The Roberta Goschke Gallery and Studio will present it’s first show of the 2006 summer season, showcasing the works of six very talented local artists. The show, titled “Thank God It’s Monday,” will present drawings accomplished during the Monday Night Life Drawing sessions at the Gallery. An opening reception will take place on Thursday, June 29th from 6 - 9 pm at 604 Bremen Road. Waldoboro. The show will run until July 29.
Roberta Goschke moved to Maine with her husband Bob in 2000 and together they converted an 1850 homestead into their residence and Gallery. The Gallery officially opened in 2002 and displays a constantly changing collection of Roberta’s oil paintings, and drawings. Roberta Goschke studied life drawing and oil painting at the Corcoran School of Art, Art League School, Alexandria Virginia and George Washington University. Before coming to Maine, she was a member of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters and the Art League in Alexandria Virginia.
The Monday Night Life Drawing Group began in the Spring of 2004 and meets each week for a three hour semi-structured venue of short and long poses. The artwork is spontaneous and exciting, and includes mediums of charcoal, ink, watercolor, and oil. “T.G.I.M” will include works by Roberta and the five principle group members.
Steve Hall, from Rockport, has been drawing the figure for over 30 years having studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. In 1996, he rediscovered the desire to draw the human figure and began studies with Robin Wiseman of Providence Rhode Island. For the past ten years, he has taken part in different figure drawing groups on a weekly basis in Mass, Rhode Island and Maine “I enjoy the challenges and the rewards in the exercise of drawing from observation. The occasional production of a piece considered worthy of being looked at over and over again, is simply a pleasant bonus.”
Eleanor Zuccola, a Boston native, studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Since moving to Maine 21 years ago, she has designed and worked in stained glass, participating in craft shows throughout New England. She is involved in yearly watercolor workshops in Italy, having studied with Frank Webb and more recently Jonelle Johnson. Eleanor continues to explore watercolor techniques while enjoying the opportunities to paint Maine and Italy.
Wiscasset resident Peter Fogg has been involved in the Maine arts scene as an artist, educator, and currently, owner and partner with his wife Teresa at Fogg Art Restoration. “I have been involved in the visual arts throughout my life. Studying,
learning, growing, and teaching have all played a part in the journey. I work as
an art conservator and custom framer with my wife, and that can be very technical. Drawing from the model for pure enjoyment creates a wonderful balance. My time spent with the Monday Night Drawing Group makes artistic growth possible. Making gifts of this work, selling pieces, donating pieces to organizations, and exhibiting is a way of sharing my enjoyment in the pursuit of vision to paper.”
Rachel Feero studied at Heartwood College of Art and the Academy of Carlo Pittore. In addition to being the groups’ favorite model, Rachel is a painter and sculptor with a studio in Nobleboro. “I attempt to capture beauty and truth of form through careful observation and mark making, an impossible goal, but one I will continue to pursue.”
Carole Palmer has drawn and painted intermittently all of her life. She attended classes at the Silvermine Guild in New Canaan while living in Connecticut with her husband Rich and daughters Lauren and Erin. Her family moved to Boothbay three years ago, and Carole has been a member of the Monday Night life Drawing Group since its inception. “When drawing or painting, all other thoughts drop away and it’s complete concentration on the model, the paper in front of me, and my attempt to express movement and form through line and shading. Sometimes the results are a pleasing surprise.”
Come meet these talented artists and enjoy their work. For more information, call the Gallery at 832-7002.

In an effort to promote working from a live model, the Atrium Art Gallery at the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn College in 2003 presented a state-wide juried exhibition exclusively focused on work created in the environment of a life drawing group. Its success led to the Figure Revealed II, juried by DeWitt Hardy and Janet Conlon Manyan. These small groups exist around the state, somewhat in isolation, their members working quietly with focus and dedication. The Figure Revealed II contains works by Roberta Goschke, Peter Fogg, Steven Hall, and Kathleen Mack which were accomplished at the Roberta Goschke Gallery Monday Night Drawing Group.

The Window Tree Gallery and Framing Shop, located at 44 Maine Street, Brunswick Maine, will host this solo show of Roberta's artwork.

"The title of the show “Near Sights” has a double meaning. The more obvious refers to the paintings depicting “sights” near to my studio. The real genesis of the title has to do with my style of painting. As I am ‘near-sighted”, I often find it useful to take off my glasses so that I may not see the tiny details, but rather concentrate on the big shapes. This helps me to understand what I am actually seeing, rather than what my brain says I am supposed to be seeing. This idea came from Kevin McPherson’s book “Fill Your Paintings with Light & Color.”

Each of my subjects presents a different challenge and unique experience. Painting “plein air” is really living in the moment. While painting, I am experiencing a scene that may seem mundane to the passer-by. As I stand there, it’s own beauty, sound, and smells are revealed to me. Later, I remember that moment, that day, the season, warmth or cold, the people who came up to talk to me or a farm dog making sure I was OK. The finished painting includes all of this for me.

My flower paintings are inspired by, “The Last Flowers of Manet” where a different bouquet, given to Edouard Manet by his many friends, adorns each page. How wonderful to enjoy Manet’s “flowers” all these years later. The completed painting depicts the flower that stood before me, not a generic bloom. In the process of painting this flower I have enjoyed it’s lovely fragility, and, like Manet, I can still enjoy this flower long after it has withered."

- Roberta Goschke