A full detail will get customers a Season Ticket membership, which grants free access to the Museum July - October, a 10% discount in the Abbe gift shop, and reduced fees for special programming.

A premium detail will get Stanley Subaru customers a Dual membership, which grants two adults unlimited free entry to the Abbe for a year, a 10% discount in the Museum gift shop, priority entry, invitations to exhibit openings and events, reduced fees for special programming, access to the Membership Lounge, invitations to member-only events, and two additional benefits you get to choose.

A signature detail will get customers a Family membership, which grants two adults and all named children in the household under 18 (including grandchildren!) unlimited free entry to the Abbe for a year, a 10% discount in the Abbe gift shop, priority entry, invitations to exhibit openings and events, reduced fees for special programming, access to the Membership Lounge, invitations to member-only events, and three additional benefits you get to choose!

And, the even more amazing part? You don't have to have a Subaru to get a detail! 

What's in a full detail?
A full detail involves vacuuming seats, carpets, and floor mats; cleaning the windows, mirrors, dashboard, small storage (cup holders, center console), shampooing carpets; cleaning the cargo area; hand wash; chamois dry; clean tires; clean rims; tire shine; clean wheel wells; wash door jambs; clean plastic trim; condition plastic and rubber trims; polish; and wax.

What's in a premium detail?
A premium detail involves everything in a full detail as well as steam cleaning the interior as needed; shampooing seat surfaces; carpet spot and stain removal; cleaning and conditioning leather seats; paint restoration; detailing logos and trim, and removing bugs and tar.

What's in a signature detail?
The signature detail involves everything already listed AND clay bar and triple buff that go above and beyond to protect your vehicle's exterior.

(If you've never heard of clay barring before, don't worry. Most haven't! Clay barring happens between the wash and the wax. It removes contaminants from your vehicle's paint — brake dust, dirt, and salt kicked up in the winter, and anything abrasive and small enough to be stuck in your paint so much that it can't get washed away with a normal wash. It takes some time because it's a pretty intensive process, but it makes a huge difference in the longevity of your paint and for rust prevention.)

Want to schedule your detailing? Have questions? Give Stanley Subaru a call 207-667-4641 today!

Who Was Here First?

By Bill Haviland, Abbe Museum Trustee
Previously published by Island Ad-Vantages, April 17, 2008

A question frequently asked of me is: Who were the original inhabitants of the Deer Isle region? The answer is a people who called themselves Etchemins (skicin in Passamaquoddy), meaning “real people” as opposed to animals, monsters, and other people. Their homeland, which stretched from the Kennebec to the Saint John River they called Ketakamigwa, meaning “the big land on the sea coast.” West of them lived a people the French called Armouchiquise, from the Etchemin word meaning “dog people.” Included among them were the Abenakis (“dawn land people”), whose homeland extended from the Kennebec to the Merrimack River, and west to Lake Champlain. Their name for themselves was Alnambak, meaning “real people”: the name Abenaki is what Indians living in Quebec called them.

North and east of the Etchemins lived people the French called Souriquois, known today as Mi’kmaqs (meaning “kin friends”). Their original name for themselves was U’nu’k meaning - guess what? - "humans” or “people.”

All these people spoke closely related languages and had long traded with one another. Animal hides and copper from mines in Nova Scotia were exchanged for corn and beans grown by the Abenakis. This peaceful exchange was upset in the sixteenth century with the arrival of the French in Mi’kmaq country. Redirecting their trade to these newcomers (called wenuj meaning “who is that?”) the Mi’kmaqs gained access to guns and sailing vessels, allowing them to raid their neighbors along the coast for the things they had earlier obtained through trade. Allied with them in this raiding were the Etchemins living east of Schoodic, who are known today as Passamaquoddys (“people of the pollack plenty place”) and Maliseets (or wolastoqiyik, "people of the beautiful river"). Collectively, these people were called Tarrentines (“traders”) by the English.

To defend themselves against these raiders from Downeast, the western Etchemins entered into an alliance with the Abenakis living between the Kennebec and Cape Neddick. Known as the Mawooshen Confederacy, the name means “band of people walking or acting together.” It was headed by a grand chief named Bashabas, whose headquarters was up the Penobscot River at the mouth of the Kenduskeag Stream. As was the custom when referring to people or things of exceptional prominence, he was often referred to as “The Bashabas.”

Disaster befell the Mawooshen Confederacy in 1615 when Mi’kmaq raiders managed to kill Bashabas. On top of this came “the great dying,” an epidemic that killed up to 90 percent of coastal populations. To replenish their numbers, the local Etchemins encouraged their surviving Abenaki allies, who were under pressure from the growth of English colonies to the south, to join their communities. It is these descendants of the old Mawooshen Confederacy who became known as Penobscots. Eventually, the Abenaki language became dominant among them, although some Etchemin words still persist today. Among the Passamaquoddy and Maliseet, by contrast, modern versions of the old Etchemin language are still spoken.

By 1700, in the face of continued pressures from the English, the Penobscots joined with other Abenakis as well as their former adversaries down east to form the Wabanaki ("dawn land”) Confederacy. On a grander scale, it represented a revival of the old Mawooshen idea. Still today, these people of northern New England and Canada’s Atlantic Provinces are collectively known as Wabanakis. 

About the Author
Dr. Bill Haviland is Professor Emeritus at the University of Vermont, where he founded the Department of Anthropology and taught for thirty-two years. He is a leader in his field and has written numerous research articles and books and lectured on such diverse topics as ancient Maya settlement patterns, social organization, skeletal remains, gender and graffiti in Tikal, and the culture history and present situation of Abenaki Indians in Vermont. Bill is now retired from teaching and continues research, writing, and lecturing from the coast of Maine. His most recent books are At the Place of the Lobsters and Crabs: Indian People and Deer Isle Maine 1605-2005 (2009) and Canoe Indians of Down East Maine (2012).

Guest Blogger Series
Our Guest Blogger Series is written by members of the Abbe Museum's Board of Trustees, Native Advisory Council, Staff, and special guest authors. It is a place to talk about the Museum's mission and related topics. Interested in becoming a Guest Blogger? Contact the Abbe's Director of Advancement, Heather Anderson, for more details at heather@abbemuseum.org. 

Wabanaki Artists Win Big at Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market

Jeremy Frey, Passamaquoddy, won first place in Division B baskets (natural or commercial fibers, any form) and Sarah Sockbeson, Penobscot, won second in the same division at the 59th annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market on March 4-5th, which draws nearly 15,000 visitors and more than 600 of the nation’s most outstanding and successful American Indian artists. Geo Neptune, Passamaquoddy, won Honorable Mention in Division A baskets (natural fibers and cultural forms) and a Judges Choice award in the same division.

"I'm just so honored to have my work recognized on the national stage," said Jeremy. "It's more than anyone can ask for and I am very humbled by this win. It's recognition like this that keeps me inspired and motivated to create new works."

Frey, who comes from a long line of Native weavers, specializes in ash fancy baskets, a traditional form of Wabanaki weaving. In 2011, Frey won Best of Show at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market and the Sante Fe Indian Market, the largest Native American Indian arts market. It is only the second time that someone has won both shows in the same year, and it was the first time in the Sante Fe Indian Market’s 90+ year history that a basket achieved the highest honor. His work has been featured at the Smithsonian, Museum of Art and Design in New York City, and in many other prominent museums around the country.

Sockbeson apprenticed with Jennifer Neptune, Penobscot, in 2004 and learned the history, techniques, and art that has become modern Native basketry. Soon thereafter, museums and collectors across the country began to recognize her incredible talent. Her unique style incorporates many different elements of traditional Wabanaki technique and she combines that with innovative colors to create a fresh, new approach to a timeless and beautiful art form. 

Former Abbe Museum Educator Geo Neptune took home ribbons for Honorable Mention in Division A baskets (natural fibers and cultural forms) and a Judges Choice award in the same division for his “Growth of a Transberry” baskets. 

"I dedicate this piece to the seven trans women who have been murdered in 2017,  Mesha, Jamie Lee, JoJo, Keke, Chyna, Ciara, and Jaquarrius," said Geo. "It represents my growth as an artist and the evolution of my berries, from largest and easiest to smallest and most difficult. I kept the women in mind while weaving these pieces, and considering how I will be examining my own gender identity and sexuality through my art in the future. I chose to make blackberries rather than strawberries because of the purple and green--colors of the non-binary/gender queer flag. Purple or lavender is blue and pink mixed together--the colors traditionally associated with boys and girls, and the green or chartreuse is the inverse of those colors combined, representing me as in the middle of the spectrum as well as outside of it all together. As I was weaving the berries, I wanted to have one for each trans woman murdered in 2017 so far but kept hearing that I should weave seven berries. As I was en route to Phoenix, I learned of Jaquarrius' death. So, before entering, I added a woven hummingbird, my personal signature for the final basket. Even though it was added for Jaquarrius, I believe the Hummingbird is Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, the native woman that was murdered. The eight flowers, representative of my spider totem that gives me my weaving ability and my connection to the divine feminine, and the missing and murdered indigenous women. As I just came out as trans/genderqueer and am making baskets under my new name, it felt important to do this piece this way, with the spiral of sweetgrass--mother earth's hair--spiraling between them, representing the intersectionality of my identities. I want it to be a message to two-spirit youth now and in the future: you are not alone, and you are loved.”

Other Wabanaki artists invited to attend the juried fair were Abbe Museum Trustee Jennifer Neptune, Penobscot, Molly Neptune Parker, Passamaquoddy, Gal Tomah, Passamaquoddy, Emma Soctomah, Passamaquoddy, Theresa Secord, Penobscot, Gina Brooks, Maliseet, Jason Brown and Donna Brown, Penobscot, with Decontie & Brown, and Alannah Barnes, Passamaquoddy. A complete list of winners can be found at http://heard.org/news. 

Welcome New Staff Members

We are excited to announce the arrival of two new staff members: Starr Kelly and Angela Raup. Please join us in welcoming them both to the Museum and Bar Harbor! We'll announce a few Meet and Greet dates soon that will give you all an opportunity to meet Starr and Angela and get to know them in their new roles. 

Starr Kelly is our Curator of Education. She is a member of the Algonquin First Nation of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg in Quebec. After growing up in Portland, Maine, she attended Colgate University in Hamilton, NY as an undergraduate in Native American Studies. She continued her education at Colgate receiving a Masters of Teaching in 2013, focusing her studies on secondary social studies.

A Gottesman fellow, Starr created original research on the lasting intergenerational trauma caused by the boarding school era among Native peoples in the U.S. and Canada. A topic that led to her thesis work in the area of decolonization practices as a means to address the needs of Native students and foster healing from historic trauma inflicted by colonial agendas.

As a middle and high school social studies teacher, Starr is a social justice oriented educator and has developed what she refers to as a "curriculum for dignity." Her lessons and pedagogical approach put theory into practice by honoring those she teaches about while simultaneously creating an environment which is responsive to the needs of her learners and dignifies her students' lived experiences. 

Starr is committed to language and cultural revitalization efforts in Indigenous communities. She is a traditional beadworker in both flat and raised beadwork mediums and enjoys hiking and live music in her spare time. 

Angela Raup is our Manager of Guest Experience. She originally hails from Smithfield, Rhode Island, but is no stranger to Mount Desert Island. She previously worked for College of the Atlantic’s Summer Field Studies Program, and for the Jordan Pond House Restaurant. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2012 with a degree in Anthropology and Writing, Angela moved to Washington, DC, where she began her museum career.

Angela spent two years as an Operations Manager at the National Museum of Crime and Punishment before accepting a position as Visitor Operations Manager of the United States Capitol. Serving under the 114th Congress, Angela facilitated daily operations at the Capitol Visitor Center and provided assistance and direction at Congressional events. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide and enjoys utilizing elements of storytelling to create meaningful guest experiences. Angela loves big breakfasts, chai lattes, graphic novels, and painting.

Abbe Museum and Machias Savings Bank Partner on Free Admission Program

Machias Savings Bank Branch Manager Matt Horton presents Abbe Museum President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko with a check in support of the Abbe's free admission program

The Abbe Museum will continue to offer free admission during select months in 2017, thanks to the generosity of Machias Savings Bank. Admission will be free February 2 - April 30 and November 1 - December 22, 2017.

"This year, Machias Savings Bank and the Abbe Museum celebrate 26 years as partners," said Branch Manager, Matt Horton. "We are pleased to commemorate this partnership by once again sponsoring the Abbe's free admission program, which offers an opportunity for more visitors to see the Museum's exceptional exhibits, projects, and programs."

As Maine’s first and only Smithsonian Affiliate, the Abbe’s free admission program aligns nicely with the Smithsonian’s goal of being easily accessible to the public, and it helps raise the Abbe’s statewide visibility as the only museum dedicated solely to sharing the story of the Wabanaki Nations. 

The Abbe staff is currently designing and installing two new exhibits, Twisted Path IV: Vital Signs and the 2017 Waponahki Student Art Show, both of which will open in April. In addition, the Museum’s new core exhibit, People of the First Light, is open and offers visitors a wide variety of content and perspectives around more than 12,000 years of history, conflict, adaptation, and survival in the Wabanaki homeland.

“Thanks to Machias Savings Bank, the Abbe’s statewide visibility continues to grow in the off-season through this free admission program, drawing more repeat Maine visitors every year,” said Abbe Museum President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “Since close to 80% of our visitors come from more than 120 miles away, and are typically one-time visitors, the free admission program has catered to Maine residents, which is an audience we’ve been trying to engage with more often since we opened our downtown location back in 2001.”

The Abbe is currently open Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm, through April 30, 2017. From May 1 through October 31, 2017, the Museum will be open seven days a week. The Abbe’s Acadia National Park location at Sieur de Monts Spring will be open seven days a week from mid-May to mid-October. Please visit abbemuseum.org for more details. 

Twisted Path Returns to the Abbe Museum

The Abbe Museum is excited to announce that the critically acclaimed Twisted Path exhibit series is back and will celebrate its fourth year in 2017. Twisted Path IV: Vital Signs is an invitational exhibition that features artwork that reflects personal stories about tribal identity and balancing life in a complex world. The exhibit opens on Friday, April 7, 2017, and an opening reception will be held that evening from 5-7 pm. 

“It's been exciting for me to work in a curatorial capacity for this exhibit,” said Abbe Museum President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “Twisted Path is always a conversation starter and with the artists invited to participate this year, I know that new understandings about tribal community health will be revealed. Contemporary art will be the mechanism to start the conversation.”

The title Twisted Path is based on a traditional beadwork pattern of the same name, describing a back and forth or meandering quality. It is symbolic of Native artists alternating between two cultures, striving to preserve historical and spiritual traditions while experiencing modern lifestyles and new art forms.

Twisted Path IV: Vital Signs will invite audiences to consider Native American concerns about personal and community health and wellness through the medium of contemporary art. Artists’ works will express emotional and cultural reflections on the human condition in tribal communities. The American Indian and Alaska Native people have long experienced lower health status when compared with other Americans. Lower life expectancy and the disproportionate disease burden exist perhaps because of inadequate education, disparate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences. These are the broad quality of life issues rooted in economic adversity and poor social conditions. Artist responses to this topic will be both hopeful and challenging and invite the audience to consider how these health disparities are a direct result of the colonization process. Educational programming around the exhibit's theme will be offered throughout the year. 

Participating artists were chosen based on the aesthetics of their work, their ability and willingness to tell stories through art, and the unique and contemporary natures of their forms. The list includes Jason K. Brown (Penobscot), Donna Brown (Penobscot), David Moses Bridges (Passamaquoddy), Chris Pappan (Kaw, Osage, Cheyenne River Sioux), Hollis Chitto (Laguna/Isleta, Mississippi Choctaw), and Shaax' Saani (Tlingit). 

“The Abbe staff and trustees are deeply saddened by the passing of David Moses Bridges on January 20, 2017,” said Catlin-Legutko. “His death is an incredible loss to the Passamaquoddy community and his Abbe family, and we are very honored that his grieving family shares our vision to include David in Twisted Path in memoriam. His art will continue to speak to us through this exhibit.”

The opening reception on April 7, from 5-7 pm, is free and open to the public. Guests are invited to celebrate with curatorial staff, artists, and fellow supporters while snacking on refreshments from local eateries. All guests must RSVP online or to RSVP@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519. 

The Abbe Museum is currently open Thursday-Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, and thanks to the generosity of Machias Savings Bank, admission is free through April. The Museum is open seven days a week from May 1 – October 31st every year. 

Amy Lonetree Lecture on Decolonizing Museums

The Abbe Museum is excited to announce that Dr. Amy Lonetree, Ho-Chunk, will give a free lecture on Decolonizing Museums: New Directions, Ongoing Challenges at the Museum on February 1, 2017, at 7 pm. Lonetree is a leading scholar on Indigenous history, visual culture studies, museum studies, and decolonization.

“We are incredibly honored that Amy is giving this talk at the Museum, especially since decolonization has been our touchstone and guiding principle for many years,” said Abbe President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “We’ve been a resource and a model that the museum field turns to for ideas, solutions, and strategies for comprehensive museum decolonization.”

As applied to the relationship of institutions such as museums to the Native people of the United States, “decolonization” means, at a minimum, sharing authority for the documentation and interpretation of Native culture. Traditional museum practices of exhibiting, collecting, and programming have informed the collective memories of museum-goers while dehumanizing Native history and creating colonizing museum spaces. Emotional, spiritual, and physical harm is done when these colonized spaces and practices are not acknowledged and addressed. As explained by Lonetree in her 2012 book Decolonizing Museums, “Museums can be very painful sites for Native peoples, as they are intimately tied to the colonization process.” 

Lonetree’s talk will focus on the current state of contemporary exhibition practice with, by, and for Native Americans at both national and tribal museums. Central to her analysis is exploring how museums can serve as sites of decolonization by privileging Indigenous knowledge and worldview, challenging the stereotypical representations of Native people produced in the past, and discussing the hard truths of colonization in exhibitions in an effort to promote healing and understanding.  

“As a scholar focusing on the history of the relationship between Indigenous communities and museums, I am heartened to see the amazing work happening at the Abbe Museum,” said Lonetree. “Their willingness to discuss the knowledge they have gained with other museum professionals is impressive, and I would be honored to assist them in these endeavors based on my academic background in museum studies and Native American history. I am confident that the important conversations that take place at the Museum will enable all to arrive at new understandings of how best to move forward with efforts to decolonize museums.”

To learn more about the Abbe Museum’s decolonization practices, please check out our Strategic Plan. This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, or to reserve a seat, please contact the Abbe at 207-288-3519 or RSVP@abbemuseum.org. 

About Amy Lonetree
Dr. Amy Lonetree is an enrolled citizen of Ho-Chunk Nation and is an Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her scholarly work focuses on the representation of Native American history and memory in national and tribal museums and she has conducted research at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, British Museum, Mille Lacs Indian Museum in Minnesota, and the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways in Michigan. Her publications include, Decolonizing Museums: Representing Native America in National and Tribal Museums (University of North Carolina Press, 2012); a co-edited book with Amanda J. Cobb, The National Museum of the American Indian: Critical Conversations (University of Nebraska Press, 2008); and a co-authored volume, People of the Big Voice: Photographs of Ho-Chunk Families by Charles Van Schaick, 1879-1942 (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2011). She is currently working on a visual history of the Ho-Chunk Nation from 1879-1960.

In Memoriam

Abbe Museum trustee David Moses Bridges passed away on Friday, January 20, 2017. David was a kind and generous artist, and his contributions and accolades are numerous. Internationally known for his art, canoe-building, and activism, David was also known as a loving husband, father, and friend. He never hesitated standing up when he needed to, and he always said what needed to be said. Our hearts go out to his family and the Sipayik community as they wrap their minds around this loss and fill their hearts with his smile, humor, creativity, and love.  

Many people have asked how they can make a donation in memory of David, and you are welcome to make a gift directly to his family via The DMB Fund Facebook page. 

The Portland Press Herald and Bangor Daily News published touching tributes in the days following David's passing. 

We Must Decolonize our Museums

“Museums can be very painful sites for Native peoples, as they are intimately tied to the colonization process,” writes Ho-Chunk scholar Amy Lonetree. Reading this passage for the first time in 2012 stopped Abbe President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko in her tracks and forced her to ask herself "How does the work I do cause another person’s pain and anguish? How dare I ignore this pain?" She can’t ignore it, and she would hope most of us can’t ignore it. But for many museum workers, this intertwined colonial history isn’t discussed or represented in their institutions.

In the following talk, recorded at TEDxDirigo in Portland, Maine on November 5, 2016, Cinnamon shares the urgency of museum decolonizing practices and describe some of the work the Abbe Museum is doing.

Status of PKMDI

The PKMDI coordinators are taking a much-needed break after the Centennial session in September 2016, which was our biggest PKMDI event to date (320 attendees)! We're going to spend 2017 reassessing PKMDI and figuring out what the future might look like. We’ll be back with an update probably in early 2018. Thanks for your patience!

Abbe Museum Launches New Website

The Abbe Museum has launched a new website that offers users a fresh way to interact with the Museum. Key features of the site include a cleaner and more attractive design, a more engaging user experience with enhanced search and navigation, and an easy to use events calendar.

Featuring an eclectic arrangement of content set against a simple white background and a responsive design optimized for viewing on all platforms—desktop, tablet, and smartphone— the website has a clean, accessible look and feel that reflects the spirit of the Abbe's downtown Bar Harbor facility.

“As a cultural institution, the Abbe Museum has a responsibility to connect with the wider community beyond Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island,” said Abbe President and CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “Our redesigned website serves as a powerful resource to visitors from around the world, in person and virtually.”

Modern and clean, abbemuseum.org is filled with beautiful images, art, and engaging content. You'll find it much easier to explore events, exhibitions, and the Abbe’s extensive collections. Functionality and design highlights include:

• Responsive design which ensures an optimal experience on any device
• A focus on stunning images
• Dynamic educational content
• Advanced search functionality, which provides unprecedented access to the Museum and all it has to offer 
• Built for integration of the ongoing online collections project

Still to come are the Abbe Blog and enhanced video and audio integration. Updates will also be made to the Education pages over the course of the next few months.

All of the new site’s dynamic features complement the cutting-edge Smithsonian level curatorial work and research undertaken at the Abbe Museum, while also encouraging more prolonged engagement from visitors both near and far.

“There are many museum websites that you visit only to find out when the museum is open and how much admission costs,” said Abbe Director of Advancement Heather Anderson. “We wanted our website to offer more. It's intended to invite multiple, in-depth visits.”

Abbe Museum Welcomes New Trustees

The Abbe Museum has added two new members to its Board of Trustees, bringing the total number of Trustees to 20. The new appointees, Mary Herman and Roger Milliken, assumed their new roles on October 21, 2016. Abbe Trustee William Haviland was elected to a third term earlier this year.

“Both Roger and Mary offer a state-wide perspective that we are always looking to add to boardroom conversations,” said Abbe President/CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “We really see ourselves as a state-wide educational resource and their experiences and connections will certainly help us deepen our purpose. And, for the past few years, we’ve made great strides in our efforts, adding board members from the tribal communities and from across New England.” 

Mary J. Herman serves on the University of New England Board and is a former member of the Maine Women’s Lobby and Safe Passage boards. After graduating college in the Midwest, she moved east, first to teach in Washington, DC, then to attend graduate school in Boston. In 1973, Herman moved to Calais (and then Perry) Maine where she worked in the Passamaquoddy basket store and was a teacher aide on Peter Dana Point. During this time she taught prenatal classes and eventually directed the family planning program for Downeast Health Services.

In 1981, Herman began work for The Maine Women’s Lobby. Following two years at the Lobby, she joined what was to become Cohen-Herman Associates and eventually Mary J Herman Associates, a public policy consulting lobbying and association management firm. She is married to Angus King and lives in Brunswick, Maine.

Roger Milliken is President and CEO of the Baskahegan Company, which owns and manages 120,000 acres of family forestland in eastern Maine. Baskahegan is a recognized leader in Maine’s forest products industry, known for its commitment to managing for timber while respecting the dynamics of natural systems. Baskahegan’s forest has been green-certified by the Forest Stewardship Council since 2004.

Milliken is a Director of Milliken & Co, and a Trustee of the Northern Forest Center. He and his wife Margot serve on the Advisory Board of the American Indian Institute. Roger served on the (global) Board of Directors of the Nature Conservancy from 2000-2011, chairing the board for the last three years of his term. He previously chaired the Maine Chapter of the Conservancy and the Advisory Board of the Manomet Forest Conservation Program.

The Abbe Museum Trustees also include: Ann Cox Halkett (Chair), Richard Cleary (Vice Chair), Curtis Simard (Secretary) Jeff Dalrymple (Treasurer), David Moses Bridges (Passamaquoddy), Joseph F. Cistone, Linda K. Dunn, William Haviland, Abbe Levin, Jamie Bissonette Lewey (Abenaki), Margo Lukens, Jennifer Neptune (Penobscot), Patricia DiIanni Selig, Douglas Sharpe, Chris Sockalexis (Penobscot), Sandra K. Wilcox, and Honorary Trustees Alice Wellman and Darren J. Ranco (Penobscot).

Backyard Bash at the Abbe Museum

The inaugural Backyard Bash at the Abbe Museum was a huge success! More than 250 people stopped by to sample the delicious food, play some fun games, listen to show-stopping live music, check out the Wabanaki artist booths, and peruse all the amazing items in our silent auction. Word on the street is everyone had a blast and some are already asking about next year. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this event possible!

Anonymous
Atlantic Brewing Company
Bangor Daily News
Bar Harbor Catering Company
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company
BHA, LLC
Blaze
Cadillac Mountain Sports
Coca Cola
Dawland Tours, LLC
Dead River Company
Decontie & Brown
Frogpipe
Havana
L.S. Robinson Company
Gus La Casse
Leary’s Landing
Lynam Agency -Insurance and Real Estate
MDI High School students
MDI Ice Cream
MPBN
Mt. Dessert Bakery
Martha Newell
Bonnie Newsom
Molly Neptune Parker
PeekyToe Provisions
Project Social
Queen Anne’s Flower Shop
Siam Orchid
Side Street Cafe
Stanley Subaru
Tea House 278 / Tea Garden Tea Company
Lisa Tompkins

And, finally, a HUGE thank you to all our amazing silent auction donors!

Tea & Pops Archaeology on October 17th

ACADIA CENTENNIAL LECTURE: Is Archaeology Still Relevant In The 21st Century?

Presented by Rebecca Cole-Will, Chief of Resource Management at Acadia National Park

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. This Act transformed the practice of archaeology and change has been rapid and existential in the discipline since then. Rebecca Cole-Will will reflect on how archaeology has evolved, the current role of archaeology in the National Park Service, and where the study of the past may lead us in the future. Tea and popovers will be served after the lecture.

Rebecca Cole-Will is the Chief of Resource Management at Acadia National Park. She has done archaeological research in Maine and the Canadian Arctic and was the curator at the Abbe Museum before joining the National Park Service. She has a BA in anthropology from the University of Maine and an MA in anthropology from the University of Alberta.

Monday, October 17, 2016, from 7-9 pm.

$20 members, $30 non-members.

For reservations, please contact the Abbe Museum at 207-288-3519 or email rsvp@abbemuseum.org.

Abbe Museum will Host Return of the River Film Screening

The Abbe Museum will host an exclusive program around the documentary Return of the River on Monday, September 26, 2016, from 6-8 pm. The writer, director, and co-producer of the film, Jessica Plumb, along with Wabanaki panelists, will discuss the importance of the film as it pertains to relatable issues currently happening in Maine.

"I am particularly thrilled to share the Elwha River’s remarkable story at the Abbe Museum, because of the Museum’s commitment to contemporary Native culture in Maine,” said Plumb. “Return of the River features an unlikely success story for environmental and cultural restoration. The film follows members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, working with activists to attempt the impossible: to change the public opinion of a town and eventually the nation to bring two dams down."

Filmed over four years, Return of the River is a narrative with global ramifications, exploring the complex relationship between communities and the environment that sustains them. The Elwha River is the ancestral home of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who witnessed firsthand the impact of two dams on the river and its legendary fish runs.

The film addresses environmental justice issues that resonate far beyond the Pacific Northwest. The Penobscot River, for example, has been home for the Penobscot Nation for generations. It is a vital part of their identity, a source of sustenance, and a place of connection and contention with outsiders since the first arrival of European explorers. Protection of the river, their ancestral home, continues to be of critical importance to the Penobscot Nation.

All Wabanaki peoples make their homes on and around rivers. The Passamaquoddy live along the St. Croix River watershed and the bays it feeds. The Maliseet, the People of the Beautiful River in their own language, live along the St. John. The Aroostook Band of Micmac live along the upper reaches of the Penobscot and St. John Rivers, while Mi’kmaq bands in Canada reach from the St. Lawrence the rivers of Nova Scotia and bays of Newfoundland.

"I grew up in Maine, and I wish that I’d had a chance to learn a complete history of my home state, now beautifully revealed at the Abbe Museum,” said Plumb. “As a filmmaker, I’ve been witness to an exceptional story in the Pacific Northwest, exploring environmental justice issues that resonate far beyond the region. It’s a special pleasure to return to Maine with this film, and to stand with Maine tribes working on river issues."

To learn more about the film, please visit www.elwhafilm.com. This program is free and open to the public and is sponsored and generously supported by the Quimby/St.Clair family. For more information, please contact the Abbe Museum at 207-288-3519 or info@abbemuseum.org.

About Jessica Plumb
Producer and writer Jessica Plumb is a filmmaker focused on the relationship between people and the places they call home. She moved to the Olympic Peninsula a decade ago, after starting her career in Boston and Beijing. Jessica directs a video production company and has produced numerous educational and promotional videos for clients. She has worked on documentary and narrative films screened at festivals in the role of editor, and behind the camera, and have created award-winning short films best described as video poetry. Her video art films have been screened in galleries throughout the United States. Jessica holds a B.A. from Yale University and an interdisciplinary MFA from Goddard College. She also studied documentary film at 911 Media in Seattle and the New School University in New York. See www.plumbproductions.com for more.  

The Fall PechaKucha MDI Event Celebrates Acadia

The Abbe Museum, Northeast Harbor Library, and Southwest Harbor Public Library are proud to present PechaKucha MDI (PKMDI) Night on Friday, September 30, 2016, from 5:30 - 7:30 pm atThe 1932 Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor. This special themed event features a series of presentations celebrating Acadia National Park on its 100th birthday. The event is free and open to the public.

“PechaKucha events are always surprising and entertaining,” said Southwest Harbor Public Librarian and PKMDI organizer Lisa Murray. “It’s not just about learning, it’s about meeting people in our community and gaining some insight into their lives. I walk away at the end of the night inspired,  impressed, and brimming with knowledge. Our community is full of talent and passion!”

In the usualPechaKucha format, each presenter is allotted 20 slides, advanced automatically every 20 seconds. The presentations revolve around Acadia National Park’s Centennial Celebration and will include hiking Acadia’s 10 highest peaks, natural history, traffic issues then and now, and a behind the scenes look at the search and rescue team.

Speakers include Jack Russell, Lynne Dominy, Julia (Clark) Gray, Tim Garrity, Amy Niemczura, Johannah Blackman, Hope Rowan, Davin O'Connell, Suzanne Greenlaw, and Mike Hays.

A special free Centennial ticket will be required to enter the event, which you can pick up in advance at the Abbe Museum, Northeast Harbor Library, or Southwest Harbor Public Library. You can also get tickets the night of the event. The box office will open at 4:30 pm on Friday, September 30th, and concession stands will be open during the event.

PKMDI is held three times a year at to be determined venues all over Mount Desert Island. For more details about the event, including the full line-up of speakers, please visitpkmdi.com and www.facebook.com/pkmdi. For information on how to become a participant, please visit pkmdi.com.

About PechaKucha
PechaKucha, literally translated as “chit chat” or “blah blah” in Japanese, was created by Klein Dytham Architecture in Tokyo in 2003 as an opportunity for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has since gone viral, and turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in more than 700 cities around the world, inspiring creativity worldwide. www.pechakucha.org

Improvements to Acadia National Park infrastructure to be completed this fall

Beginning on September 6, 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) will close Seawall Campground and certain visitor facilities at Sieur de Monts in Acadia National Park to complete major improvements to the septic systems that serve those areas.  Island Explorer bus stops at Seawall Campground and Sieur de Monts will be relocated during the construction. Both projects are expected to be completed by the end of November.

At Sieur de Monts, the Abbe Museum, Nature Center, and restrooms will be closed for the season beginning September 6. Access to hiking trails and the Wild Gardens of Acadia will remain open, and portable toilets will be available. Parking will be available for a limited number of cars, but buses and RVs will be prohibited from entering Sieur de Monts during construction. The Island Explorer will continue its regular fall service with the Sieur de Monts stop relocated to the Park Loop Road for the outbound Sand Beach route (#3) and to Otter Creek Road (State Route 3) near the park entrance for the inbound Sand Beach route (#3) and both directions for the Loop Road route (#4).

The last night of camping for the season at Seawall Campground will be September 5. Visitors who would like to camp in Acadia should check for availability at Blackwoods and Schoodic Woods campgrounds online at recreation.gov.  The Island Explorer’s Southwest Harbor route (#7) will continue its regular fall service with the Seawall Campground stop relocated to Seawall Road (State Route 102A) at the entrance to the campground.  The Seawall Picnic Area will remain open and restrooms will be available there through September. Visitors will continue to have non-motorized access to Hio Road through the campground.

During construction, visitors may also encounter temporary one-lane closures on the Park Loop Road near Sieur de Monts and on Seawall Road across from Seawall Campground.

“We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of visitors as we complete essential upgrades to the septic systems at Seawall Campground and Sieur de Monts,” said Superintendent Kevin Schneider. “These improvements will provide better service to park visitors and enhance the protection of the environment.”

For the latest information on the Island Explorer bus service, please call 207-288-4573 or visitwww.exploreacadia.com. For updates on the closures and other park information, please call 207-288-3338 or visitwww.nps.gov/acad.  Please join Acadia’s online conversations atwww.facebook.com/AcadiaNPS and https://twitter.com/AcadiaNPS.

This information was provided by:
Acadia National Park News Release
Release Date:  August 31, 2016
Contact:  John Kelly, john_t_kelly@nps.gov, 207-288-8703

Kindling Fund Grants for Visual Artists Working in the State of Maine

SPACE Gallery in Portland, Maine has announced its third round of Kindling Fund grants for visual artists working in the state of Maine.

Initiated in 2014, theKindling Fund provides grants to artist­organized projects that have a strong public component. The most competitive projects are ones which don’t fit in established venues, but rather occur in unconventional spaces or as site­specific presentations.

The Kindling Fund is a part of the Regional Regranting Program of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. This program matches Warhol Foundation support with localized partner organizations who value artist­driven contemporary and independent practices.

SPACE is one of ten other regranting projects around the United States, bringing a new kind of support to the state of Maine. Artists may request between $1,500 and $5,000 for their projects.

This is the third year SPACE has offered the Kindling Fund to Maine artists. Over the past two years, a total of 20 Kindling Fund grants has been awarded. Past projects supported by The Kindling Fund have included The Chart, an online arts journal for artists, writers and cultural producers to write and create traditional and experimental art criticism (2015); The Institute for American Art, an educational organization designed as a museum and located within a domestic home (2015); and New Fruit, a women­run alternative arts space located in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood (2016).

The Kindling Fund feeds the energy of Maine’s visual arts community by funding artist­organized projects that engage the public in ways that are both inventive and meaningful. The Kindling Fund values risk, experimentation, unconventional engagement, critical dialogue, and collaboration. Successful projects reach new audiences and create new models for presenting artists’ work. The mission of SPACE Gallery is to present contemporary, emerging and unconventional arts, artists and

ideas. The Kindling Fund extends this mission around Maine, beyond the reach and capacities of SPACE as an organization.

A series of informational sessions will be held around the state which will provide opportunities for potential applicants to learn more and ask questions:

• SPACE Gallery (Portland) will host a session at its location at 538 Congress Street on Tuesday, September 13 from 6-­7 pm
• Engine Gallery (Biddeford) will host a session on Wednesday, September 14 from 6-­7 pm
• Launchpad (Bangor) will host a session on Thursday, September 15 from 6-­7 pm
• The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (Rockland) will host a session on Monday, September 19 from 6­-7 pm
• The Abbe Museum (Bar Harbor) will host a session on Tuesday, September 20 from 5­-6 pm
• SPACE will hold an information session and budget workshop on Saturday, October 1 from 11 am - 12 pm

All information sessions are free and open to the public. Applications are to be submitted online (www.kindlingfund.org/apply).

The deadline to submit grant applications is October 22 at 11:59 PM. 

For more information, visit www.kindlingfund.org or reach out to SPACE at the contact details noted below:

SPACE Gallery
538 Congress St.
Portland, ME 04101
207-828-5600
www.space538.orgContact: Elizabeth Spavento, Visual Arts Programmer / elizabeth@space538.org

About SPACE Gallery
Established in 2002, SPACE Gallery is a nonprofit contemporary art space that presents visual arts exhibitions, live music and performance, film screenings, artists talks, literary events, and more, for a sum of approximately 200 events and 15 exhibitions each year.

About The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts was established in 1987 for the advancement of the visual arts. The Foundation’s objective is to foster innovative artistic expression and the creative process by encouraging and supporting cultural organizations that in turn, directly or indirectly, support artists and their work. The Foundation values the contribution these organizations make to artists and audiences and to society as a whole by supporting, exhibiting, and interpreting a broad spectrum of contemporary artistic practice.