“Folk Art on High,” will be presented at the Rufus Porter Museum, June 22⁏ctober 1, featuring 36 weathervanes with original surfaces, as well as photographs of vanes from the 1970s on loan from the collection of Eula Shorey. The exhibition has been curated by Julie Lindberg, and includes an example of a newly minted vane.
The exhibit complements two vanes in the museum collection, attributed to James Lombard, a Bridgton native whose wooden vanes of roosters with flamboyant tails have long been famous in the folk art world. In addition, a previously unknown iron template attributed to Lombard is on view.
A preview party will be Wednesday, June 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the museum; all are welcome to attend. As this is a fundraiser to support the preservation of newly donated murals by Jonathan Poor, tickets are $35 per person. For reservations, call 207-647-2828 or tickets may be purchased at the door.
The museum is honoring Eula Shorey in appreciation for her life’s work in preserving the history of Bridgton, and for recognizing the importance of weathervanes many years ago. She has loaned a weathervane to the exhibit, “Mountain Boy,” a famous racehorse from the 1880s, which formerly sat atop the Perry House on Main Hill in Bridgton.
A catalog of the exhibit with accompanying information on vane surface analysis will be available June 22.
The museum is at 67 North High Street. For information, www.rufusportermuseum.org or 207-647-2828.
