Resumé

  • Born April 1, 1951 Belfast, Maine

Solo Exhibitions:

  • 2008 - Center For Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME
  • 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 1999 - Caldbeck Gallery, Rockland, ME
  • 2003 - Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, ME
  • 1999, 1996 - Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY
  • 1996 - University of Maine, Machias
  • 1995, 1993, 1991, 1989 - Frick Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1994, 1991, 1990 - Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY
  • 1990 - Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, ME
  • 1984 - Artfellows Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1983 - Manchester Community College, Manchester, CT
  • 1982 - Westerly Library, Westerly, RI
  • 1982 - M.S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1979 - Hiram Halle Library, Pound Ridge, NY

Selected Group Exhibitions:

  • 2013 "On Site, Watercolors of Maine" Falcon Foundation Firehouse Gallery, Damariscotta, Maine.
  • 2009 – Landscape, Then and Now, Arkell Museum, Canajoharie, NY
  • 2007 - The Constructed Landscape, Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, ME
  • 2005 - The Long View; Selections from the Norma B. Marin Collection of Maine Art, University of Maine Museum of Art
  • 2005 - Water. Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME
  • 2001- 2004 -United States Embassy, Skopje, Macedonia
  • 2002 - Past, Present, Future. CMCA, Rockport, ME
  • 2002 - Grounded, Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY
  • 2001- Maine In America, Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, ME
  • 2001- 2002 Landscapes Seen and Imagined: Sense of Place, DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA
  • 2000 - Maine and The Modern Spirit, Katonah Museum, Katonah, NY
  • 2000- Works On Paper, Portland Museum, Portland, ME
  • 2000 - Clark House Gallery, Bangor, ME
  • 1998-2001 - United States Embassy, Santiago, Chile
  • 1999 - Clark House Gallery, Bangor, ME
  • 1998 - Maine Coast Artists, Rockport, ME
  • 1998 - McGrath-Dunham Gallery, Castine, ME
  • 1997 - Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY
  • 1997 - Maine Coast Artists, Rockport, ME
  • 1996 - Spring St. Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1996 - McGrath-Dunharn Gallery, Castine, ME
  • 1995 - The Language of Art, Art Initiatives, New York, NY
  • 1995 - Maine Industry. J.S. Ames Fine Art, Belfast, ME
  • 1995 - On the Brink, 1900-2000, The Turning of Two Centuries, Galerie St. Etienne, New York, NY
  • 1995 - Paint and Paper, Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY
  • 1995 - On the Waterfront, Maine Coast Artists, Rockport, ME
  • 1995 - McGrath-Dunham Gallery, Castine, ME
  • 1994 - Migrant Within II. Carnegie Museum, University of Maine, Centre d'Art-St.Georges, Beauce, Quebec
  • 1993/1994 - Landscape as Metaphor; Transcendental Visions, Fitchburg Museum, Fitchburg, MA. Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI
  • 1993 - Mainescapes. Ogunquit Museum of American Art, Ogunquit, ME
  • 1993 - What's Going on Now; New Art in Maine, Frick Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1992 - The Artists Eye, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, ME
  • 1992 - Invitational, Frick Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1992 - Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ
  • 1992 - On The Edge: 40 Years of Painting in Maine, Maine Coast Artists, Rockport, ME
  • 1992 - 100 Years of American Art: The Colby College Collection, Port Washington Library, NY
  • 1991/1992 - New Acquisitions, Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, ME
  • 1991 - Paper Trail, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY
  • 1991 - The Lost Landscape, Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI
  • 1990 - Voyages of the Imagination, Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, ME
  • 1990 - Works on Paper, Frick Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1989/1990 - Traditions of American Landscape 1828-1989, Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME
  • 1989 - Interstices, Maine Artists Invitational 1989, Farnsworth, Museum, Rockland, ME
  • 1989 - Maine Coast Artists Annual Juried Show, Rockport, ME (Award-Best in Show)
  • 1989 - Beyond Function, Frick Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1988 - The Landscape: Real and Imagined, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY
  • 1988 - Maine Coast Artist Annual Juried Show, Rockport, ME
  • 1988 - Inaugural Exhibit, Frick Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1987 - The Natural and Altered, University of Maine, Farmington, ME
  • 1986 - Art of the Northeast USA, Silvermine Guild, New Canaan, CT
  • 1986 - Anne Weber Gallery, Georgetown, ME
  • 1986 - Caldbeck Gallery, Rockland, ME
  • 1986 - M.S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1986 - Artfellows Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1985 - Art of the Northeast USA, Silvermine Guild, New Canaan, CT
  • 1985 - Caldbeck Gallery, Rockland, ME
  • 1985 - M.S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1985 - Artfellows Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1985 - Aetna Life & Casualty, Hartford, CT
  • 1984 - M.S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1984 - Artfellows Gallery, Belfast, ME
  • 1983 - M.S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1983 - Center for the Arts, Westerly, RI
  • 1982 - M.S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1979 - Stonington Gallery, Stonington, CT
  • 1975 - Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
  • 1974 - Trinity College, Hartford, CT
  • 1973 - Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT

Bibliography:

  • 2008 - Greenleaf, Ken. Review, Portland Phoenix
  • 2008 - Beem, Edgar A. Article, Yankee Magazine Online
  • 2007 - Beem, Edgar A. Downeast Magazine, feature article 6/07
  • 2006 - Weisgall, Deborah. Industrial Landscapes, Caldbeck Gallery catalog essay
  • 2005 - Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Art; interview with Dr. Susan Larsen
  • 2003 - Weisgall, Deborah. New York Times, feature article 9/21/03
  • 2003 - Crichton, Alan. The Lucid Mark, Catalog essay, Farnsworth Art Museum
  • 2002 - Little, Carl. Art of Maine in Winter, Down East Books
  • 2002 - McAvoy, Suzette. The Restless Season; Catalog essay, Caldbeck Gallery, Rockland, ME
  • 2002 - Little, Carl. Review, Maine Times. 1/3
  • 2000 - Larsen, Susan. Maine and The Modern Spirit. Catalog essay.
  • 2000 - Lombardi, Dominick. New York Times. 8/27 Review.
  • 1999 - Russell, Jenna. Review, Bangor Daily News
  • 1998 - Weil, Rex. Article, Art News, 3/98
  • 1997 - Greenleaf, Ken. Review, Maine Sunday Telegram, 6/97
  • 1997 - Crichton, Alan. Review, Art of New England, 1/97
  • 1996 - Isaacson, Philip. Review, Maine Sunday Telegram, 9/96
  • 1996 - Wilkinson, Jeanne. Catalog essay, Rosenberg & Kaufman Fine Art
  • 1995 - Goldberg, Vicki. Exhibition Review, On the Brink, The New York Times, 5/14
  • 1995 - Greenleaf, Ken. Maine Sunday Telegram, 7/16 Review
  • 1995 - Tate, Sprunt Hanes. Maine Times, 7/28 Review
  • 1995 - Kallir, Jane. On The Brink 1900-2000, The Turning of Two Centuries, Exhibition essay
  • 1994 - Wilkinson, Jeanne. The New York Review of Art, December
  • 1994 - Tarlow, Lois. Profile Interview, Art New England
  • 1994 - lsaacson, Philip. Maine Sunday Telegram, 6/12 Review
  • 1994 - Roberge, Celeste. Exhibition essay, Migrant Within II
  • 1994 - Jacks, Shirley. Art New England, 1/94 Review
  • 1993 - Marxson, Patti. Art New England, 9/93 Review
  • 1992 - Raynor, Vivien. New York Times, 8/23 Review
  • 1992 - Watkins, Eileen. Newark Star Ledger, 9/6 Review
  • 1992 - Little, Carl. Republican Journal, 9/24 Review
  • 1992 - Wolff, Theodore. Exhibition essay, On the Edge: 40 Years of Maine Painting 1952-1992
  • 1992 - Isaacson, Philip. Portland Sunday Telegram, 10/18 Review
  • 1990 - Beem, Edgar Allen. Maine Art Now, 6/90
  • 1990 - Little, Carl. Art New England, 5/90 Article
  • 1990 - Lugo, Mark-Elliott. San Diego Magazine. The View From Manhattan, 10/90
  • 1989 - Tolnick, Judith E. & McAvoy, Suzette Lane. Curators, Interstices, Farnsworth Museum, Catalog essay
  • 1989 - Isaacson, Philip. Neo Geo, Portland Monthly, September
  • 1989 - Beem, Edgar Allen. Maine Times, 6/30 Review
  • 1989 - Beem, Edgar Allen. Maine Times, 6/9 Article
  • 1987 - Damsler, Matt. Hartford Courant, 10/4 Review
  • 1987 - Clough, Wendy. lthaca Times, 9/24 Review
  • 1985 - Garde, Harold. Art New England, November Review

Public Collections:

  • Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA.
  • U. S. Department of State
  • DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA
  • University of Maine Permanent Collection, Machias, ME
  • Chaseman Enterprises International, Chevy Chase, MD
  • United Technologies, Hartford, CT
  • Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, ME
  • Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, ME
  • Arthur Anderson, Minneapolis, MN
  • Bates College, Lewiston, ME
  • Colby College, Waterville, ME
  • Modus, Inc., New York, NY
  • Prudential Insurance, Newark, NY
  • Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME
  • Troy A. Howard Middle School, Belfast, ME
  • Waldo County General Hospital, Belfast, ME
  • Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, ME

Education:

  • 1973 - B.F.A. in Painting, Hartford Art School, Hartford, CT

Bio

The intersecting geometries of fire, water, industrial installations, and the woods form the base for Dennis Pinette’s paintings. His work is defined by improvisation layered over direct observation. Four old buildings overlooking Penobscot Bay serve as home and studio. His wife Megan is president of the Belfast Historical Society and Museum. Their son Evan is a mariner and musician.

Mr. Pinette’s subject is landscape, brutal landscape: terrain deformed with factories or ledges molten from brush fires, forest floors painfully orange with dead leaves, waves cresting into sucking holes. He does not paint specific places as much as a complex of emotion and energy; his landscapes become fictions, concentrated and ambivalent, located beyond the real world. “I like my work best when it is on the edge of disintegrating,” he said in a recent conversation, “when the subject almost disappears, as if the subject is an excuse to paint a dream.” (His) work, charged with the ecstasy of recording the visual world, is tied to the romantic tradition. But his landscapes emerge as a state of mind.

“I paint two intersecting geometries,” he said. “The hand of man and the hand of nature.” Within that tension he locates the sublime.
~Deborah Weisgall. The New York Times, feature article excerpt 9/21/2003

Pinette is restless by nature, and it is no surprise that he is drawn to painting the Maine woods during the fall season when it undergoes its greatest span of change…there are no beginnings and endings in these works. They are consciously, acutely, not narrative. They demand the immediacy of impressionism, the knowledge of formalism, and the freedom of abstract expressionism held within the grasp of a romantic spirit for their fruition.
~Suzette Lane McAvoy. The Restless Season, essay excerpt. Caldbeck Gallery 2002

For years he has sought out the invisible things in plain view; power plants, moldering heavy equipment, and, more recently, houses on fire. In his excellent solo show at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland, he has turned less to the specifics of a late industrial presence on the land and more toward the elemental character of nature. The cumulative effect of the forty-odd pictures that make up this show is that they were done by a mature artist who is at the top of his form. They are works of a distinct identity.
~Ken Greenleaf. Portland Phoenix, review excerpt 11/7/2008