That's a wrap for Art in Bloom 2023!

Art in Bloom arrived at the PMA just at the right time to get us out of the winter doldrums and feel the spring vibes

Explore designer profiles, photographs, videos, and more here!

This year marked the largest Art in Bloom in recent history, with 21 floral designers creating art-inspired arrangements in the galleries. The designers brought their artwork inspirations to life with floral arrangements, and we were lucky enough to catch some of them in the galleries making their final touches!

The galleries bloomed with visitors all week to experience these arrangements. (Yes, the flowers smelled as good as they looked.) Audiences also enjoyed special floral programming including a centerpiece workshop with Katie Lovins of Clo Floral, auditorium programs with Wild Seed Project and Backyard Blooms, musical performances by Portland Symphony Orchestra and Katie Oberholtzer Quartet, and more.

Thank you to the over 5,000 visitors who explored the galleries and made this year’s Art in Bloom an event to remember! The energy and excitement continues with upcoming programs like Slow Art Day, Third Thursdays, Family Day, and more, so save the dates and register today.

Programs & Events
Now More Than Ever: A Book Launch Celebration
Nov 16
Now More Than Ever: A Book Launch Celebration

Join us for a trifecta book launch celebrating three accomplished and award-winning Maine poets and their latest collections.

Poetry in Dialogue: Third Thursday | Free Access All Day
Nov 20
Poetry in Dialogue: Third Thursday | Free Access All Day

An ever-changing monthly event with live music, unique programming, community collaborations, and more.

Seeing, Sensing, and Saying with Held
Nov 20
Seeing, Sensing, and Saying with Held

Together with PMA, Held will present Seeing, Sensing, and Saying: a tour of our new Grace Hartigan: The Gift of Attention exhibition. Guided by our museum educators, we’ll look closely at Hartigan’s bold, expressive works and explore the poetry that shaped her vision.

Ekphrastic Writing Workshop with the Trans Poetic Archive
Nov 20
Ekphrastic Writing Workshop with the Trans Poetic Archive

For this ekphrastic writing workshop, poets t love Smith and Jude Marx we’ll begin with an introduction to the history of ekphrasis—the practice of writing in response to visual art.

Noontime Gallery Talk | David Driskell’s “Pine and Moon”
Nov 21
Noontime Gallery Talk | David Driskell’s “Pine and Moon”

Join us for a conversation inspired by David Driskell's iconic painting, Pine and Moon.

PMA Films: Peter Hujar's Day (with introduction by curator Anjuli Lebowitz)
Nov 21
PMA Films: Peter Hujar's Day (with introduction by curator Anjuli Lebowitz)

76 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Ira Sachs. In English. DCP.

The photographer Peter Hujar, whose images exist in an important lineage and dialogue with the work of groundbreaking gay artists such as Robert Mapplethorpe and David Wojnarowicz, forms the center of the latest movie by fearless independent American filmmaker Ira Sachs (Passages).

[SOLD OUT] PMA Films x Points North: Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong (with filmmaker discussion)
Nov 23
[SOLD OUT] PMA Films x Points North: Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong (with filmmaker discussion)

73 minutes (followed by discussion). Not Rated. Directed by Kaitlyn Schwalje and Alex Wolf Lewis. In English. DCP.

As America’s aging wastewater systems begin to fail, one plant and its motley crew of unlikely heroes do all they can to stay afloat. Presented in collaboration with Points North, this screening will be followed by a filmmaker discussion.

PMA Films: "Fall of '75": One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Nov 29
PMA Films: "Fall of '75": One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

138 minutes. Rated R. Directed by Miloš Forman. In English. DCP.

Forman’s iconic story of rebellion against the system, which swept the Academy Awards in 1976, screens as part of a series celebrating the great films of 1975.

PMA Films: "Fall of '75": One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Nov 30
PMA Films: "Fall of '75": One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

138 minutes. Rated R. Directed by Miloš Forman. In English. DCP.

Forman’s iconic story of rebellion against the system, which swept the Academy Awards in 1976, screens as part of a series celebrating the great films of 1975.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Dec 3
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Dec 4
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

The Annual Copper Beech Tree Lighting
Dec 5
The Annual Copper Beech Tree Lighting

Kick off the holiday season with the magical glow of our annual Copper Beech Tree Lighting.

PMA Films: AIDS Diva: The Legend of Connie Norman (2021) (Free screening with filmmaker Dante Alencastre and Frannie Peabody Center)
Dec 5
PMA Films: AIDS Diva: The Legend of Connie Norman (2021) (Free screening with filmmaker Dante Alencastre and Frannie Peabody Center)

60 minutes (followed by discussion). Not Rated. Directed by Dante Alencastre. In English.

Trailblazing trans activist Connie Norman evolves as an irrepressible, challenging and soulful voice for the AIDS and queer communities of early 90's Los Angeles. This is a free screening in commemoration of World AIDS Day on December 1. Presented with Frannie Peabody Center, and followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Dec 6
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

PMA Films: "Fall of '75": Manila in the Claws of Light (1975)
Dec 6
PMA Films: "Fall of '75": Manila in the Claws of Light (1975)

125 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Lino Brocka. In Filipino with English subtitles. DCP.

Mixing visceral, documentary-like realism with the narrative focus of Hollywood noir and melodrama, Manila in the Claws of Light is a howl of anguish from one of the most celebrated figures in Philippine cinema.

PMA Films x Points North: Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong (with filmmaker discussion)
Dec 7
PMA Films x Points North: Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong (with filmmaker discussion)

73 minutes (followed by discussion). Not Rated. Directed by Kaitlyn Schwalje and Alex Wolf Lewis. In English. DCP.

As America’s aging wastewater systems begin to fail, one plant and its motley crew of unlikely heroes do all they can to stay afloat. Presented in collaboration with Points North, this screening will be followed by a filmmaker discussion.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Dec 10
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

Night 1 | Salt Student Documentary Showcase
Dec 10
Night 1 | Salt Student Documentary Showcase

Join us for an evening of short films and audio documentaries from the graduating class of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at MECA&D.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Dec 11
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

Night 2 | Salt Student Documentary Showcase
Dec 11
Night 2 | Salt Student Documentary Showcase

Join us for an evening of short films and audio documentaries from the graduating class of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at MECA&D.

Noontime Talk | Birding in the Galleries
Dec 12
Noontime Talk | Birding in the Galleries

Self-described Maine “bird nerd” Will Valentine explores the PMA Collection to reveal how artists have captured the ways birds guide sailors, sustain farms, and shape Maine’s culture past and present. 

Drawing in the Galleries
Dec 12
Drawing in the Galleries

Visit the museum for drop-in drawing sessions in the galleries during Free Friday hours!  

Get creative! Join us every 2nd Friday for Drawing in the Galleries during Free Friday. We’ll provide the materials—you bring the inspiration! No experience needed, just drop in and sketch surrounded by art. 

December Lights - Saturday, December 13
Dec 13
December Lights - Saturday, December 13

Step into the glow of the season with December Lights, festive days filled with art, music, and holiday cheer at the Portland Museum of Art. Enjoy creative workshops, family fun, exclusive shopping, and free events that make the museum shine all season long.

Muppets Puppet-Making Workshop with Mayo Street Arts
Dec 13
Muppets Puppet-Making Workshop with Mayo Street Arts

After The Muppet Christmas Carol screening, join Mayo Street Arts educator, Josie Colt, for a hands-on puppet-making workshop inspired by the film’s iconic characters.

PMA Films: "Fall of '75": India Song (1975)
Dec 13
PMA Films: "Fall of '75": India Song (1975)

125 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Lino Brocka. In Filipino with English subtitles. DCP.

Within the insular walls of a lavish, decaying embassy in 1930s India, the French ambassador’s wife (Delphine Seyrig) staves off ennui through affairs with multiple men—with the overpowering torpor broken only by a startling eruption of madness.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Dec 14
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

PMA Films: My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow
Dec 17
PMA Films: My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow

342 minutes (includes two 10-minute intermissions). Not Rated. Directed by Julia Loktev. In Russian with English subtitles. DCP.

How do you keep fighting for the truth when your country declares you an outlaw? What begins as an intimate epic about young Russian independent journalists fighting Putin’s regime takes a drastic turn when Russia invades Ukraine and they must choose whether to flee into exile.

December Lights | Free Access All Day
Dec 18
December Lights | Free Access All Day

Step into the glow of the season with December Lights, a day filled with seasonal cheer. FREE and open late 10am – 8 pm. Celebrate the season with extended hours, family activities, live music, and after-hours shopping.

PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio (Free Screening)
Dec 18
PMA Films: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio (Free Screening)

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. In English. DCP.

Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and testimony from leading experts from around the world, Caravaggioimmerses audiences in the hidden narratives of the artist’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art.

PMA Films: My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow (Chapter 1-3)
Dec 20
PMA Films: My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow (Chapter 1-3)

197 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Julia Loktev. In Russian with English subtitles. DCP.

How do you keep fighting for the truth when your country declares you an outlaw? What begins as an intimate epic about young Russian independent journalists fighting Putin’s regime takes a drastic turn when Russia invades Ukraine and they must choose whether to flee into exile.

 
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