Pandemic Art Show | Aug 3-14th at NE Harbor ME

Smart Studio, Main St, Northeast Harbor is hosting a group art show August 3rd-14th, featuring over twenty artists works created during this pandemic.

Some artists have painted serene landscapes or still lives to quiet their minds through these trying times, other artists have painted the virus itself! This mixed media show includes photography, sculpture, and paint in all media. Many artists have lost their venues this summer and Smart Studio hopes to offer them some relief through sales.

The show will hang for two weeks and also be rotated in the windows on Main Street so all of the art can be viewed from outside. A reception is planned for Thursday August 6th from 5-7pm outside of the gallery. Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 11-4. Or by appointment, For more information call 276-5152

“Village” Dedication for Wini Smart on Great Cranberry Island, ME

Out on Great Cranberry Island, Maine, where artist Wini Smart lived and painted there is a new “village” being dedicated on July 27th from 1-3pm. On the grounds of the Historical Society’s Museum, three buildings have been restored from parts of Wini’s house, saved before it was all demolished!

The main building, pictured below is now being used as a gift shop, the second building, which was Wini’s painting shed is now being used to teach art to children. The other shed is being utilized for storage. In front of the village is a memorial bench dedicated to Wini. The bench holds a story.

Smart Studio, her former gallery in Northeast Harbor is donating one of Wini’s original paintings as a raffle to help raise money for landscaping and other repairs still needed at the village. You can get your chance at the gallery, 137 Main St., Northeast Harbor, or on Facebook. Drawing to be held on the dedication day. Call 207-276-5152 for more information.

Restored building from Wini’s house on Great Cranberry Island to be used as a gift shop.

Memorial Bench for Wini Smart, Painting Shed in the background

Wini Smart original painting up for raffle!!

Wini Smart 1932-2017

It is with great sadness we must pass on the news that our favorite artist, Wini Smart, has gone on to the most beautiful painting trip imaginable.

WINIFRED (WINI) SMART QUACKENBUSH
ELLSWORTH –
Wini passed peacefully at the age of 85 surrounded by her loving family after a long illness. She graduated from Pt. Pleasant Beach High School, NJ and attended the Philadelphia College of Art and the Art Students League of New York City. Her paintings are in private and public collections in nearly every state and in Europe, Canada, and South America.She generously donated much of her art work to many charities. Wini founded Smart Studio Art Gallery in Northeast Harbor in 1967 and the Smart Studio Gallery in Boca Grande, Florida in 1982. She helped establish and was President of Freehold Art Society of NJ and Boca Grande Art Alliance of Florida.

In 1984, Wini moved to Great Cranberry Island and co founded the Great Cranberry Island Historical Society’s museum. She served as president for many years and was dedicated to preserving the island’s history writing many publications. She has written several books including her autobiography “A Long Long Way”.” She painted eight historical murals depicting the Revolutionary War which are on display in NJ.

She and her husband Fredrick founded a mission in the Dominican Republic called “Real Kids in Need”. She is predeceased by her parents Lewis and Belle Smart, her brother Nicholas, sister Louise, son Charles, two grandchildren Ruth and Sean. Wini is survived by her husband Fredrick R. Quackenbush, children Deborah Martinez, Diane Polky, John Diehl, and Gail Cleveland-Waite, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren.

She was a member of the Lighthouse United Methodist Church of Boca Grande, FL and an associate member of the Cranberry Island Community Church. A memorial service is planned at Southwest Harbor Congregational Church, 29 High Road. Wednesday September 20th at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to help support the mission that Wini loved so much: “Real Kids in Need”, in care of Your Missionary Outreach, PO Box 1761, Columbia, SC 29202

Smart Studio Celebrates 50 Years!

Come visit from July 1-30 at the Northeast Harbor Library

Business was different 50 years ago when Smart Studio opened in Northeast Harbor. “We opened from nine am to noon during the week, as there were very few tourists back then” according to founder Wini Smart. Business was brisk for the artist as the summer folk shopped in town to collect their newspaper and groceries. Afternoons were devoted to painting on location to replenish the gallery, five children in tow. “Mom would take us to her favorite painting spots around MDI, she would paint and we would picnic, explore, fish, and play” daughter Gail Cleveland remembers.

Fast forward 50 years to today and one would see some changes at the gallery. Back in 1967 watercolors were hung on fish net and sold for a few dollars. Today the gallery offers much larger works, in oil and watercolor, limited edition prints and cards, gifts, antiques and custom framing. Still offered are the small intimate watercolors painted on location by Wini and Gail.

To celebrate the milestone the gallery is hosting a retrospective show at the Northeast Harbor Library for the month of July. Works on display will include loaned paintings from collectors. There will be a reception for the public on July 20th from 5-7 in the Melon room at the library. The show will be available to view from July 1-30th. Please call the gallery at 276-5152 for more information.

Sample Historical Artwork that will be seen at the display:

New Original Artwork of Maine by Gail Cleveland

A variety new original artwork by Gail Cleveland has been added to Smart-studio.com. Scroll down to view new additions or Click here to see ALL available original artwork by Gail. You may call or send a message here to place an order.

As you know, the Smart Studio gallery in Northeast Harbor Maine closes for the season every October.

What does that mean?

It’s SALE time at Smart Studio!

Super discounts store wide!
50% off all jewelry, all antiques, all gifts, all furniture!
Last day Oct 15th. Call 276-5152 for more information. Open 11-5 every day. Closed Sunday.

New Original Artwork by Gail Cleveland Available Now:

Sargent Drive by Gail Cleveland | Watercolor 15x30in $3000

Weathered Pine Somes Sound by Gail Cleveland | Watercolor 40x60in $10,000

Water Lilies by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic Diptych 40x60in $8500

The 6th Green Northeast Harbor Club by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic 24x48in $4700

Sunset Hulls Cove by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic 48x60in $9500

Spring Somes Sound by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic 18x24in $2,500

Seal Pup by Gail Cleveland |Acrylic 18x36in $2,700

Seal Family by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic 18x36in $2700

Sand Beach by Gail Cleveland | Watercolor 11×15 $1800

Mermaid by Gail Cleveland | Mosaic 24×48 $2400

Fisherman’s Cove by Gail Cleveland | Watercolor 11x15in $1800

Carriage Road Northeast Harbor by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic 24×48 $3500

Carriage Path by Gail Cleveland | Acrylic Triptych 6x18in $550

Cadillac View South by Gail Cleveland | Watercolor 11×15 $1800

Cadillac View East by Gail Cleveland – Watercolor 11×15 $1,800

14th Green Northeast Harbor Club by Gail Cleveland – Acrylic 30×40 $3500

Lobster by Gail Cleveland | Mosaic 24×48 $2400

Art Exhibit “Loving Acadia” Now Open at Northeast Harbor Gallery

New Art Exhibit at Smart Studio in Northeast Harbor, Maine

An art exhibit, titled “Loving Acadia” is now open through September to celebrate Acadia National Park’s 100 anniversary.

Wini visited Maine while still a teenager and fell in love with the area. She and her family came again camping in Acadia when her daughter Gail was only three years old. The next year the family bought a houseboat, first living in Bar Harbor and then Northeast Harbor. “The children remember that to be the greatest, spending summers aboard a boat in Northeast Harbor and it gave me a opportunity to paint all over the area.” Wini remembers. Wini opened the Smart Studio in 1967 and she and the family have come ever since. They would often return for short holidays in the winter months also.

“Gail has always been artistic and now she and her husband run the gallery, showing her large watercolors and acrylics. They like to hike and climb mountains so she has paintings of sweeping vistas. I like to look back at the mountains for my inspiration.”

The exhibit shows paintings in watercolor, oil and acrylic of many places in the Acadia Park: Schoodic, Seawall, Parkman and Cadillac Mountains and Ocean Drive.

View Wini’s book “Acadia & Me” Now available for purchase. Click here.

For more information call the gallery at 207-276-5152.

View samples of Wini Smart’s new paintings that can be found in the exhibit.

Gentle Surf, Acadia 16x20 Oil Wini Smart

New Exhibition “Beautiful Beaches”

The Smart Studio, Boca Grande announces a new exhibition, “Beautiful Beaches” to open January 28th and running until February 19th.

Sanibel Sunset Acrylic by Gail Cleveland

Artists Gail Cleveland and Wini Smart have a collection of paintings of different beachscapes from the west and east coast of Florida. Gail traveled as far as Key West and Wini painted new scenes from the east coast from Ft. Lauderdale to Palm Beach.

“Boca Grande is the most beautiful,” stated Wini Smart, “the beaches on the east coast have suffered severely from recent hurricanes and storms. They are narrow, sometimes almost to the road, and noticeably eroded. We all should appreciate what we have here”

The paintings are in oils, watercolor and acrylic. Some are minimal paintings such as the 4 by 5 ft acrylic, “Sea Oats, South End” with just a few sea oats for subject matter, others are more detailed with figures and beach umbrellas for interest such as the16x20 inch “Beach Chairs” and an 8×10 oil, “Low Dunes.” A gopher turtle has been captured in paint, in a 16×20 oil, “Hole for One.” The majority of the works have been inspired by scenes on Boca Grande.

For more information call the gallery at 941-964-0519.

“The Colors of Maine” Exhibit, August 18th – September 8th

colors-of-maine-exhibit-2

“The Colors of Maine” August 18th through September 8th.

This exhibit will show the variety and beauty of Maine in different seasons and with the changes of weather.

Paintings glow with color as the gallery artists exhibit their renditions of gardens, autumn foliage, rough seas and quiet foggy scenes.

Most paintings were chosen that have a dominate color scheme of one or two colors to highlight the colors of their palettes.

The bright golds and reds of autumn contrast with the soft pinks and greens of spring. Summer paintings are bold with dashing blue seas or quiet with damp gray fogs. Colorful gardens explode with many hues, depending on the gardeners design.

Come out to visit at our Northeast Harbor Gallery Today! Get Directions.

New Exhibit – “Traveling With a Paintbrush“

New travel paintings by Wini Smart and Gail Cleveland will be displayed at Smart Studio, July 15th through July 29th.

Traveling separately and together they both paint en plein air with trips in Maine to Moosehead, Mount Katahdin, Stonington, and Acadia. In the winter they paint in Florida on Gasparilla Island, along the Myakka River and in the Everglades. The paintings were inspired by studies done during these trips.

The mother/daughter team have had many adventures over the decades. Last year Wini was reported lost with the Baxter Park Rangers alerted, there was a problem with a dead battery while traveling Down East, Maine and in the Everglades she had worries about hungry alligators. Gail often paints from her kayak which is an adventure itself. Painting in out of the way places can be a worry from strangers and they often find the public is curious, which can be an interruption and distraction.

Wini, an award winning artist is listed in Who’s Who of American Art, and is the author/illustrator of several books: A Long Long Way, a lighthearted autobiography and Whiddens, Old Boca Grande., a history of a man and the town of Boca Grande, Florida. Both books are available at Smart Studio.

Gail Cleveland is also an award winning artist and her paintings and mosaics are included in many private and corporate collections worldwide.

The gallery, Smart Studio is located on Main Street in Northeast Harbor, and open Tuesday thru Saturday, 10am to 5pm. For more information please call 276-5152.

Smart Studio is NOW OPEN in Northeast Harbor!

Opening for the season TODAY in Northeast Harbor, Maine, the first day of our 48th season HURRAY!!

We have evolved in many different ways over the years. Our offerings have expanded to include an eclectic mix of fine art, limited edition prints, handcrafted carvings, locally made gifts and jewelry, antiques and furniture.

Co-owner Terry runs the custom frame and design center. Our spring hours are now Tuesday-Friday 10-5pm, Saturdays 12-5pm.