Art Advocacy Panel
This program is generously sponsored as a part of our William and Arlene Brewster Lecture Series.
About the Panelists
Maria Oakley
My work explores elements of Culture, Womanhood, Armament, and Place. I seek a discourse with the contrasts I travel within. To have beauty there must be death.
Jim Wolcott
My current work has become quite complex in technique, texture, and color. I have expanded my techniques and materials through constant experimenta- tion and revision. Grids, both formal and informal, play an important role for me compositionally and emotionally. Making art is an anxiety-inducing activity. Grids calm me and my paintings. I believe they ground my artistic instincts and allow me to more fluidly explore my visual interests.
Michael Rodriguez Torrent
My hope is that this discussion encourages reflection and dialogue about whose stories are valued and remembered in our city, and why. While acknowledging the painful events that have shaped Portsmouth, I also aim to highlight the ongoing efforts to uncover and elevate BIPOC narratives. History—as we present it today—is not set in stone; it changes and grows as the result of choices we make collectively.
Emily Cady
Emily Cady, an illustrator and screen printer based in southern Maine, expresses her deep love for growing, cooking, and sharing food through her artwork. Rooted in themes of domesticity and nostalgia, her work often reflects the inti- mate moments tied to generational traditions and everyday acts of sustenance.
