Maine Women Pioneers III was co-curated by Anne B. Zill, Gael May McKibben and Andres A. Verzosa. This exhibition was the third on this subject in the history of this Art Gallery, striving for national impact in defining pioneering Maine women artists of our age.

Dirigo 

was the fourth and final exhibition of the Maine Women Pioneers III series, offering the works of 18 artists who embody Maine’s motto, I lead.  These works demonstrated iconoclastic individualism, breaking with preconceived norms and traditions to expand into pioneering terrains. The artists were: Susan Amons, Keliy Anderson-Staley, Josephina Auslender, Dozier Bell, Melonie Bennett, Katherine Bradford, Allison Cooke Brown, Katharine Cobey, Grace DeGennaro, Denise Froehlich, Meggan Gould, Mary Hart, Janice Kasper, Elizabeth Cashin McMillen, Celeste Roberge, Noriko Sakanishi, Barbara Sullivan and Diane Bowie Zaitlin.

The three other segments were:

• Vanguard (Oct. 12 – Dec. 16, 2012): The first of the four exhibitions featured avant-garde, experimental and innovative works by nine Maine artists who offer insights into the future using mixed media, conceptual installation, performance and video elements.  The artists featured were:  Susan Bickford, Diana Cherbuliez, Amy Stacey Curtis, Alicia Eggert, Lauren Fensterstock, Lihua Lei, Julie Poitras Santos, Carrie Scanga, and Ling-Wen Tsai.
   
• Homage (Jan. 2 – March 3, 2013): The second of four exhibitions highlighted veteran artists who are powerful examples of career and lifelong originators of creative accomplishment, ahead of the curve without resting on their laurels.  Artists included: Lois Dodd, Maggie Foskett, Susan Groce, Beverly Hallam, Allison Hildreth, Frances Hodsdon, Lissa Hunter, Dahlov Ipcar, Yvonne Jacquette, Frances Kornbluth, Rose Marasco, Marylin Quint-Rose and Katarina Weslien.
   
• Worldview  (March 12 – May 12, 2013): The third of four exhibitions focused upon the work of artists who are connected to their world — who create and are inspired by ethics, emotions and existential, holistic themes as activists, healers and visionaries. Featured artists included: Judith Allen-Efstathiou, Kate Cheney Chappell, Marlene Ekola Gerberick, Judy Ellis Glickman, Barbara Goodbody, Rebecca Goodale, Natasha Mayers, Arla Patch, Abby Shahn, Alice Spencer and Melita Westerlund.

A series of educational programs was designed to utilize some of Maine’s enormously talented art professionals – gallerists, educators, entrepreneurs, media experts and writers. 

The Quimby Family Foundation generously provided the Maine Women Pioneers III with a lead grant  We remain enormously grateful to Donald Sussman and others for their support.