October Artist: Steve Maines
We’re excited to exhibit the work of Abbot photographer Steve Maines at the Thompson Free Library this October! Steve has traveled the world as a photographer and is the author of “Dancing with Spirit: Reflections from the Mirror of Life.” Stop by the library on Saturday, October 6 from 10-11:30 am to meet Steve and purchase a copy of his book!
Artist’s Statement:
I was born in Bar Harbor, Maine. At age 2 my family moved to the Bangor area. I attended school in Holden, high school at Brewer, and college at the University of Maine, Orono. Then I went off into the world to find a job as a paper mill engineer. I was drafted and spent 3 years in the army, the last year in Vietnam.
I returned home only to find that paper mills were closing down and laying off people. I moved to Australia and got a job there as a photo chemist. Two years later, my wife and I took a year off and hitchhiked across Australia, bought a car and drove to London, then flew home. I spent the entire year studying photography, and upon arrival, announced my new career as a photographer.
I moved to Greenville, did some photography for the ski area and worked for the Moosehead Gazette. Two years later, I moved to Guilford and opened a photography studio. I continued on as a photographer 12 years in Guilford, 10 years in Cape Elizabeth, and 14 years in Abbot.
During the past 35 years I spent 2 to 3 weeks most winters traveling, mainly to developing countries and working as a photographer for the relief agencies (Care, UNICEF and many others). Most of the photos exhibited were taken during this period.
I now live with my wife, Martha, and son, Sam, here in Abbot. We live in a log home that I built with a lot of help from a friend. We used mainly local, environmentally friendly construction materials. We have solar power for all of our electrical needs, heat the house with wood, and have a good sized vegetable garden.
Eight years ago, at 66, I picked up a fiddle, and just to prove that “you could teach an old dog new tricks,” I am learning to play it. My current passions are traveling, working with students, and playing the fiddle.
