Four-Day Course | PICTURING MAINE: The Wyeth Family in Historical Context
Member $1,300 and Non-member $1,500
An immersive art history course at the Portland Museum of Art and offsite in Midcoast Maine
Maine has captivated artists, writers, and promoters for over two centuries as an imagined region that extends far beyond its geography as the easternmost state.
This intensive workshop explores the evolving idea of Maine and Mainers through the work of the Wyeth family, alongside twentieth-century artists like Marsden Hartley and Lois Dodd, while examining the meaning of Maine through short fiction, poetry, and comedy.
Expect a fun and refreshing experience—Victoria and Margaret may even invite you to dinner.
Dates: August 26–August 29, 2026
Details:
The class will be held Wednesday, August 26 through Friday, August 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Portland Museum of Art. On Saturday, August 29, the group will meet offsite in Midcoast Maine for instructor-led visits to Wyeth-related sites.
Note: Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the offsite event. If you do not have access to a car, please let us know when you register. While the museum cannot guarantee transportation, we may be able to connect attendees who are interested in coordinating travel arrangements.
This course will be offered again in October, 2026.
A class syllabus will be provided in advance, including updated reading assignments featuring Maine short fiction.
Recommended Pre-Reading:
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline
Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life by Richard Merryman
Registration Includes:
Daily admission to the Portland Museum of Art, including one timed-entry ticket to the exhibition Winslow Homer: Painter, Etcher to be utilized during the run of the course. A timed-entry ticket is required. PMA staff will help participants reserve tickets in advance.
Included:
- Morning coffee and pastries
- Catered daily lunch Wednesday through Friday
- Daily parking next to the PMA at 120 Free Street
Session 1:
Wednesday, August 26 to Friday, August 28 | PMA
Saturday, August 29 | Offsite field trip
Session 2:Â
Wednesday, October 14 to Friday, October 16 | PMAÂ
Saturday, October 17 | Offsite field trip
Above: Newell Convers Wyeth, Georges Islands, Penobscot Bay, Maine, 1928-1929, oil on canvas, 42 3/16 x 48 1/8 in. Anonymous gift, Portland Museum of Art, 1984.63.
Victoria Wyeth has lectured extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She has given gallery talks and lectures at Wyeth exhibitions from Tokyo to Paris. Since her first gallery talk in June 1995, she has interspersed discussions of subject matter and technique with direct quotes from her grandfather and her uncle, in addition to many personal memories and family stories.
Professor Margaret Creighton, whose family roots are in Maine, has written several books on American history. Her recent teaching, which has included courses titled Back East, Out West, Down South, and Imagining Maine, has focused on the curious way regional myths relate to lived experience.
