Next time you venture to a Coastal Mountains Land Trust (CMLT) preserve or trail network, you might see a unique-looking trailhead.

“In fact: it’s not a trailhead, but an Art Cart,” said Waterfall Arts, in a news release. “It is a miniature gallery and a chance for folks to add to it using the art supplies in the box provided. So next time you see the cart, stop and write a poem or draw what you see around you. Make your mark.”

This partnership between Waterfall Arts and Coastal Mountains Land Trust provides a fun and accessible way to engage with art on the preserves and trails. The land trusts are democratic spaces — they are free to all, and are places for social and cultural interaction. Open spaces play a variety of functions: they are good for walking and hiking, reading and relaxing; for those who love nature but don’t have a garden, preserves are an oasis of biodiversity. Arts and culture programs presented in these places — art-making opportunities, exhibitions and art installations, concerts or theater — are opportunities for the public to have greater arts access. Other benefits
include being introduced to new kinds of art experiences and viewing or interacting with art in a less formal setting. Art in public spaces helps people feel more connected to their community.

This year, CMLT and Waterfall Arts will collaborate to further expand Art Gone Wild by bringing one-weekend art exhibitions and programming to the Head of Tide and Stover Preserves in Belfast, located at 91 Doak Road. Events may include an art exhibition or installation, artist talk, interactive workshop or other programming and may also include locative art for people to encounter as they use the trails.

The first Art Gone Wild event of 2023 will occur Friday, July 14, from 4 - 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 15, from 8 - 10 a.m., with work by Smudge Studio artists Jamie Kruse and Liz Ellsworth. Their work, Tea Hut of Miraculous Powers: A Waystop along the path of planetary transformation, offers “occasions for respite, nourishment, appreciation, learning, corroboration, recombobulation, and adjusting course,” to “experience the ‘miraculous’ within the everyday: the brewing, sipping, and sharing of a simple cup of tea.” For more information about Smudge Studio and Observatory, located at 158 High Street, Ste. 101, Belfast, ME, visit: smudgestudio.org.

The second event, occurring on Sunday, August 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature work by artist Devon Kelley-Yurdin, an interdisciplinary artist who’s creative practice is “grounded in the belief that creativity can be found everywhere and plays a deep role in holistic community care.” For more information about Devon Kelley-Yurdin and their work visit: devonkelley-yurdin.com.

On Sunday, September 17, from 1 to 4 p.m., work by artists Peter Walls and Allegra Kuhn will festoon the trails. Both artists are known for their work with color, strong designs, and wildlife motifs. For more information about Peter Walls visit: peterwallsstudio.com. For more information about Allegra Kuhn visit: allegrakuhn.com.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust (CMLT) is a non-profit formed in 1986 to permanently conserve land and protect the natural and human communities of the Penobscot Bay region, from Rockport to Prospect, Maine. To date, CMLT has conserved over 13,000 acres of land, with over 35 public preserves and 55 miles of trails. CMLT also provides free year-round events, connecting the community with the natural world, and supports schools in offering outdoor learning for students. For more information about Coastal Mountains Land Trust visit: coastalmountains.org

Launched in 2000, Waterfall Arts is a community arts center that offers resources to arts enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. We welcome the public to engage in the arts through classes, exhibitions, art events, performances, public art projects, open studios (in clay, glass, print, and darkroom photography) and more. For more information, visit waterfallarts.org, follow us @waterfallarts, or call 207-338-2222.