How To Avoid Bear Conflicts This Spring
BRIEFS: Sweeney, Bumbaugh, Leonard, and Bland Win Nursing Award! Honor a Hero, March for Palestine, Food Justice Event, and More Short News
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—The spring weather has finally arrived and wildlife is wasting no time shedding winter’s grip to enjoy the spring season!
For many of these animals, such as black bears, they have lost a significant amount of body weight and are on the move looking for food after emerging from their winter dens. While denning, black bears enter a state of torpor, slowing their metabolism and respiration, breathing only once per 15 to 45 seconds, and dropping their heart rate to 8-21 beats per minute. Even with a lowered metabolic rate, bears still lose significant body fat. Unlike true hibernators, bears don’t eat, drink, urinate, or defecate during this time.
Once spring comes and bears emerge from their den, for two to three weeks bears are working to regulate their bodily functions slowly until normal activity ensues. At this time of year, natural foods are limited, and bears may take the risk and wander into backyards in search of easily accessible food.
Take steps now to prevent black bears from coming to your yard:
Remove bird feeders between April 1 and November 1
Rake up unused bird seed from the ground
Keep pet food and trash inside or in fenced areas
Clean grills thoroughly after use
Store garbage cans in a building or enclosed by electric fence
Take garbage cans to curb on morning of pickup
Keep outbuilding and garage doors closed at all times and repair broken windows and doors
Keep dumpster lids and doors closed and latched
Use bear-resistant dumpsters or garbage cans
More information
2024 Ursula E.J. Lee and Dr. Leung Lee Nursing Excellence Award Winners
BAR HARBOR—Congratulations to Lily Sweeney, RN; Deb Bumbaugh, RN; Jennifer Leonard, RN; Lindsay Bland, RN; the four recipients of the 2024 Ursula E.J. Lee & Dr. Leung Lee Nursing Excellence Awards. These four registered nurses have gone above and beyond the call of duty at MDI Hospital & Health Centers and were nominated by their peers for their outstanding service.
According to the hospital’s release, “We are grateful to them for their professionalism and exceptional job performance.”
These awardees were described as quick to listen, eager to help, and steadfast in their commitment to teaching and leading others. They also have a calm and loving demeanor at the bedside and being thorough in explaining procedures and medications to patients and their families. Moreover, these outstanding nurses have earned the admiration and respect of their patients through their genuine compassion, eagerness to learn, and patience. Their clinical savvy, resource utilization, and forward-thinking approach demonstrate a level of professionalism and dedication that is truly commendable.
Established in 2019 by Dr. Leung Lee in memory of his wife, the Ursula E.J. Lee & Dr. Leung Lee Award for Nursing Excellence honors the compassionate, loving care Ursula received from her nurses at MDI Hospital. The award is given annually to four nurses who demonstrate clinical excellence and a commitment to compassionate care in their nursing practice.
History of the Award:
Ursula was born in 1925 in Berlin, Germany to a well-respected doctor and his second wife, an operating room nurse supervisor. He was Jewish; she was Lutheran. Significantly younger than her two siblings, Ursula grew up surrounded by family and relatives. They were all well-educated and cultured, free of religious conflict. She excelled in her studies at school, and her popularity with classmates insulated her somewhat from the troubles of pre-war Germany. But by 1938 war seemed imminent, and her father sought to get his family out of Germany in any way possible.
Through the Kindertransport program, it was arranged for Ursula to be sent to England to live with a country vicar, his wife, and their three teenage children. In July 1939 at the age of 14, she left Berlin for England with the permitted one small suitcase, never to see her father again. Less than a month later, WWII began.
Life in wartime England was hard, but Ursula prospered. She was loved by her foster family, and she never failed to marvel at how generous and caring they remained despite wartime hardships. While Ursula had arrived in England with only a minimal proficiency in the English language, she graduated four years later, at the top of her class, speaking perfect English with a charming British accent. Although awarded a scholarship to Oxford University, she declined that honor as Britain was still at war and she wanted to serve her adopted country. Instead, she enrolled in nursing school.
For Ursula, working as a nurse in post-war England was a satisfying and rewarding experience – nurses were afforded great responsibilities due to the shortage of physicians. However, to join her mother and brother who had survived the war, she emigrated to the United States in 1948. During the summer of the following year, she met her future husband, Leung Lee. For him, it was love at first sight; for her, it took a few more months.
During the following years, their relationship flourished. 1953 was particularly memorable as they discovered beautiful MDI and Acadia National Park, which would become the highlight of many summer vacations, and more importantly, they were married. Ursula had blithely ignored the adage: “Don’t marry a medical student and suffer a decade of hardship; marry a doctor with a successful practice.”
From 1953 to 1964, while Leung completed his clinical training and a research fellowship in Pathology, Ursula had no choice but to become a masterful multitasker: a skillful nurse anesthetist and a favorite of surgeons, a homemaker, a gardener, a supportive and loving wife and the mother of two very young sons.
In 1964, they settled in Princeton, NJ. The town had an enclave of notable German emigres who had been driven out of Europe by the war and attracted there by Albert Einstein. It was here that Ursula enjoyed life to the fullest. She was befriended by many German emigres and could speak German with them – a “Berliner” again. She and Leung transformed their ordinary yard into a garden masterpiece that was admired by all, including other master gardeners throughout Princeton.
After Leung retired from a successful career at Princeton Medical Center, they considered moving to a retirement community, but did not do so until Birch Bay Retirement Village was opened in 2002. Then they had the good fortune to buy a cottage with a panoramic view of Frenchman Bay. Ursula was able to landscape the cottage with beautiful flowering trees and bushes. She enjoyed social activities with neighbors and Mainers. Her 16 years at Birch Bay were a period of peace and contentment.
Although Alzheimer’s disease shortened her life, it never touched her wry sense of humor. Ursula will always be missed, but will be remembered for her grace, kindness, courage, and ability to persevere and overcome hardships. After the passing of Dr. Lee in early 2020, the Lee family re-dedicated this award to the memory of both Ursula and Dr. Leung Lee.
EV Chargers Installed at Bar Harbor Ball Field Parking Lot
BAR HARBOR––Public Works Director Bethany Leavitt gave the public works update at the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting on May 6 following the Glen Mary pool update, which covered new EV charges, Ledgelawn trees, and the Glen Mary woods.
EV CHARGERS AT BALL FIELD PARKING LOT
The Climate Emergency Task Force received a grant to install four electric vehicle (EV) chargers in town. According to Finance Director Sarah Gilbert, “the grant for the EV chargers was a collaboration with A Climate to Thrive, the Town of Mount Desert, the Town of Tremont, and the Town of Bar Harbor. Part of the grant was installation of the EV charging stations.” Gilbert also said that A Climate to Thrive did most of the work for theses communities to receive this shared grant.
Also according to Gilbert, the Climate Emergency Task Force recommended that Bar Harbor use its share of the grant money for the EV chargers.
Leavitt said that there were a few spots in town that were initially suggested as locations for the chargers but those spots had to be ruled out either due to lack of space or more frequently because the power supply to those spots was not sufficient to handle the addition of the EV chargers.
Leavitt said that the power supply at the ball fields had to be upgraded anyway to better handle large events like the Fourth of July celebration and Rotary pancake breakfast that takes place annually, so this was a logical next choice.
As of May 9, the chargers have been installed. G&G Electric is currently upgrading the panels, which are new, and all that will be left is for Versant to hook up the actual power supply to the pole that feeds the panels. The deadline to have the chargers installed for the grant is May 15.
According to Leavitt, any leftover grant money could be used to help pay for the upgrades to the electrical upgrades at the ballfields.
The chargers are pay to use. Users pay via an app that is accessed by scanning a QR code on the front of each charger.
TREE LINE BETWEEN BALL FIELD AND LEDGELAWN AVENUE HOUSES
After some Ledgelawn Avenue residents with houses on the east side of the street voiced concerns about the health and safety of some of the trees in the wood line between the baseball fields and Ledgelawn, the town is taking action.
Leavitt and Town Manager James Smith met with property owners on March 21 at the tennis court parking lot to discuss the town’s plans for tree removal. At the time of the March 21 meeting, the trees had already been looked at by an arborist and the trees to be removed had been marked. The residents who attended the meeting all seemed to be in favor of the plan.
At Monday’s meeting, Leavitt said that now the town is “working through the process of getting somebody in to do the work.” Leavitt said that the town is hoping to get the project started sometime in the early summer.
GLEN MARY WOODS
Leavitt said that the public works employees are currently busy getting the downtown ready for summer: installing the new parking kiosks, reinstalling all of the seasonally removed items such as benches and trashcans, and general cleanup.
As soon as those projects are completed, the crews will be moving into Glen Mary woods to begin cleaning it up for the regular biannual cleaning and also any extra debris and damage caused by the year’s storms.
MARCH FOR PALESTINE
BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Town Council approved a March for Palestine on Wednesday, May 15.
“We are a group of COA students. We plan to march starting from COA,” an unidentified COA student told councilors at their May 7 meeting. He explained that there would also be a gathering at the Village Green at the end of the march and that they have worked with the police department about timing.
Prior to the approval, both Councilors Maya Caines and Kyle Shank disclosed that they have occupational relationships with the College of the Atlantic. In two separate votes, councilors declared neither had a conflict of interest.
Councilor Matthew Hochman said he would be voting in favor because he believes in the right to peaceful protest. He said, “I am concerned about the current levels of anti-semitism in the country.” And he is also concerned about Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“We are trying to voice concerns,” said the student of the march’s intent. It is about human rights and advocacy, he said.
A student from Palestine said that the protest would be peaceful and that they do not support Hamas.
Councilor Gary Friedmann asked the length of the march (two hours). There will be drummers from the college’s music program.
Police Captain Chris Wharff said the department is staffed appropriately to close the road and if they receive intelligence that they need more staff, they will do so.
Caines abstained and the approval passed 5-0-1.
National Park Service releases Environmental Assessment of plant gathering at Acadia National Park for public comment
BAR HARBOR—The National Park Service released an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the gathering of sweetgrass for traditional purposes by enrolled members of the five federally recognized tribes in Maine.
The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribes at Pleasant Point and at Indian Township, and the Penobscot Nation, referred collectively as the Wabanaki, are culturally affiliated with lands and waters of Acadia National Park. With the establishment of Acadia National Park in 1916, the land was placed under the policies and regulations of the National Park Service, which prohibited traditional tribal practices, such as gathering sweetgrass. The park is actively working with the Wabanaki to establish new and meaningful relationships that center around the reconnection of these lands with the Wabanaki.
In 2016, The National Park Service issued new regulations (36 CFR 2.6) allowing park units to negotiate and enter into agreements with federally recognized tribes for the gathering of plants or plant parts. Tribes must be federally recognized, have cultural affiliation with the park, and provide the park with information about the plants of cultural interest.
The park prepared the EA to evaluate potential effects from gathering sweetgrass by traditional tribal methods before entering into agreements with federally recognized tribes, as required by the regulation.
The EA examines two alternatives. Under the preferred alternative (alternative B), the five federally recognized tribes of Maine would enter into individual agreements with NPS to gather sweetgrass in ACAD for traditional purposes per 36 CFR 2.6. Gathering activities would take place under terms specified in each government-to-government agreement that will be developed between the Tribal Nation and NPS. Each Wabanaki Nation will administer sweetgrass gathering by members through a permitting system outlined in each agreement.
“Since 2015, park resource managers, tribal scientists and gathers have worked together to pilot a co-stewardship approach for sweetgrass harvesting in salt marshes,” said Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider. “This environmental assessment allows for that pilot project to move to a deeper level through direct agreements with each of the Wabanaki tribes.”
Comments must be received by June 5, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Comments may be submitted online at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/AcadiaGatheringEA or by mail. Mail comments to:
Superintendent
Acadia National Park
Attn: Plant Gathering EA Comments
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME, 04609
MEET AND LISTEN TO THE BAR HARBOR COUNCIL CANDIDATES
BAR HARBOR AND TOWN HILL—One online forum and another in-person forum will give Bar Harbor voters a chance to meet the six candidates hoping for two Town Council seats.
The first event is online, May 15, and sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Mount Desert Islander. It will be moderated by Jill Goldthwait.
The second event is in person on May 29 and sponsored by the Town Hill VIS, moderated by Carrie Jones of the Bar Harbor Story and Faith DeAmbrose of the Mount Desert Islander.
If you have a question you would like asked at the in-person debate, you can send it ahead of time to Jones at carriejonesbooks@gmail.com
FOOD JUSTICE AND FREE COMMUNITY MEAL!
BAR HARBOR—A free community meal and discussion on food justice will be held at College of the Atlantic Beech Hill Farm on May 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will feature keynote speaker Sarah Alexander, the executive director of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, who will speak on the topic of food insecurity in Maine and fuel discussion for the event and beyond.
College of the Atlantic senior Molly Hetzel is hosting this free community meal in conjunction with Beech Hill Farm as a part of her capstone senior project. Hetzel hopes that this will be an opportunity for the Mount Desert Island community to come together to learn about and discuss the impacts of food justice on MDI and in Maine, as well as eat delicious food and listen to live music.
There will also be an opportunity to support Share the Harvest through the purchase of Hetzel’s handmade ceramic bowls and Share the Harvest merchandise. Share the Harvest is COA’s student-run food access project that helps to distribute locally grown food and produce to those within the community facing food insecurity,
Tickets, although free of charge, must be reserved online ahead of time and will be limited to 75 people, first come first serve.
bit.ly/3w1v4sr is the registration form for community members, and bit.ly/3UeSwdz is the form for COA students.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Announces Honor a Frontline Hero Contest
BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor Bank & Trust announced the Honor a Frontline Hero Contest, a campaign that gives community members the opportunity to nominate a frontline hero who they feel deserves recognition for their impact in the community. The Bank will accept nominations throughout the month of May 2024, and one nominee will be selected in June to receive $1,000 cash and a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit organization of their choice.
Eligible nominees must be currently employed in one of the following categories: teachers or professors; firefighters; federal/state or local law enforcement; medical providers; nurses, EMTs; and active or former military personnel. Nominees must be a resident of Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont.
“Frontline workers are rightfully known as heroes because they work very hard to provide the many services that are critical to the health, safety, and vitality of our communities,” said Joseph Schmitt, Senior Vice President, Director of Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “The Honor a Frontline Hero Contest gives us the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ and to extend the impact of their service to a nonprofit organization that is also making a difference in our community.”
Visit refer.barharbor.bank/hero from May 1-31, 2024, to make a nomination. Only one entry per person. To see a complete list of contest rules, visit barharbor.bank/frontline-contest-rules.
In addition to the contest, the bank recently introduced Frontline Heroes Loan, an exclusive loan option for frontline workers looking to purchase homes. The mortgage loan option offers favorable terms that can help lower the barriers to home ownership for individuals who provide critical, frontline services to the community. Features of the Frontline Heroes Loan include:
Loan-to-Value (LTV) up to 100%
Maximum seller contribution of 3%
Minimum borrower contribution of 1% or $1,000 the lesser of the two
Minimum FICO score of 700
The Frontline Heroes Loan is available to residents of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont who are employed as teachers or professors; firefighters; federal/state or local law enforcement; medical providers; nurses, EMTs; and active or former military personnel. Eligible property types include single-family homes and condominiums located in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Visit barharbor.bank/frontline-heroes-loan to learn more about the loan and connect with a mortgage loan originator.
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!
DEALING WITH DIGITAL DRAMA
If you missed Session One: Raising Healthy Kids in a Digital World on Wednesday, May 1, click here for a link to this session’s recording.
GET READY FOR “1984” AT MDI HIGH SCHOOL
ACADIA SENIOR COLLEGE
NORTHEAST HARBOR—Acadia Senior College welcomed over 100 members and guests to their annual Members’ Art Show at an opening reception at Northeast Harbor Library.
Over sixty pieces are exhibited by forty artists. The show will be open to the public through the month of May.
AmeriCorps Food Security VISTA Opportunities with Healthy Acadia
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—Healthy Acadia is partnering with Hunger Free America to recruit a year-round AmeriCorps VISTA member to increase access to healthy food for people living in Downeast, Maine. The position will be based in either Ellsworth or Machias, Maine, depending on the applicant’s location. VISTA members will serve with Healthy Acadia for one year, starting in mid August, and will address food insecurity by building connections between local farms and food assistance programs, supporting regional food security networks, developing community gardens, increasing access to farmers' markets and farm stands, organizing food drives and fundraisers, and more.
VISTA members receive a bi-weekly living allowance, health benefits, personal leave, and sick leave, local produce, potential to forbear or defer student loans while in service, relocation assistance, child care assistance, one-year non-competitive status for federal government positions, and a network of over 180,000 AmeriCorps VISTA members and alums. Upon successful completion of the service term, VISTA members will also receive an education award that may be used toward student loans or furthering education, or they can instead choose to receive a cash payout.
This is a great opportunity to learn about the many partnerships that contribute to a vibrant food system in beautiful Downeast Maine. VISTA members gain a wide range of non-profit skill sets and develop professional relationships with local, regional, and statewide partners. Professional development and training opportunities will be readily available. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and able to commit to full-time hours.
To schedule an interview, please send a resume and cover letter to Eleanor Jones at eleanor.jones@healthyacadia.org by May 19, 2024.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for everyone to lead healthy lives. They serve Washington and Hancock counties and provide additional community health support and leadership across Maine. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s community health initiatives, visit healthyacadia.org.
Cast into May with Prime Fishing Opportunities!
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—With the warmer weather and days getting longer, there's no better time to take in the beauty of nature and cast your fishing lines. Relax and unwind on the water this spring in pursuit of Maine's varied fish species. Brook trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, and landlocked salmon will be active and abundant this time of year as they search for food in preparation for spawning. Be sure to check out the fish stocking report to locate target species in your area.
For anglers who don’t have access to a boat, fishing from the shore can be productive this time of year. Try targeting main inlet areas and small tributaries where smelts are congregating and game fish are close by. If you are spin fishing in and around small tributaries, variations of silver lures, particularly silver and blue, purple, or black can work well. Remember to check the law book and plan accordingly as some of these tributaries are fly fishing only.
For more fishing tips in your area, be sure to check out the May Fishing Report. Remember that the water is extremely cold this time of year, and water levels are often high and fast - ALWAYS wear a lifejacket.
BAR HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWS
BAR HARBOR—Join us and our History Muses May 18 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. for Postcards from Eden with Katherine Emery! Come along with us on a guided field trip, explore images from historical postcards, and make your own postcard using smart-phone photography, a few tips and fun filters. Can't join us for this class? Don't worry, we've got classes on June 6, September 5, and September 29 too!
Stick around with us until 1 - 3 p.m. on May 18 for Jennifer Steen Booher's Playing with Nature: Digital Art from Found Objects! Come down and explore the shore below La Rochelle and learn about the intertidal zone while making artwork using the shells, driftwood, sea glass, and beach stones you find!
Unable to make it to this class in May? We've got you covered. Join us July 13, September 15, and/or October 12! See you on the beach!
OPENING DAY!
May isn't just for our new classes! Our doors officially open May 28, but just for our members, come see us May 24 to preview La Rochelle before anyone else! We've been busy working inside La Rochelle while we've been closed. Nine new exhibits, updated exhibits, and new items in our gift shop are all things to look forward to! What kinds of things can you expect? In our Guest Room, learn about the Strong Women that helped shape Bar Harbor. In Mrs. Bowdoin's Bedroom, learn about the families who had owned or made La Rochelle their summer home. Our Head Housekeeper's Sitting Room also has much to offer: learn about the fraternal clubs, orders, and societies that helped to build the town. As Members, your admission into the museum is free for the duration of your membership, but we encourage you to join us on our Guided Tours, now every Wednesday and Friday for just $23 (excluding our free preview day, May 24).
NEW INTERN!
We're so excited to welcome aboard summer intern Carolina de Oliveira Castro this season! Carolina, a student at COA, has been studying Human Ecology with a focus in Library Science. While the museum has been closed as we gear up for our upcoming opening, Carolina has been working diligently, cataloguing over 12 boxes of books recently donated by Board Member Earl Brechlin!
ACADIA DANCE INTENSIVE
The Acadia Dance Festival Intensive offers a rigorous, creatively-engaging, week of dance classes and performance opportunities for dancers, ages 14-22.
The Summer Intensive is designed for high-school and college-aged dancers looking to expand their training, explore their artistry, and gain experience in a professional-level dance setting. Faculty are experts in the field who have carefully crafted curricula to help young dancers grow technically, artistically, and professionally.
Participants take daily classes (ballet, hip hop, contemporary) with professional dance artists from Nimbus Dance and a rotation of special topics such as injury prevention, audition skills, and improvisation. Students learn a piece of original choreography with company dancers from Nimbus Dance and perform on Friday, July 26th at the 1932 Criterion Theater as part of the Acadia Dance Festival.
To learn more about the Acadia Dance Festival visit acadiadancefestival.org
ARTWAVES MOTHER’S DAY AND OTHER EVENTS
TOWN HILL—Start Mother's Day with color!
Connect and create while pulling prints of native botanicals as well as learning to ink and subtract shapes on gelatin plates.
Yes, as in printing plates made from jello and glycerin, in a variety of sizes. Simple step by step instructions, all materials provided and the brightly colored Akua inks makes this so much fun for nonartists and artists. Complimentary tea to boot!
BAR HARBOR HOUSING ARTICLES QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
2024 Periscope Writing Contest: Celebrating Mental Health and Creativity
BANGOR—Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center is thrilled to announce the launch of the 2024 Periscope Writing Contest, inviting individuals across the state of Maine who identify as mental health consumers and/or individuals with substance use disorder to showcase their creativity through writing.
The Periscope Writing Contest provides a platform for individuals to express themselves, share their experiences, and celebrate their resilience through the power of storytelling. This year's contest welcomes submissions of original, unpublished works in English, across any genre of writing, with a maximum length of 1500 words.
"We believe in the transformative power of storytelling as a tool for healing and connection," says Amy Roeder, Executive Director at Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center. "The Periscope Writing Contest is an opportunity for individuals to amplify their voices, break down stigma, and inspire others through their lived experiences."
Guidelines for the contest are as follows:
Submissions must be original, unpublished works in English.
Writers may submit one entry each.
Entries must be in Word document format and emailed as an attachment to amy.togetherplace@gmail.com, including the entrant's name, email, mailing address, and phone number on the document. The email subject line should read “Periscope Entry.”
All submissions must be received by June 30, 2024.
All submissions will be compiled and published in the annual Periscope chapbook, celebrating the diversity and creativity of Maine's mental health community. Additionally, cash prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners, with all entrants invited to a public awards ceremony in the fall.
"At Together Place, we believe in the importance of fostering community, creativity, and resilience," says Roeder. "We are excited to recognize and celebrate the talent and courage of individuals who share their stories through the Periscope Writing Contest."
The awards ceremony will feature readings by contest winners, alongside a special guest appearance by a published author. It promises to be an inspiring evening of celebration, connection, and empowerment.
For more information about the 2024 Periscope Writing Contest, including submission guidelines and eligibility criteria, please contact Amy Roeder at amy.togetherplace@gmail.com.
About Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center: Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center is a community-based organization dedicated to providing peer support, resources, and advocacy for individuals living with mental health and substance use challenges. Through a peer-driven approach, Together Place empowers individuals to achieve their wellness goals and build meaningful lives in recovery.
Contact: Amy Roeder, Executive Director, Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center amy.togetherplace@gmail.com 207-941-2897
Kippy Stroud Memorial COA Lecture Announced
BAR HARBOR—Scholar, curator, and writer of poetry, prose, and art criticism Serubiri Moses will present the inaugural Kippy Stroud Memorial COA Lecture at College of the Atlantic on May 17. The talk, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Thomas S. Gates Community Center.
Moses is a Ugandan writer and curator based in New York City. He currently serves as faculty in art history at Hunter College, CUNY, and visiting faculty at the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College. Previously, he held teaching positions at New York University and the New Centre for Research and Practice (Germany/USA), Dark Study (USA), and Digital Earth Fellowship (Netherlands). As a curator, he has organized exhibitions at museums including MoMA PS1, New York; Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; and the Hessel Museum, Bard College, NY. He serves on the editorial team of e-flux journal.
Moses is the author of more than 30 book chapters. His work has been translated to Polish, Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese. His debut poetry book, THE MOON IS READING US A BOOK, was published in 2023.
He recently curated an exhibition of the Iranian artist Reza Aramesh in Venice to coincide with the 60th Venice Biennale and an online exhibition More than One Memory, curated with Fitsum Shebeshe. This exhibition included artists from East Africa, including Zimbabwe and Tanzania, and provides alternatives to contested narratives of global historical events. His criticism and curatorial work engages with contemporary art concerned with the long arc of history, claims of identity, representation, and those productions that reimagine the personal and global through photography, painting, prints, and video.
“Kippy” Stroud was a talented artist, teacher, generous philanthropist, and impassioned promoter of contemporary art and artists. Starting in 1977, she founded, funded, and directed The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, an experimental program for artists working in textiles and many other media. As well she oversaw and funded on Mount Desert Island, where she spent summers throughout her life, Acadia Summer Arts Program (ASAP) or as it was affectionately known “Kamp Kippy.” For almost three decades ASAP hosted hundreds of artists with their guests and families. One of the great contributions that Kippy made through her Kamp society was to include the contributions of those who work in the field through mediating, studying, writing, speaking, and structuring the understanding of her ever-changing Kamp Kippy guests for whom she organized several lecture evenings per week in the summer on MDI.
Coast Lines: Sea Level Rise and Collaboration on MDI
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—Part of the on-going "Landscape of Change" collaboration, join speakers Raney Bench, Catherine Schmitt, and others to share your observations of sea level rise and its impacts, and learn how to get involved.
A collaborative effort to document and understand sea level rise on MDI continues with new partners and new initiatives, as the island contends with the significant damage to coastal ecosystems and properties seen this winter.
This work inspired a series of art installations indicating where future sea levels will be and how they will impact the landscape and infrastructure. The Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Gulf of Maine Research Institute are new partners this year, bringing together new resources in a new effort to engage island communities in documenting and planning for sea level rise.
Mount Desert Island Historical Society Executive Director Raney Bench is passionate about the power of the past and how history impacts our daily lives. She has built a career in small museum work and loves to see people light up when they encounter an interesting or surprising object or artifact. Raney has worked in several small New England museums in education, exhibits, collections management, and as an Executive Director.
As Science Communication Specialist, Catherine Schmitt works with Schoodic Institute and National Park Service staff to write and share stories of science past and present, manage communications for Second Century Stewardship, and provide science communication training for researchers working in our national parks.
May 13, 2024
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Online-only Zoom event
CLARIFICATION AND UPDATE: The organization that applied for and helped Mount Desert Island towns receive the shared grant that is paying for the EV chargers at the ballfields has been updated with more accurate information. Many thanks to Sarah Gilbert for letting us know.