DESIGN WIRE – August 2013

BLUE WATER FINE ARTS recently celebrated the opening of a new exhibition by artist Barbara Ernst Prey. The show, titled East Meets West, features 40 never-before-seen watercolors and drybrush and oil paintings. The collection of works showcases Prey’s talent for landscape painting and includes pieces from her year as a Luce Scholar in Asia and the American West. 
bluewaterfinearts.com

In June DAVIDMATEROARCHITECTURE teamed up with Maine Building Materials Exchange, a not-for-profit that recycles building materials for low-income housing projects, to create a truly eco-friendly home out of an existing structure. The house, which is being redone with double-insulated walls and photovoltaic panels on the roof, will be able to achieve net-zero energy status. Maine BME was able to salvage cabinets, doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures from the Brunswick home.  
davidmatero.com

UPTOWNSTUDIO in Rockland has announced a new line of linen handbags from artist Tori Yattaw. Each tote is handcrafted by Yattaw, from the dark brown leather handles and the brass swivel hooks to the unique paintings that adorn the cloth. They’re the perfect carryall for beachside reading but also sleek enough to function as an everyday bag. 
uptownstudio.net

Maine College of Art student SARAHMOHAMMADI has been recognized by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Best of New England show for a series of work she completed during her sophomore year at MECA. The AIGA retrospective celebrates the best of New England design and will feature Mohammadi’s original project, which documents traditional Iranian cuisine prepared by members of her family. “This collaboration was something that was important to me and allowed me to connect with my family using the tools I had gained from Maine College of Art,” she explains. 
boneshow.org