Parsonage Gallery
Purpose
The Parsonage explores the relationship between ecology, spirituality, and creativity through contemporary art.
The gallery hosts cutting-edge exhibitions by a diverse array of artists, as well as performances, lectures, and other events. The Parsonage seeks to provide artists, students, and community members with hospitality and support, which nourishes their creativity and deepens their connection with one another and the unique coastal environment.
Place
The Parsonage is in a classic Federalist-style estate in the historic district of Searsport, Maine, home to legendary sea captains.
The Parsonage takes its name from its construction in 1831 as the home of Rev. Stephen Thurston, a renowned pastor and abolitionist, and his wife Clara Thurston, a respected community leader and aunt of the famous artist Winslow Homer. Inspired by the Thurstons’ legacy, hospitality is at the core of the Parsonage’s identity.
We also recognize and honor that we are guests on the traditional lands of the Wabanaki, People of the Dawnland, specifically the Penobscot Nation, for whom this land remains sacred. It is a special privilege to look out to the Wassamkeag (‘bright sand beach’), now the largest uninhabited island on the eastern seaboard. Its rich biodiversity is preserved through the Friends of Sears Island.
Space
The Parsonage is set in an elegant converted carriage house with spacious galleries on two floors, joined by a spiral staircase.
The Parsonage combines state-of-the-art exhibition facilities for traditional and new media art with a historic structure with vaulted ceilings, beams salvaged from ships, and ocean views.
In addition to exhibitions, the space can be configured to host various events, from public lectures to film screenings. It also has an outdoor patio space for performances, discussions, and gatherings.