‘Portland Press Herald’ reviews Art Gallery’s Paintings of John Calvin Stevens
On May 31, 2015, the Portland Press Herald featured an article on the 51Æ·²èArt Gallery’s current exhibition, "The Painting of John Calvin Stevens."
The article noted that "the 51Æ·²èshow is the first comprehensive exhibition of Stevens’ paintings since his death in 1940," including more than 60 paintings, a dozen drawings and a dozen sketches—most of which have existed in private collections and not seen publicly in generations.
According to the article, though Stevens was primarily known as an architect, the "51Æ·²èshow raises the question: Could John Calvin Stevens become as accomplished a painter as he was an architect?"
Art director Anne Zill, who was interviewed for the article, commented that people’s curiosity about Stevens’ ability as a painter is a major draw to the exhibition.
The article also noted that state historian Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. and Paul Stevens, the great-grandson of John Calvin Stevens, co-curated the exhibition and spoke at its opening reception.
The exhibition runs until July 19.