About the Speers Gallery
In 2011, the gallery in Hank's Room was named the Speers Gallery in honor of Mike Speers, former Library Trustee and Friend of the Library, who was the inspiration of the Gallery.
Speers Gallery Exhibit Applications, Policy, and Procedures
We are currently accepting applications to exhibit in 2025.
Dear Artists,
The Kennebunk Free Library’s Speers Gallery provides a space devoted to exhibiting artwork of local artists. Located on the lower level, the Speers Gallery offers the opportunity for the general public to appreciate the arts in a manner that reflects the Library's mission to inspire and enable our communities to discover, learn, and connect.
We are currently inviting artists to apply to exhibit for a month in 2025. In November 2024, we will convene an art committee, consisting of members from the Library and art communities, to review the completed applications and set a monthly exhibit schedule for 2025. Please note that applications must be received by Friday, October 18, 2024.
Our application form and exhibit policies and procedures are linked below. I hope that you will consider applying to Exhibit in 2025. Please note that there is a $25.00 fee to exhibit and an additional fee of $10.00 to hold a reception. Payment is not due until the month of your exhibit. If you have any questions regarding this process, please feel free to contact me via phone 985-2173 x103 or email at mconners@kennebunklibrary.org.
Sincerely,
Michelle K. Conners
Director
Current Speers Gallery Exhibit
Aug 2-26: “Whimsical Works on Paper” by Laima Vince
The Speers Gallery at the Kennebunk Free Library presents the exhibit “Whimsical Works on Paper” by Laima Vince. The exhibit runs August 2-26 with an opening reception on Saturday, August 3 from 11:00 am - 12:45 pm.
Laima is an artist, teacher and literary translator based in Kennebunk, Maine and Vilnius, Lithuania. She has artistic training from the School of Visual Arts, Rutgers University, Hunter College, Columbia University, and the University of Southern Maine. She has exhibited in both Europe and the US. Her exhibit in Kennebunk features big, colorful paintings done in oil and in gouache.
Regarding the “whimsical” part of her exhibit title, Laima says “Through imagination, the artist lives on in the world of childhood, even as an adult. The stories, dreams, fears, and joys experienced in childhood live on inside the artist’s mind and become real again on the canvas or on a sheet of paper. This exhibit of paintings leads the viewer inside the landscape of imagination of my inner child. The mystical and magical characters in these paintings are images that I remember from fairy tales, stories, folk myths, and my dreams.”
Kennebunk Free Library is pleased to showcase this fun and unique exhibit.
Speers Gallery Artists for 2024
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Month |
Artist |
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January 2024 |
Kathie Mahoney “Coming Full Circle” Watercolor & Mixed Media |
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February 2024 |
Maryfrances Smith “Barn Quilts: An Interior View” Acrylics on Board & Canvas |
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March 2024 |
Alexsandra Jean “Healing Through Nature & Photography” Photography |
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April 2024
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Creative Eight Quilters “What Friendship Looks Like in Fabric” Fiber Art |
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May 2024 |
The New School & The School Around Us Mixed Media Art |
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June 2024 |
L. Randal Boyd “Seeking the Quiet Within” Oils, Stabilo Graphite, Prints |
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July 2024 |
Helen Olson “Reimagining Reality” Acrylics |
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August 2024 |
Laima Vince “Whimsical Works on Paper” Oil & Gouache |
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September 2024 |
"Kid Creations" Children's art created at KFL |
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October 2024 |
"Kid Creations" Children's art created at KFL |
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November 2024 |
Sally Berry Glenn “Coastal Maine Oil Paintings” Oil |
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December 2024
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Noelle Argenti “Photos by Noelle” Photography |
Maine Children's Book Illustrators Gallery
The KFL Maine Children’s Book Illustrators Gallery, houses original works of art from children’s books by Maine illustrators. Represented artists include Barbara Cooney, Dahlov Ipcar and Kevin Hawkes. It was created in 1995, following the expansion of the Library, and is a wonderful means of educating patrons of the richness and diversity of Maine artists. It also serves to promote literacy by presenting literature in a visual form to the young and young at heart. The Gallery is located on the lower floor in the Library and is open to the public whenever the library is open.
Pictured above is a photograph of the Maine Children’s Book Illustrators Gallery, with benches below for patrons to have a seated view of the art.