Maine Arts Commission: The Artwork of Colin Page Exhibited in Maine’s State Capitol

The Maine Arts Commission is proud to announce that the artwork of Colin Page is now on display in Maine’s Capitol complex as part of the agency’s Arts in the Capitol program. The exhibit, titled Colin Page: Recent Paintings, has been generously loaned by the Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, and will remain on display until the end of September.

Colin Page paints the poetry he sees in life around him. A disciplined and hard worker, Page paints outside every day, weather permitting, in order to capture the light and atmosphere of his chosen scenes. Landscapes are his mainstay, however, within that genre, he also focuses on somewhat unexpected subjects such as abandoned, rusting gears; gasoline pumps; bait barrels, and telephone poles and wires. These scenes, like his more traditional subjects depicting the land and sea, are rich in color, mood, and nuance. For instance, Tractor (2009), shown above, is a lyrical painting depicting an old tractor resting in fields evoking the calm of the end of the day. The painting achieves an overall sense of tranquility and suggests that it is dusk because the red used to paint the tractor quietly mingles (rather than contrasts as it would if it were high noon) with the greens of the field and forest.

Perhaps the most remarkable characteristics about Page’s paintings are his elegant brushstrokes that evidence not only skill but an astounding ability to sensitively record what he observes. Secret Rock (2009) depicts the interior of a forest darkened by a canopy of tall trees. Bright green moss on top of a rock cave almost glows in the otherwise dark browns of the rocks and trees. It is easy to imagine the pungent smell of the damp earth in the cool air. As one moves closer to investigate the mysterious place, the painting’s realism disperses into a series of expertly rendered brush strokes thereby forever protecting the site’s secret.

Colin Page was raised in Baltimore, MD and attended the Rhode Island School of Design. He transferred to Cooper Union with a concentration on painting. Upon graduation he lived in New York City for three years where he was an active member in the art world. In search of a more diverse landscape, Page moved to Maine where he also found more time to devote to his art. One of Page’s paintings, held in the corporate collection of L. L. Bean, was chosen as the cover of the summer 2010 L.L. Bean catalog.