Don Meserve Momento Mori... We will miss you.

It was two Physicists Charles Mann & George Twiss, not philosophers that put forward the question:
"When a tree falls in a lonely forest and there is no animal to hear it, does it make a sound?"


The art world had a big tree fall this week, a resounding bomb and crash was heard worldwide as renown Maine Sculptor Don Meserve died in his home this week surrounded by family and friends.



Don a fantastic sculptor is best know for his work the famous "stations of the cross" 14 pewter cast Bas-reliefs depicting Christ's walk to crucifixion as seen by Christ, They have been exhibited in Washington DC's National Cathedral & New York's Trinity Church. In 2008 they were installed permanently in Portland's St Luke Cathedral's Emanuele Chapel.  If you've never been there it is a treat, the Chapel is this octagonal Victorian era edition to the catherdral with stunning Philippine mahogany carvings and intricately layered step moldings, the woodwork is mind blowing.  All in all, it's a special place for Don's incredibly interesting twist on the most religious theme.

I was first drawn to Don by his work in Granite & Basalt.  His most famous piece is perhaps the 2007 International Sculpture Symposium piece called "CLEAT" , it's huge deck cleat located out in Winter Harbor.  It celebrates the maritime industry and depending on tide looks like a boat or a big ass cleat out in the middle of the harbor.  Don called his art in stone "rewarding , but merciless when it doesn't work out".


A graduate of University of Bridgeport with a degree in Industrial Engineering, it was this background that helped him map out a successful path to his goal of creating something simple & beautiful out of such difficult stones.  A teacher for many years at the Rhode Island School of design he worked there with colleagues; glass blower Dale Chihuly  and woodworker Tage Frid.  I think it might have been that tenure at RISD,  that he found his life passion, that ability to enjoy the process of making art and encouraging inspiration in his fellow artists.

Don would say and I paraphrase;

" Art is a continuum, it is bigger than you or me, it's bigger than us.  It's a life path that is gratifying because you can borrow from the past and create for the future".  Don inspired many sculptors because he was living our dream, which may be true but mostly Don inspired because he was intelligent, gave respect, enjoyed humor, and if he found out you were an artist, he went out of his way to help you on your path.
Don was living an artists dream, his dream.
Don Maine will miss you , I will miss you.

Don's work is displayed in the Gleason Galleries Boothbay & Congress street in Portland and the "Stations of the Cross" bas-reliefs are in St Luke Cathedral's Emmanuel Chapel on State street in our city by the sea.
(Saturday Nov 13th the Cathedral is open for tours as the Holiday Street fair and state street stroll takes place) 

Go see some of Don's works this Saturday , Visit the Gleason gallery on Congress or go to the State Street Stroll 9am - 3pm and stop in to Saint Luke's Cathedral, as you enter the church go left through the archway corridor into the Emanuel Chapel and take in                        Don Meserve's "Stations of the cross"Why? 

Because your good mind needs good art! 

The Gallery Talk is made possible by the generosity of the WMPG Radio listening community.  The blog is the text version of the art rant heard every Thursday at 7am, 5 & 9:30pm on WMPG college and community radio
90.9 , 104.1 and streaming on the web at http://www.wmpg.org/