January 19-May 20, 2024

Closing reception Thursday, April 25, 4 – 6 p.m.

The UNE Art Gallery in Biddeford presents work from the first suite of artists-in-residence at the Searsport EcoArts Residency (SEAR), in conversation with our School of Marine and Environmental Programs. SEAR is the first residency in Maine that is focused on exploring ecology, and provides a unique opportunity for artists to work on Sears Island in Penobscot Bay, the largest uninhabited island on the East Coast. SEAR is hosted by Dr. Aaron Rosen at the Parsonage Gallery, the Friends of Sears Island, and the Makers Guild of Maine.  Each year, two cohorts of artists produce ecologically-based interdisciplinary work as part of the residency.

Tidal Shift highlights the work of SEAR’s inaugural year of artists, featuring work by the spring and fall 2023 fellows, including Jasmine Chen, Tracey Cockrell, Margaret Cogswell, Justin Levesque, Haley Nannig, Julianne Nash, Susan Smith, and Matthew Vivirito.

Students and faculty in UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs have contributed their unique perspectives to contextualize the artwork in this exhibit.