painting by Jessica Ives
exhibition by Carver Hill Gallery

On First Friday, November 7, 2014, Carver Hill Gallery will host an opening reception for “Contours”, a benefit show for the Coastal Mountains Land Trust. The work in the show will celebrate one of the Land Trust’s properties, The Beech Hill preserve, and the 100th birthday of the Beech Nut hut that sits on the hill.

The hut was designed in the early 1900’s by Norwegian born landscape architect Hans Heistad, who designed the John Gribbel estate, Weatherend, on the Rockport shorefront. Gribbel also owned the Beech Hill grounds, and built the stone hut as a day shelter for the family to use while picnicking on the property. The Beech Hill area – which comprises 295 acres of mixed wood, organic blueberry fields, and several uncommon grassland birds – is recognized on the National Register of Historic places as the Beech Nut Historic District. For years it has been a favorite place for locals and tourists to take an easy walk with a gentle climb. The reward is spectacular views of the peaks at Acadia National Park, the Camden Hills, Isle au Haut, St. George River valley and the gorgeous Gulf of Maine.

Years of weather, vandalism, and lack of funds to properly care for the building left Beech Nut in a state of disrepair. Because of the generosity of members and donors, Beech Nut is once again a safe and stable building. Carver Hill Gallery and the contributing artists congratulate the Land Trust on its recent and ongoing efforts to maintain and restore the property; however, it needs care and attention to keep it that way. The gallery is hosting this event as a silent auction and donating 90% of their profit from the work to the Land Trust. The artists are donating all or a percentage of their take, as well. All of the stunning art was either inspired by Beech Nut itself, or of the vista.

Participating artists include: Christina DeHoff, Jessica Stammen Ives, Anneli Skaar, Amy Campbell, David Henderson, Dianne Schelble, Randy Fein, Beth Henderson, Ann Makuck, Kathy Florance, Jim Nickelson, Kate Fitzgerald, Ken Foster, Aidan Acosta, Brian Willson, Diane Bowie Zaitlin.

We invite you to join us at the opening on November 7 for a glass of blueberry wine spritzer and some nibbles. The silent auction and show will hang through Sunday, November 23. Please see the website for hours and details. www.carverhillgallery.com