Magazine

Erin Gates Design Reimagines a Perkins Cove Family Residence

July, 2025 | By: Alyssa Bird | Photography: Jessica Delaney

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, and my grandmother was in Perkins Cove,” says Mairen, referring to the quaint harbor village in the town of Ogunquit. She now shares a love of Maine with her husband, Sean, and the couple bought their own Ogunquit home after they had their second of three children. “We lived there for seven months during COVID and realized that we needed more space,” she continues. “This property in Perkins Cove came on the market, and it happens to be across the drawbridge from my late grandmother’s old house.”

The couple’s new residence—perched on a large rock outcropping between the cove and the Atlantic—has seen many iterations since the original structure, a small Cape, was built during the mid-1800s. “In the early 1900s, artist Hamilton Easter Field renovated and enlarged the house, resulting in a structure that looks like our home today,” explains Sean, also noting that it later served as a bed and breakfast beginning in the 1950s. (One of its guests reportedly included actress Bette Davis, who served as an Ogunquit Beach lifeguard in 1926.) “The previous owner rebuilt the residence in 2001 to look identical to the existing one, and the goal with our renovation was also to keep its look and feel. We loved the white exterior with its huge farmer’s porch, but the building had taken a beating as a rental property, and it needed new bones.”

To help usher the property into its next phase, the couple called on Boston-based interiors firm Erin Gates Design and local builder Richard Moody and Sons Construction. “We lived in the house for two summers, which helped determine what we wanted,” says Mairen. “It needed to function for our busy family of five and also serve as an easy place to entertain, since local family members are always stopping by.” Hence the decision to convert a dark TV room between the kitchen and screened porch into a lively bar room, which is enveloped in bold blue and white fig-leaf wallpaper. “This space was our number one priority,” says Sean. “We opened the kitchen to create a large pass-through into the bar area and replaced the French doors to the screened porch with sliding doors that create an indoor–outdoor feel.” The screened porch and adjacent deck are popular spots thanks to their front-row view of boats navigating to and from the harbor. “Someone is always outside,” he continues. “There are a few different places to sit, eat, or have a drink.” The pass-through serving area isn’t the only change back in the kitchen. Additional windows were installed, and the layout was reimagined to incorporate an island for dining as well as an island for food prep. Nearby are the refreshed living and dining areas, powder room, laundry room, and mudroom. “It was critical that there be enough space for the family to tuck away towels and other beach gear,” notes Gates.

Meanwhile, on the lower level, a second kitchen was removed, the bath was renovated, and a new bedroom, gym, and sauna plus a den for the kids were added. On the upper level, which contains three bedrooms and a workspace that can be closed off for privacy, some key modifications make all the difference, especially in the primary suite. In the bedroom, the cathedral ceiling was converted into a paneled barrel-vault that feels more welcoming. The adjoining bath was looking its age and was in desperate need of an overhaul. “There was an oversized jacuzzi in the corner, a vanity that took up too much space, and a glass block shower in a strange location,” recalls builder Jason Moody. “Also, you could hardly see the water, so we installed new windows in one corner to allow for a better view of the boats coming and going.”

In general, says Moody, “the house needed a lot of updates. The original plan was to replace the windows and rework the layout to be less choppy. However, we started to find some rot and were forced to peel back the layers. In the end, the entire structure was taken down to the studs out of necessity.” And while the overall appearance of the exterior remains (a few Palladian windows were swapped out for more contemporary rectangular versions), the materials are new, from the high-performance Andersen windows to the stainless-steel cable railings to the fiber cement siding and composite trim. “Because of its location, this house gets hammered by heavy wind, driving rain, and snow,” says Moody. “We needed to choose the right construction methods and products to withstand that.”

This dedication to selecting hardy materials was carried through to the interiors as well. “Our kids are 13, 10, and 6, so durable furnishings are critical,” notes Sean. And given the abundance of windows, potential fading is also a concern. “We chose indoor–outdoor fabrics, wipeable surfaces like porcelain tile, and lots of V-groove paneling, which is tougher than plaster,” says Gates, who installed penny tile in a fun striped pattern on the floor of the children’s bath. “The effect looks custom and interesting, but it’s not precious.” Fun is a common theme throughout, as the couple is open to pattern and color—especially their favorite hue, blue. “It’s always important to take the location and views into consideration,” says the designer. “The ocean heavily influenced the palette here, but it doesn’t feel too beachy. We have just about every iteration of blue, from the bold fig-leaf wallpaper in the bar area to the pale blue kitchen to the grayish blue in the children’s room. And I love that they went with that fig-leaf wallpaper. People tend to get nervous about bold choices, but those always end up as favorites in the end.” The furnishings are a comfortable yet fresh combination of new and custom pieces with some of the owners’ artwork sprinkled in. “We incorporated some sentimental touches, including a surfboard the couple purchased on a trip to Hawaii,” says the designer. “It’s classic New England, but with a more whimsical seaside touch. The goal was to design a happy, relaxing, beautiful, and functional space that they look forward to returning to.”

And it would appear the team has succeeded. Even after a complete gut renovation, the soul of the original house that the couple fell in love with remains. “It’s nice that when I’m in the house, I can still feel what it was like when we bought it,” says Mairen, whose favorite place to perch is at a table near a windowed corner of the living room. “It’s a great spot for the kids to play games or do puzzles, but it’s also where I drink my coffee on cool mornings and watch the lobster boats go by.” No matter the weather or season, there are plenty of areas to cozy up and relax. “We weren’t interested in creating a showpiece, but rather a home that reflects this family,” says Gates. “It’s a house where you can kick your feet up.”

60 Years of Ralph Steadman at Bates College Museum of Art

July, 2025 | By: Lucky Platt

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 and Andrea Harris in collaboration with the Ralph Steadman Art Collection, is as vast as any artist’s retrospective might be, spanning more than 60 years. For fans and fans-to-be—there’s something for everyone here—it’s truly incredible to have so much original Steadman art in one place, to be able to take time with the work and revisit it, to allow the work to surprise and delight and even horrify. “This is an exhibition with so many portals,” says the museum’s education curator, Anthony Shostak. “The work opens directly into so many fields of study—literature, art history, American history, environmental science, political science—and Steadman makes it really easy for the viewer to open those doors.”

Whatever you think you know about Ralph Steadman—his Gonzo journalism era and his world-famous adventures with Hunter S. Thompson; his Rolling Stone magazine illustrations for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream; his artwork for Flying Dog Brewery; his portraits of musicians, writers and U.S. presidents; his depictions of endangered, extinct, and imagined birds; his Paranoids (manipulated Polaroids); his documentary collaboration with Johnny Depp; or his award-winning children’s book illustrations—you’ve never seen him like this. You haven’t encountered his works at scale as he envisioned them, or in the context of our challenging times, where they feel as fresh and resonant as ever.

Not to say that viewing And Another Thing is easy. It’s unsettling, provocative, loud, and often raging. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” George Orwell wrote in his 1917 allegorical novel Animal Farm, and Steadman’s illustrations for the 50th anniversary edition of the novel express a visceral rage at the abuse of power. At the same time, animals in their natural environments have a dignified and loving presence in Steadman’s work. He traveled with his family to South America in the 1980s to closely observe and sketch vultures, and created many reverential drawings of the unpopular bird; the milky-eyed baby bird in the ink drawing, Owen the Owl, was rescued by Steadman and brought to a sanctuary.

By the time Steadman found his groove, he’d experienced multiple affronts to his moral sensibility, so he set out to make world-changing art; specifically, he sought to make the world a better place by calling attention to injustice through his artistic output. “I had found my voice, and I was going to use it as a weapon,” Steadman said in the 2012 documentary film For No Good Reason. Regardless of the medium, his works are like a direct jolt from a mind deeply engaged with the human condition. The quality and energy of his drawing line is instantly recognizable; it’s as distinct as his signature, which he inks using a calligraphy pen in a mashup of cursive and printed all caps: STEADman. An ink splatter released from Steadman’s hand holds infinite possibilities for form and story to emerge. Even better if the ink wash water is dirty with residue, a muck of color; as he says, “It might just lead somewhere.”

Ralph Steadman was born in 1936 and grew up in Liverpool, England, where he would concentrate on the clicking sounds of his mother’s knitting needles during the air raids of World War II. He spent some time in the Royal Air Force, where he loved the engineering of flying things, an interest that would resurface years later in his immersive study of Leonardo Da Vinci. In his twenties, Steadman pieced together an art education at various U.K. schools, where he felt the strongest pull and connection to the life drawing classes. He found work as a cartoonist—thrilled to be paid to draw—and ventured to New York City in 1970. Later that year, Steadman exploded into the popular consciousness when he was invited to accompany the maverick journalist Hunter S. Thompson to document the Kentucky Derby. He and Thompson were like a chemical reaction, with Steadman’s drawings seeming to flow out and even anticipate Thompson’s words.

The story of Steadman’s now-classic black-and-white illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the sequel, Through the Looking Glass, is that Steadman didn’t know the books before he was commissioned to draw them. Somehow, this is fitting for an artist who is so often carried along by his own stream of consciousness. “I’m interested in making something that is as unexpected to me as it is to anyone else,” he says. “If I knew what was going to happen, what would be the point of doing it?” Alice shares this sentiment, as she is never sure what she will be from one minute to the next, and famously sees no point in books without pictures. 

Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing will be on view at the Bates College Museum of Art until October 11, 2025.

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 element of their vision.

The resulting design strikes a thoughtful balance between timeless character and ecological responsibility. A meandering driveway winds through a wildflower meadow and a birch copse before arriving at the entry circle and main door, offering a peaceful arrival to the site. Native plantings and pollinator-friendly gardens enrich biodiversity while creating a low-maintenance, seasonally dynamic landscape that matures gracefully over time.

Locally quarried granite was chosen for patios, walkways, and terraces, grounding the home within its coastal surroundings. Covered porches, open decks, and a rustic granite terrace with a fire pit offer a variety of inviting outdoor spaces for gatherings and quiet moments of reflection. The intentional use of textured paving stones adds a rustic character, helping pathways and terraces blend seamlessly into the existing ledge and wooded edges of the site. Lawn areas were minimized and used only where essential for pathways.

By honoring the site’s natural topography and patterns, the land- scape design ensures a harmonious integration between built and natural environments, thus preserving the enduring spirit of traditional Maine homesteads.

Location: Coastal Maine
Architect: Knickerbocker Group
Builder: Knickerbocker Group
Interior Designer: Knickerbocker Group
Landscape Architect: Knickerbocker Group
Construction Start: 2021
Construction Complete: 2023

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 hinders it. By design “problem” I don’t mean “problematic” but, rather, something that can be better understood through the lens of design.

A birthing room can, by its design, either support a normal physiological birth or support a risk approach to childbirth. Ideally, the design should create a sense of safety and privacy, foster one’s sense of agency, allow freedom of movement and change of position, and reduce stress and fear, all of which release birth hormones that allow labor to progress and pain to be more manageable.

However, the design of many contemporary labor and delivery spaces remains modeled on acute hospital care, and are the antithesis of these qualities, designed for the benefit of the practitioner, rather than the birthing person. This has led to an increase in unnecessary C-sections, rampant birth trauma, racial disparities, and mortality. In short, we are in the midst of a full-blown maternal healthcare crisis.

Q. Are there specific elements within the birth experience that could benefit from intentional design thinking?

A. Understanding how one’s body works during labor is essential to having an empowered and positive birth. Design is integral to the baby’s descent and engagement with the pelvis during labor. There are simple tools and props, like birth balls, hanging silks, and birth stools, and also techniques that can potentially shorten labor, decrease pain, and reduce the likelihood of unnecessary interventions, including cesarean section. Movements, lunges, and inversions during pregnancy and labor can facilitate positioning and rotation of the baby in a way that creates a path of less resistance for easier delivery, regardless of whether that birth is medicated or nonmedicated. But many labor environments do not facilitate this, making them a mismatch for childbirth.

Design and rendering: Raven Xu

Q. How do you approach the intersection of healthcare and design in your work at Doula X Design, especially when thinking about the birth experience?

A. One of the greatest obstacles to the work I do is a general lack of education and awareness about birth. Birth has been medicalized, even pathologized, and is often viewed as a condition to be managed, rather than as a normal life event. Through the media and other channels, we have been conditioned to fear birth. So I always start with the basics: what are the stages and hormones of labor, the differences between a midwife and a doula, and between different birth environments, including a hospital labor/ delivery room, a freestanding birth center, and homebirth? The policy makers in charge, for the most part, don’t know the answers to these questions, which is inherently problematic.

Q. What role do you see user-centered design playing in the creation of birth-related products or environments?

A. Examples of user-centered design in birth are offering a bed larger than a twin-size hospital bed; not making the bed the focal point of the room; and creating a circuit for movement and change of position during all phases of labor, including pushing, which is least effective when lying on one’s back. Incorporating visual, audio, and lighting options is important, as is offering hydrotherapy and reducing the number of spaces a laboring mom cycles through (lobby, triage, labor/delivery, OR, recovery, postpartum) because with each change of environment, she has to reacclimate and get labor back on track. When you check in to a hospital as a pregnant person, you’re asked to put on a gown, and from the very beginning, you are made to feel like a sick patient. Your sense of agency is compromised, your confidence erodes, and the “fight or flight” hormones kick in, potentially leading to a stalled labor and ultimately a less than positive birth experience.”

Birth centers provide a person-centered, midwife-led, collaborative model of care. They are a safe alternative to hospital births for low-risk pregnancies, offering positive outcomes, lower cesarean rates, better breastfeeding initiation rates, and decreased risk of trauma and postpartum depression. But without sufficient access, there is a limited path to improvement.

Over the past decade, 11 birthing centers in Maine have closed. After July 1, MDI Hospital’s unit will join that list, bringing the total to 12, with 4 closing just this year. In addition, less than half of Maine’s hospitals offer birthing services at all, and more labor and delivery units are expected to close in the future. High out-of-pocket costs and insurance coverage issues limit most births to hospitals, which can be intervention-suggestive and prioritize medical providers over patients. These closures have created maternal healthcare deserts, particularly in rural areas, and have contributed to the maternal health and mortality crisis, disproportionately affecting low-income communities, immigrant populations, and communities of color.

Typical hospital labor and delivery room (left), courtesy of Kim Holden; photo and design by Zelda English (right), courtesy of Astoria Birth Center

Q. What are some innovative solutions or technologies you’ve explored that could improve the birth experience for those involved?

A. For the most part, the medieval-looking design of women’s health tools and instruments has not changed in decades. However, there are exceptions. In Sweden, midwives are experimenting with plasma screen walls that can be customized to provide a calming, private environment.

There is a new, simple wireless monitor that can track contractions and the baby’s heartbeat as an alternative to wearing two monitoring belts and being tethered with many wires. Designers are working on prototypes for more user-friendly OB/GYN instruments, including speculums and self-collection cervical screening swabs. They are experimenting with less-clinical finishes, concealed medical equipment, dedicated birth furniture, and how to provide hydrotherapy options in every birth room.

Q. What long-term impact do you hope your work will have on the experience of birth and its design solutions?

A. Childbirth is a universal experience. We are all born and have all been impacted by the design of birth spaces, whether we realize it or not.

In many other countries, family life is integrated into how businesses operate. Education about how babies are made and born is a priority, and birth is demystified starting at a young age. Along with this, there is a general attitude that if you support birthing parents, and families, to help children get a good start in life—through enhanced benefits and initiatives, family leave, and flexibility—there will be a positive ripple effect that will ultimately translate into better lives, more productive work, and a happier society.

My goal is to create awareness of how environment, at the scale of the individual and the scale of the structure, profoundly impacts birth and postpartum experience, outcome, disparity, and mortality, and to reframe childbirth as a societal topic rather than a “women’s issue.” Everyone deserves a safe and dignified birth that is not driven by profitability or fear.

MH+D is proud to partner with acclaimed architectural photographer Trent Bell on his architecture, design, and photography podcast. To hear Bell’s conversation with Holden, please visit adppodcast.com.

Another Round Offers a Classy Take on Fun and Games

July, 2025 | Photography: Amanda Huebner Photography | As told to Becca Abramson

“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 had been to other board game bars and cafes, but most either leaned too far into the drinking aspect or felt like an old basement. The inspiration for the interior was to create a space that would be equally appealing to the hardcore gamer as it would be to someone who has no interest in games and just wants to come in for a great cup of coffee or a delicious cocktail. I wanted it to be incredibly approachable for everybody who walks by.

“As someone who loves the world of liquid culinary creations, having a bar area for playing around with cocktails, local draft beer, and coffee and espresso drinks was super important. We commissioned a custom-built bar from Tom Draper at Outer Forest Woodworking, which is made from maple. The rest of the space kind of designed itself according to the environment we were trying to create. When you’re building a board game–focused place, small tables won’t cut it, so we added big tables that allow guests to play a variety of games with multiple sides. Woodhull’s architecture team developed a modular shelving system on a pegboard for us so that we can constantly rearrange the walls every couple of months when new games come in.

“Throughout the design process, I made it clear that I wanted the space to feel welcoming in both the morning and the evening. To brighten it up, we incorporated as much natural light as we could, and we purchased a handmade chandelier from Italy for the lounge area. The front three tables have individual sconces to add a bit of extra lighting when needed, and we mixed in plenty of plants and pops of green to complement the natural wood tones.

“Timothy Goldkin at Ramble More Design created some custom pieces of large-format, wax-sealed artwork for us that play on the motif of games as a part of the community, and muralist Erica Sedler painted a landscape onto a cinder- block cutout in the brick wall so that it feels like a window to the outdoors. In line with our idea of playfulness and not taking ourselves too seriously, there are some spots where the brick has gone missing over years of wear and tear that we filled in with Legos.”

—Harry Sultan, owner of Another Round

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

July, 2025 | By: Becca Abramson | Photography: Trevor Tondro

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 beach house in Montecito, then decided to put down roots on the East Coast to be closer to family as the couple’s daughter grew up (first in East Hampton, New York, then in Greenwich, Connecticut). For someone who’s relocated countless times, it’s amusing—and maybe even peculiar—that Marks chose to title his second book This Is Home (Rizzoli, 2025).

Given the sheer number of residences the designer has worked on and lived in, he can provide a rare perspective on the meaning of home. “My true meaning of home is the memories you create in that house—no matter where it is. I now understand that we love our rooms not because of the dramatic de Gournay wallpaper or the picture-ready Plain English kitchens, but because of the people we bring with us over the threshold and the experiences we share with them,” Marks writes. “I think we weren’t all meant to live in the same house for generations, the way our ancestors did. Change, while often scary, is where greatness happens. And I believe that a home is the nucleus of it all.”

The 1925 Montecito house that became Marks’s first family home with his husband and daughter is a cozy California cottage surrounded by oak trees and pines. It took nine months to rip the home to its studs and renovate the interiors with Marks’s signature British cottage aesthetic, complete with playful nods to nautical style and plenty of English and American antiques. In the backyard, Marks transformed an old storage shed into a pool house perfect for entertaining. The wallpapered interior and built-in banquette add a touch of luxury to the bright and airy space, while curtains provide extra privacy or a reprieve from the sun. Plenty of pillows in an assortment of patterns offer extra comfort, and soft blankets and a surfboard are at the ready for a quick trip to the beach. Create your own Cali-inspired outdoor oasis with these nine finds.


THE SAPLING Grain Surfboards // grainsurfboards.com

SHIBORI DOT CURTAIN Pottery Barn // potterybarn.com

THE BEACH BLANKET IN
CREW MEDITERRANEAN BLUE STRIPE Business & Pleasure Co. // businessandpleasureco.com

ROPE MIRROR Celadon House //
shopceladonhouse.com

OMBRE WALLCOVERING IN DENIM Clarke & Clarke // kravet.com

DOCKSIDE OUTDOOR DINING CHAIR Palecek // kathykuohome.com

WYATT SQUARE COFFEE TABLE McKinnon & Harris // mckinnonharris.com

INDOOR/OUTDOOR WOVEN BASKET West Elm // westelm.com

CARNIVAL PERFORMANCE
PRINT Christopher Farr Cloth // christopherfarrcloth.com

Design Wire July 2025

Delaney Burns, I remember the day she told me, lithograph on tea-stained paper; Arunas Bukauskas, Dainius, laminated digital print; Sandy Wilcox, Monument #4, oil on canvas

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 Portland, and Westbrook and features a variety of paintings, photography, prints, drawings, and two-dimensional mixed-media work for sale. Creative Portland executive director Dinah Minot, who acted as a juror and helped narrow down the 110 submissions, noted that “there were many artists who submitted that I’ve never seen or heard of before. The selection process was rewarding, even though we didn’t initially have alignment in our choices. It was fascinating to hear everybody’s perspective and to find common ground and excitement with the final results.”

Rendering: Courtesy of Ducas Construction

DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE and DUCAS CONSTRUCTION recently completed the renovation of a 1929 brick building on Forest Avenue, creating 38 apartments and 12,000 square feet of commercial space. Known as RUMERY LOFTS, the building contains a mix of studio and one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 415 to 1,000 square feet, along with 42 underground parking spaces. Ten units are reserved for affordable housing. The $16 million rebuild is part of a block of five close buildings purchased by Developers Collaborative in 2022, the rest of which will likely remain commercial structures.

An initiative to use innovative fishing gear known as ropeless or on-demand gear is growing in popularity in an effort to protect North Atlantic right whales. Maine’s DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES is offering compensation to lobstermen who are willing to test out and provide feedback on the new technology, which uses acoustic signals to locate and release traps on the ocean floor rather than floating a buoy at the surface connected to a long vertical line that can pose a threat to swimming animals. While some fishermen express concerns about the cost and practicality of the new gear, others see it as a necessary adaptation to ensure both the sustainability of the lobster industry and the protection of endangered whales.

PORTLAND YACHT SERVICES (PYS) is working with KEELEY CONSTRUCTION of South Portland to construct its eighth and largest service building at 100 West Commercial Street. The 45,000-square-foot facility, which will consist of two connecting buildings, will provide additional space for the company’s servicing of recreational and commercial power and sailboats. “We have a high weekly turnover of outboard service,” Jason Curtis, vice president of operations, told MaineBiz. “We work on everything from 2.5 horsepower to 330 tons.” PYS, which was started by Joanna and Phineas Sprague in 1987, also recently acquired the family-friendly PORTLAND BOAT SHOW, held in late February at the PORTLAND SPORTS COMPLEX.

Photo: Neil Zeller

Canadian multidisciplinary practice DIALOG DESIGN is making highways safer for drivers and animals through innovative wildlife overpass design. In partnership with ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC CORRIDORS, Dialog developed the award-winning BOW VALLEY GAP WILDLIFE OVERPASS across six lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway, one of the busiest stretches of roadway in the province that acts as a key access point to the Canadian Rockies. The wildlife overpass structure consists of twin corrugated steel plate arches, one over each direction of travel on Highway 1, supported by cast-in-place concrete footings and backfilled with gravel. A thick layer of clay and topsoil provides the opportunity for naturalized landscaping on top of the structure. According to Dialog, the overpass location “was selected based on traditional migration patterns, and the design responds to the topography and local ecology of the surroundings to integrate it into the landscape in a manner that is sensitive and thoughtful.”

Photos: Courtesy of AGC Maine (Malone Family Tower, Tekakapimək Contact Station)

The ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF MAINE (AGC MAINE) recognized five construction companies and their employees with the announcement of the 2025 BUILD MAINE AWARDS. Winners were selected through a competitive, confidential process by representatives of design, engineering, construction, and owner perspectives. Criteria include safety, innovation, construction techniques/materials, contribution to the community, meeting the challenge of a difficult job, environmental sensitivity, responsiveness to client needs, and customer satisfaction. In the Building Division, TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY was recognized for the MALONE FAMILY TOWER project at MAINE MEDICAL CENTER, which features a striking facade and seven-story atrium. CONSIGLI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY won honors in the Building Renovation Division for its THOMPSON BLOCK project, which sets a new standard for the adaptive reuse of landmark properties in Maine. The BACK COVE SOUTH STORAGE FACILITY by N.S. GILES won the Specialty/Subcontractor Division for maintaining top-tier quality and an unwavering commitment to safety. REED & REED’s MADAWASKA INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE won the Bridge Division and acts as a symbol of Maine’s commitment to building critical infrastructure that connects people, economies, and cultures across borders. The Overall Project of the Year is WRIGHT-RYAN CONSTRUCTION’s TEKAKAPIMəK CONTACT STATION at KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT, which exemplifies excellence in sustainable construction, cultural significance, and community impact while setting a new standard for environmentally responsible construction and fostering a deeper connection between visitors and Wabanaki culture.

Photo: Yoon Jung Choi / Virginia Tech

VIRGINIA TECH assistant professor of industrial design YOON JUNG CHOI led a team of researchers in developing a student-friendly, SUSTAINABLE ART PAINTING TOOLKIT that converts compost into watercolor paint. The three-step process consists of sorting food scraps into color-coded bins, extracting the pigments using a device similar to a French coffee press, and mixing pigments with gum arabic (a thickener) to create usable paint. “By reframing discarded fruits and vegetables as a valuable resource, we offer a sustainable alternative to conventional paints while empowering students to think critically about waste and sustainability,” the team told Dezeen. “Blending design, science, and education, this initiative empowers students to be active participants in shaping a more circular, resourceful future.”

Photo: Courtesy of Farnsworth Art Museum

Rockland’s FARNSWORTH ART MUSEUM recently unveiled a new mural by renowned artist, writer, and naturalist JAMES PROSEK that will be on display until May 2027. Entitled Gulf of Maine Pictographs No. 1, the mural replaces an existing piece by local artists RYAN ADAMS and RACHEL GLORIA ADAMS on the museum’s Elm Street exterior wall. Prosek’s 90-foot mural focuses on the dynamic exchange of life and biomass between land and sea, featuring large-scale silhouettes of organisms that inhabit the Gulf of Maine. “James Prosek’s art has a remarkable ability to bridge the realms of art, science, and the natural world,” said chief curator Jaime DeSimone. “This project offers a powerful reflection on the natural world and the intricate relationships within Maine’s ecosystems.”

Spicy-Sweet Midcoast Mussels

July, 2025 | By: Tonia Brereton | Photography: Jillian Trujillo Hernandez

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 front and center. “Right now, about 90 percent of our seafood is locally sourced, and we’re aiming to get to 100 percent this season,” says head chef Tonia Brereton. “This dish is one of our most popular for a reason—the mussels from Trenton, Maine, have a naturally sweet, rich flavor, and the spice in our sauce pairs beautifully with them, creating a dish that is both comforting and bold.”

Makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

1½ pounds mussels
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1½ ounces white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons gochujang
3½ ounces coconut milk
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Add the oil to a large frying pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat.
  2. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute.
  3. Add the mussels and toss with the shallots and garlic. Cover the pan and allow the mussels to steam for about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the white wine and reduce the liquid by half.
  5. After the wine is reduced, add the Dijon, gochujang, and coconut milk. Allow the mussels to finish cooking, about 5 minutes or until all mussels are fully opened.
  6. Finish with finely chopped herbs and your choice of bread for dipping.

Art in Bloom 2025

July, 2025 | Photography: Alex Kusnarowis / Portland Museum of Art

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 guests to explore the arrangements at their own pace, and several Portland restaurants dazzled with floral-inspired treats and cocktails throughout the week. Special programs at the museum included member previews, live performances by members of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, a book signing with Cig Harvey, a jazz brunch with the Chris Oberholtzer Band and Black Tie Catering and Events, and a family screening of Pixar’s Coco. For more information on upcoming programs, visit portlandmuseum.org.

“When art and floral design come together, something powerful happens. This program sparks joy, invites conversation, and brings people together in a vibrant celebration of color, warmth, creativity, and community.”
—Lizzy Jones, deputy executive director, Portland Museum of Art

Barbara Damrosch’s Top Tips for Growing Food in Maine

July, 2025 | By: Becca Abramson | Photography: Barbara Damrosch
Photo: Lynn Karlin

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 think it’s important as human beings on this planet that we have the ability to grow our own food—it’s something we should teach our kids at school. No one should be at the mercy of the industrial food supply.

Is early summer too late to start a garden?
At this point in the season, some people may have started their plants from seed and already have them in the ground, while others may not have even begun. It’s perfectly okay to prepare a bed now and start sowing things from scratch that might not produce until later in the summer or fall, or to go to your local nursery and buy some starts so that you can get a summer supply. The “summer garden” isn’t just something that magically appears in the summer and disappears when fall begins—it’s part of a continuum.

What’s unique about gardening in Maine?
The bad news is that we have a short season, especially where I am on the coast. We often don’t get our gardens going until later, because it can still be very cold in the spring, but the water and land heat up in the summer, and we hang onto that offshore warmth into the fall. On the plus side, it doesn’t get extremely hot, so Mainers can grow some very popular vegetables that people farther south can’t, like spinach and lettuce.

Do you have any tips for healthy soil?
Soil is everything. Not spraying it with any kind of pesticide, chemical, or poison is my number one piece of advice. Number two, and it’s just as important, is to have great soil, and the best way to do that is to put organic matter into it. Organic matter is full of nutrients, and it also gives the soil a better texture. At the farm, we use a com-post pile and shovel some of that into the garden to give it a fluffy, chocolate cake–like look and feel.

Barbara’s Picks for Beginner Gardeners

  • “The easiest fruit would obviously be the blueberry, which is one of the only native foods Maine produces. We’ve had great success with the Berkeley blueberry variety.”
  • “If you’re going to have just one tree in your yard, plant an apple tree. The ones that have worked best for us are the Spies, like Northern Spy, or Russets, such as a Golden Russet. They have a roughness that keeps them from getting chewed up by bugs.”
  • “Root crops like carrots, potatoes, and beets do quite well in Maine. Beets are wonderful because you get the bottoms and the tops—you can serve them together or separately, but the whole plant is useful. You’ll keep your deep crop as far into the season as possible, but in the meantime, you can rob it of its greens.”
  • “There’s nothing wrong with growing a row of heads of lettuce, but once you take that head, it’s gone. Come again lettuce, as it’s colloquially known, is great because you can harvest the outer leaves multiple times without losing the whole plant.”
  • “The two herbs that are most important to me are basil and sage. I love lemon basil, which has small leaves and a slightly lemony taste. And sage, which grows in little bushes, is indestructible.”
  • “Happy Rich is a real treasure. It’s a cross between an Asian crop called gai lan and regular old broccoli. It grows in little sprouts that you can keep clipping, and it’s incredibly versatile.”

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