Author Archives: Becca Abramson

Erin Gates Design Reimagines a Perkins Cove Family Residence

Mairen Marshall has southern Maine in her blood, with everyone from her great-grandmother and grandmother to her parents and her mother’s cousins spending time there over the years. “My parents bought a house in Wells the year I was born, … Continue reading

60 Years of Ralph Steadman at Bates College Museum of Art

It’s hard to imagine an event more fully in concert with a liberal arts education than the visual extravaganza of Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing, currently on view at Bates College Museum of Art. The exhibition, curated by Sadie Williams … Continue reading

This Knickerbocker Group Project Balances Timeless Character and Ecological Responsibility

From the outset, the homeowners of Sylvan Hill envisioned a high-performance home rooted in Maine’s architectural vernacular, blending historic charm with modern sustainability. They hold a deep appreciation for summers spent outdoors, so the landscape design naturally became a central … Continue reading

Architect-Doula Kim Holden on Birth as a Design Challenge

MH+D ASKS HOLDEN TO TELL US MORE. Q. How can the process of birth be considered a design problem? A. Labor progression is an anatomical and physiological design problem, as is creating an environment that fosters labor and birth, rather than … Continue reading

Another Round Offers a Classy Take on Fun and Games

“The concept for Another Round stemmed from my moving to Portland and wanting a third space where I could hang out and congregate with people around board games, which is a kind of place that didn’t really exist here. I … Continue reading

Designer Jeffrey Alan Marks Transforms an Old Shed into a Poolside Cabana

Bicoastal interior designer Jeffrey Alan Marks is no stranger to moving around. Following a nomadic childhood up and down the state of California, Marks spent seven years studying design and architecture in London, met his husband and moved into a … Continue reading

Design Wire July 2025

Fourteen Maine artists were selected for CREATIVE PORTLAND’s eighth juried art exhibition, Acceptance, which opened in May and will run through April 2026. The show represents a diverse group of established and emerging artists from Portland, Falmouth, Saco, Scarborough, South … Continue reading

Spicy-Sweet Midcoast Mussels

Abel’s Lobster and Bar Harbor Catering Company are proud to be a part of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s Tastemakers program, which highlights businesses that are committed to putting a diverse range of local fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables … Continue reading

Art in Bloom 2025

The Portland Museum of Art’s annual Art in Bloom multiday event filled the museum with stunning floral displays inspired by its artwork, offering a celebration of local floral artistry and a fresh perspective on the museum’s collection. Self-guided tours allowed … Continue reading

Barbara Damrosch’s Top Tips for Growing Food in Maine

Why is growing food particularly important to you?I wrote a column for the Washington Post for 15 years called “A Cook’s Garden,” and my latest book, A Life in the Garden (Timber Press), was somewhat inspired by that experience. I … Continue reading