University of Southern Maine Art Galleries

The University of Southern Maine’s 2026 Artist-in-Residence is Peter Bruun. His "Even As We Grieve" project explores how human connection helps us endure and transform experiences of pain, loss, and crisis. Prior to this exhibition, Bruun collaborated with eight organizations centered on care for people navigating some of life’s most difficult times. In response to Bruun’s invitation to participate in "Even As We Grieve," Greater Portland Family Promise gathered more than 60 members of its community in late March for pizza, games, and art making. Most come from immigrant families; some spoke no English. Everyone found ways to help — with translation, or whatever else was needed. The day was a natural expression of the mutual aid that makes Family Promise so valued by those it serves. One section of "Even As We Grieve" features artwork created that afternoon. Ishmael, 12, drew this scene to remember a beach trip organized by Family Promise for new immigrant families. “I’m trying to represent the beach,” he says. Since arriving in the U.S. just over two years ago, he’s learned English and now helps his family as a translator. The trip was a joy for him and his family — they swam, played soccer, and shared time together. “Family Promise means a lot to me,” he says. Greater Portland Family Promise is Maine’s chapter of a national organization working with families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, many of whom are immigrants, helping families achieve sustainable independence through housing, food, guidance, and community. At a moment when simply being an immigrant is fraught, Family Promise offers support, protection, and belonging. Don't miss "Even As We Grieve," on view at the Crewe Center for the Arts through July 31. Special thanks to the OniBruun Studios | Peter Bruun | Artist, who supported this project's community outreach. #communityart #griefjourney @bruunstudios @gpfamilypromise

The University of Southern Maine’s 2026 Artist-in-Residence is Peter Bruun. His "Even As We Grieve" project explores how human connection helps us endure and transform experiences of pain, loss, and crisis. Prior to this exhibition, Bruun collaborated with eight organizations centered on care for people navigating some of life’s most difficult times. In response to Bruun’s invitation to participate in "Even As We Grieve," Greater Portland Family Promise gathered more than 60 members of its community in late March for pizza, games, and art making. Most come from immigrant families; some spoke no English. Everyone found ways to help — with translation, or whatever else was needed. The day was a natural expression of the mutual aid that makes Family Promise so valued by those it serves. One section of "Even As We Grieve" features artwork created that afternoon. As an artist and immigrant, Erika often paints birds to convey spirit and relationships. In this piece, two intertwined birds show the support and friendship offered by Family Promise. With her son Miguel translating, she shares that the birds also symbolize the freedom she feels in the U.S. Even during the ICE surge, when she stayed home for safety, Family Promise delivered food and stayed connected, affirming her place in her new home country. Greater Portland Family Promise is Maine’s chapter of a national organization working with families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, many of whom are immigrants, helping families achieve sustainable independence through housing, food, guidance, and community. At a moment when simply being an immigrant is fraught, Family Promise offers support, protection, and belonging. Don't miss "Even As We Grieve," on view at the Crewe Center for the Arts through July 31. Special thanks to the Onion Foundation, who supported this project's community outreach. #communityart #griefjourney @gpfamilypromise @bruunstudios

In less than two weeks we welcome the opening of “You Once Had An Aunt” at the University of Southern Maine Gorham Art Gallery! A solo exhibiton by 2026 Artist-in-Residence, Peter Bruun, “You Once Had An Aunt” is inspired by the birth of Peter’s grandson and the absence of an aunt he will never know. This immersive exhibiton includes audio collages weaved throughout the installation, offering reflections on grief, love, and memory. Join us for the opening reception on Thursday, May 21st from 5:30pm-7:30pm. This event is free and open to the public at 5 University Way, Gorham, Maine 04038. @bruunstudios #griefjourney

The University of Southern Maine’s 2026 Artist-in-Residence is Peter Bruun. His “Even As We Grieve” project explores how human connection helps us endure and transform experiences of pain, loss, and crisis. Prior to this exhibition, Bruun collaborated with eight organizations centered on care for people navigating some of life’s most difficult times. The Equality Community Center (ECC), located in downtown Portland, is Maine’s first collaborative home for LGBTQIA+ and allied nonprofit organizations — a permanent gathering place where community members can connect and access the support they need. Two organizations housed at the ECC, Maine TransNet and EqualityMaine, are partners in Even As We Grieve. Maine TransNet is a community-based, transgender-led organization working to support, empower, and build community for trans people across Maine. More than a dozen people joined the February workshop at ECC, but only six chose to show their work here. That absence reflects real concerns — privacy in this context is not hesitation, but necessary self-protection. It is precisely why the connection and community offered by Maine TransNet and EqualityMaine matter so much. Addison, a USM senior and Social Work major, created this drawing during their internship at Maine TransNet. Beginning as a doodle, it developed into a vibrant inner landscape, anchored by a small self-portrait. “I became interested in creating harmony through color,” they say. Identifying as non-binary, Addison feels seen at Maine TransNet. The black framing edges suggest the limited spaces where that sense of safety exists. Don’t miss “Even As We Grieve,” on view at the Crewe Center for the Arts through July 31. Special thanks to the Onion Foundation, who supported this project’s community outreach. #communityart #griefjourney @mainetransnet @bruunstudios

The University of Southern Maine’s 2026 Artist-in-Residence is Peter Bruun. His "Even As We Grieve" project explores how human connection helps us endure and transform experiences of pain, loss, and crisis. Prior to this exhibition, Bruun collaborated with eight organizations centered on care for people navigating some of life’s most difficult times. In response to Bruun’s invitation to participate in "Even As We Grieve," Greater Portland Family Promise gathered more than 60 members of its community in late March for pizza, games, and art making. Most come from immigrant families; some spoke no English. Everyone found ways to help — with translation, or whatever else was needed. The day was a natural expression of the mutual aid that makes Family Promise so valued by those it serves. One section of "Even As We Grieve" features artwork created that afternoon. Francisco’s drawing shows a carefully shaped tree with bends and turns against a colorful sky. “The tree is about life,” he says, “all the things I pass through.” Since arriving in the U.S. in 2024, Family Promise has been an important support, including helping him find housing. He values the gatherings they organize, when he can spend time with other immigrant families. The tree reflects his experiences — both good and bad — that continue to shape him. Greater Portland Family Promise is Maine’s chapter of a national organization working with families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, many of whom are immigrants, helping families achieve sustainable independence through housing, food, guidance, and community. At a moment when simply being an immigrant is fraught, Family Promise offers support, protection, and belonging. Don't miss "Even As We Grieve," on view at the Crewe Center for the Arts through July 31. Special thanks to the Onion Foundation, who supported this project's community outreach. #communityart #griefjourney @gpfamilypromise @bruunstudios

Work by artist Kate Upham, part of our 2026 Bachelor of Fine Arts/Bachelor of Art Exhibition. The show runs through May 1 at our Gorham Gallery. Form the artist: "My work explores coming to terms with transmasculinity as a young adult and my personal investigation into that reality. I create paintings exploring themes of transitional periods, interpersonal relationships, the contrasting discomfort and comfort of traditionally feminine roles, and the unique ways in which I express, experience, and navigate masculinity. This body of work utilizes recurring shower/water themes, reflections, bold color stories, and unique perspectives; closely examining pieces of my life, and dissecting their relationships to my identity . My body of work gives viewers a glimpse into my personal struggles, but also (and in a way more importantly) into my personal pockets of joy: The seemingly small moments that make me feel secure in myself, the odd activities I partake in that allow me to feel like me, and the community spaces and people I have surrounded myself with that support and uplift. I believe focusing on euphoria to contrast the dysphoric imagery is important. The doom and gloom of the trans experience is very real, but even moreso there is so much joy and relief found in freely expressing oneself. With the current political climate and society’s shift in view of trans people I find it important to highlight more than just how exhausting it has felt to masquerade as something I’m not, but also the confidence and euphoria I have gained from accepting myself proudly as a trans person." Join us in congratulating Kate on earning a BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Painting and Drawing. #bfaexhibition

Work by artist Trevor Taylor, part of the 2026 Bachleof of Fine Arts Exhibition. From the artist: "While I’ve been majoring in Digital Art and Photography with a minor in Game Design, my true passion is to do animation and work for major studios, helping bring characters to life through storytelling. Ever since I was little, I’ve always been fascinated by cartoons, old and new, from watching cartoons like Tom and Jerry and SpongeBob SquarePants on TV, being mesmerized by the characters' movements, and always making me laugh with the visuals. Not only that, but there were also animated movies, and from there I tried my hand at my own characters and worlds, making them go on mischievous adventures that further expanded the story. When I got older and gained access to digital media, I found programs that let me create animations and practice. So I used a program called Blender and started making small animations to test out the new mechanics. Lately, for my ART471/472 class, I’ve been focusing on applying the Twelve Principles of Animation to my project, including Appeal, Squash, Anticipation, and a few others. I really love making videos and creating stories." Join us in congratulating Trevor on receiving a BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Photography and Digital Art & Design. #bfaexhibition

Work by artist Hailey Stover, part of the 2026 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition. The show is on view at our Gorham Gallery through May 1. From the artist: "My work explores memory and nostalgia as fragmented, emotional spaces rather than established narratives. I am interested in how memories blur, intensify, and shift over time. Instead of depicting specific moments or recognizable imagery, I use abstraction to translate what memory feels like, not what it looks like. Abstraction allows me to work intuitively and emotionally, without the limitations of representation. The marks, colors, and textures function as traces, similar to how memories leave impressions that are incomplete, layered, and sometimes inconsistent. Each piece does not portray a specific memory, but embodies the familiar, personal sensation that lingers when a memory resurfaces. Memory is not linear or complete, and nostalgia is not purely comforting. Material choice plays an important role in this exploration. I work on primed, unstretched canvas, allowing the wash of diluted acrylic to pool, seep, and stain the surface before building layers of oil on top. This process reflects accumulation, in which early layers remain partially visible beneath newer marks, like older memories beneath present experiences. Texture is part of my work, achieved through embroidery and heavy media. The reverse side of the embroidered canvas exposes knots, loose threads, and raw canvas that represent the unseen side of memory, what is felt but not always articulated or remembered clearly. The soft, muted colors suggest distance and fading, while layers of bright color interrupt the surface, signaling emotional tension. Through this body of work, I invite viewers to sit with ambiguity and acknowledge their own experiences within abstraction. My work exists in that in-between space where feeling dominates clarity, and what remains is the trace." Join us in congratulating Hailey on receiving a BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Painting and Drawing. #bfaexhibition #contemporarypainting @arts.by.hailey @hs.finearts

Work by artist Oscar Stephan, part of the 2026 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition. The show runs through May 1st at our Gorham Art Gallery. From the artist: "My work explores themes of transformation through large pieces. These depict amorphous masses of body parts and ambiguous organic forms in unconventional shapes. I have lovingly referred to this as 'SOUP,' representing both the ever-flowing, ever-changing fluidity of my ideas and themes and the mixing-together of various influences, styles, and emotions. The process heavily influences the context of my work. The large scale of my drawings interacts with the viewer, creating an immersive experience. Letting chance play a part in my work has allowed my visual language to develop on its own. A large portion of 'SOUP' was unplanned, allowing the exhibition to birth itself and hatch from my imagination. Viewers are encouraged to immerse themselves in the world of 'SOUP' and feel whatever emotions come to them first, whether disgust, a morbid fascination, or a deeper understanding. In my future work, I want to continue to explore the state of being amorphous and escaping the traditional, rectangular confines of a frame." Join us in congratulating Oscar on receiving a BA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Painting and Drawing. #bfaexhibition @oscars_dungeon

The University of Southern Maine’s 2026 Artist-in-Residence is Peter Bruun, whose "Even As We Grieve" project explores how human connection helps us endure and transform experiences of pain, loss, and crisis. Rooted in Bruun’s deeply personal body of work—dozens of drawings and paintings created since the 2014 overdose death of his daughter—the project invites the University and greater Portland communities into a shared space of reflection, storytelling, and creative expression. From the artist: "[My daughter] Elisif’s death shattered my world. What remained felt like wreckage — pieces of a life that no longer held together. Over time, through the care of others who undrstood that kind of damage, something was restored. Not the life I’d had, but a new one, built from what remained. 'Together' represents that rebuilding. On 27 panels, I paint fragments from Renaissance figurative works and reconstruct them into abstract arrangements: broken bodies made lyrical, made whole in a different way. Grief taught me that what holds us together and helps us survive is each other." The show will be up at the Crewe Center for the Arts through July 31. Visit the link in our bio for more details, and check our page for show updates, including work by Bruun and community partners. #mainearts #maineartist #griefjourney

Work by artist Cyrus Smith, part of the 2026 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition. The exhibition is on-view at our Gorham Art Gallery through May 1. From the artist: "In 'Bio-Mechanical,' I explore the human connection between the digital world and analog media. In particular, I investigate how people interact with technology and how it affects our perception of reality. Through this body of work, I show viewers how merging the analog and digital will change our experience with them. I am particularly interested in electronics during the transition period of analog technology to the digital age, from the 1990s through the 2000s. As these things still exist and will continue to exist in the physical world, I am interested in the sense of timelessness that comes from putting iconography together from different periods. Although being an analog collector is a big part of my life, I am in between these two worlds, as I engage too much with digital media every day. Analog media is something from our past that continues to live and intermingle with our digital lives. With this series, I explore how we interact with our physical media and content during the transition from analog to digital, and how we continue to be affected by this shift. This series is a multidisciplinary exploration of this topic, and to further this connection between material and concept, I utilize both digital and physical means of making. This series includes work in oil paint and collage, alongside analog representations of digital work. I explore how the materiality of the work changes interpretation with regard to the images produced by analog and digital technologies. The imagery in this series focuses on human bodies while utilizing the infrastructure that underpins contemporary digital technology, exploring motifs such as pixelation, cords, screens, and hardware. I use these motifs to explore how technology can be used to express the human experience and extend the human body." Join us in congratulating Cyrus on receiving a BFA in Studio Art with Double Concentrations in Painting and Drawing and Photography and Digital Art & Design. @hallows.een #bfaexhibition

Work by artist Jacob Singelais, part of our 2026 Bachelor of Fine Arts/Bachelor of Arts Exhibition. Join us in congratulating Jacob on earning a BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Photography and Digital Art & Design. #photography #bfaexhibition