Free Program
Come have a purrfect family day of artmaking related to the Peggy Bacon: Biting, never Bitter exhibition. Engage in activities with local artists, explore the galleries, and connect with others.
Program Schedule
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Read & Relax space for families in the Lower Ground Floor. Unwind and re-center within this space with some fun family-friendly books.
10 a.m. to 12:30 pm. | Learn to make your own unique block printed scene inspired by Peggy Bacon's caricatures using stamps carved by visual artist James Sylvester
11:00 to 11:45 a.m. | Walk around the exhibition with educator Heather Livingstone for a kid-centered, interactive tour.
12:30 to 3:00 p.m. | Get creative and learn how to make a few zines with artist Rachel Kobasa.
Plus, Free Family Day Film
noon to 1:15 p.m. | Watch Dino, a Parisian cat, live a double life in the movie A Cat in Paris! By day he lives with Zoe, a little girl whose mother is a detective in the Parisian police force. But at night Dino sneaks out the window to work with Nico – a slinky cat burglar with a big heart.
Participating in our Family Day programming is free; access to the museum galleries requires paid admission.
Peggy Bacon (United States, 1895–1987), The Witch, undated, aquatint on wove paper, 3 7/8 x 5 15/16 inches. Gift of Harold Shaw, 1985.217. Image courtesy Petegorsky/Gipe Photo
Meet our artists and educators
Heather Livingstone is an artist and educator with 20 years’ experience teaching art in Maine public schools, most recently at Presumpscot Elementary in Portland. She has conducted research in the field, including an MFA study dealing with themes of gender, curriculum engagement, and student motivation, and has presented her work at the national level. Heather is passionate about making art education accessible for all students by making relevant connections to their lived experience, diverse backgrounds, and personal interests.
James Sylvester is a visual artist who uses relief printmaking to produce his own fine art prints as well as facilitate collaboration and creativity within his community through public workshops. He attended Maine College of Art & Design and graduated with a BFA in Printmaking with Honors in 2018. He began a membership at Peregrine Press shortly afterwards and has since become president of the press and led its involvement in such recurring events as the Steamy Summer Print Jam and the Portland Print Crawl. He has also organized other notable events and opportunities for the southern Maine creative community, such as the artisan market series Art in the Garden at Bissell Brothers. His work has been shown at Cove Streets Arts, The ICA at MECA&D, Ocean House Gallery, CURRENTS New Media Festival, The Harlow, 82 Parris and more.
Rachel Somsel Kobasa (she/her) is an artist. She makes prints, sews textiles, paints signs, and cultivates flowers. She is interested in type on paper and out in the world and tries to incorporate design into all aspects of her life. She's pretty sure that once you learn how to fold a zine, you can do anything! Her work can be found in various people's houses, attached to their fridges and walls, and through Pickwick Independent Press, her printmaking home in Portland, Maine.