SEARSPORT -- Penobscot Marine Museum is pleased to announce the first program in its summer lecture series. Beginning July 11, the museum will host a series of talks and demonstrations on photography as part of its seasonal exhibit Through the Photographer's Lens: Penobscot Bay and Beyond. The exhibit features both contemporary and historic images of the greater Bay region.
On July 11, Michael Simon of Belfast will speak on "The History of Photographic Styles and Techniques." Before his retirement to Maine, Mr. Simon was a professor of art and photography at Beloit College in Wisconsin, and a professional photographer in New York. The audience will have the opportunity to view examples of Mr. Simon's collection of illustrative slides, as well as tour the museum's photography exhibit which will be open for the evening.
On August 15, Mr. Simon will return to PMM to treat visitors to a demonstration of the development of glass plate negatives. He will use historic glass plate images as he shows and explains the process in low light, giving spectators a chance to observe and ask questions. Penobscot Marine Museum was the recent recipient of 30,000 historic glass plates from the Eastern Illustrating Company of Belfast, Maine. This once-prominent postcard company photographed towns in Maine and throughout New England from 1909 through the 1940s. Their glass plates comprise a significant collection of little-known images from that period.
"History of Photographic Styles and Techniques" will be presented at 6:00 pm, July 11, in the Reading Room of the museum's Stephen Phillips Memorial Library. A five dollar donation is requested at the door, and refreshments will be served. The adjacent Gallery housing the photography exhibit will be open until 8:00 pm for those attending the lecture.
On July 18, Benjamin Mendlowitz, guest photographer, will discuss his well-known images of wooden boats.
The Penobscot Marine Museum was founded in 1936 and is Maine's oldest maritime museum. Its Searsport grounds comprise 13 historic buildings, including ship captains' residences, an early town hall, and a commercial structure. Eight of the buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, and together they represent Searsport when it was a bustling port during the Age of Sail. Inside the historic structures - artifacts, exhibits, and interpreters tell the stories of Maine's seafaring past.
The Penobscot Marine Museum is located at U.S. Highway 1 and Church Street in Searsport, between Bucksport and Belfast. The museum is open daily May 26 through October 21, Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, and Sunday, noon - 5:00 pm. Admission is $8 for adults and $3 for children ages 7-15. Admission for families (parents + children in same household) is $18.00. Museum members and children under 7 are free. Special programs and events are featured several times a week.
For more information on the museum's work and mission see their website: www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org.
