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

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
PMA Films: Misericordia
Apr 30
PMA Films: Misericordia

104 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. In French with English subtitles. DCP.

An out-of-work baker returns to his native French village with suspicious motives in Alain Guiraudie’s superb exploration of desire, violence, and the ties that bind them.

PMA Films: Misericordia
May 1
PMA Films: Misericordia

104 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. In French with English subtitles. DCP.

An out-of-work baker returns to his native French village with suspicious motives in Alain Guiraudie’s superb exploration of desire, violence, and the ties that bind them.

PMA Films: Eno (Encore Screening)
May 1
PMA Films: Eno (Encore Screening)

100 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Gary Hustwit. In English. DCP.

The groundbreaking generative documentary about visionary musician and artist Brian Eno, a film that’s different every time it’s shown.

Noontime Talk: Spotlight on The Dead Pearl Diver
May 2
Noontime Talk: Spotlight on The Dead Pearl Diver

Join Melissa Weglein, Gallery Engagement Manager, for a discussion on the first artwork acquired by the PMA and a hauntingly beautiful marble sculpture from the height of the Romantic era: The Dead Pearl Diver (1858) by Benjamin Paul Akers.  

PMA Films: Misericordia
May 2
PMA Films: Misericordia

104 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. In French with English subtitles. DCP.

An out-of-work baker returns to his native French village with suspicious motives in Alain Guiraudie’s superb exploration of desire, violence, and the ties that bind them.

Free Friday- Classical Uprising: Growing up Maine
May 2
Free Friday- Classical Uprising: Growing up Maine

Classical Uprising returns to the PMA with a special performance and art making activity. 

PMA Films: Misericordia
May 3
PMA Films: Misericordia

104 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. In French with English subtitles. DCP.

An out-of-work baker returns to his native French village with suspicious motives in Alain Guiraudie’s superb exploration of desire, violence, and the ties that bind them.

PMA Films: Misericordia
May 3
PMA Films: Misericordia

104 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. In French with English subtitles. DCP.

An out-of-work baker returns to his native French village with suspicious motives in Alain Guiraudie’s superb exploration of desire, violence, and the ties that bind them.

PMA Films: Misericordia
May 4
PMA Films: Misericordia

104 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. In French with English subtitles. DCP.

An out-of-work baker returns to his native French village with suspicious motives in Alain Guiraudie’s superb exploration of desire, violence, and the ties that bind them.

PMA Films: Outsider (Free Screening with Laura Ornest and panel discussion)
May 4
PMA Films: Outsider (Free Screening with Laura Ornest and panel discussion)

40 minutes (followed by panel discussion). Not Rated. Directed by Ted Haimes. In English.

After Maury Ornest’s death at age 58, his sister Laura discovered more than 1,400 paintings in every room of his home and secret storage units, a discovery which set her on an unexpected journey. Followed by a panel discussion.

Suitcase Stories®: Inspiring Stories of Refugee and Immigrant Life
May 8
Suitcase Stories®: Inspiring Stories of Refugee and Immigrant Life

Featured nationally on PBS, Suitcase Stories® performances spotlight inspiring and powerful stories of refugee and immigrant life. Produced by Stellar Story Company, Maine residents unpack meaningful stories of global migration on stage. 

Suitcase Stories®: Inspiring Stories of Refugee and Immigrant Life
May 8
Suitcase Stories®: Inspiring Stories of Refugee and Immigrant Life

Featured nationally on PBS, Suitcase Stories® performances spotlight inspiring and powerful stories of refugee and immigrant life. Produced by Stellar Story Company, Maine residents unpack meaningful stories of global migration on stage. 

PMA Films: "Full Speed Ahead": The General (1926) (with live accompaniment by Carolyn Swartz)
May 10
PMA Films: "Full Speed Ahead": The General (1926) (with live accompaniment by Carolyn Swartz)

79 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman. Silent with English intertitles. DCP.

Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman’s eternal classic screens with live accompaniment by Carolyn Swartz as part of “Full Speed Ahead,” a statewide celebration of train movies. Presented with Maine Historical Society, and free for students 21 & under!

PMA Films: "Full Speed Ahead": The Tall Target (1951)
May 10
PMA Films: "Full Speed Ahead": The Tall Target (1951)

78 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Anthony Mann. In English.

Anthony Mann’s riveting historical thriller, revolving around a plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, screens as part of “Full Speed Ahead,” a statewide festival of train movies. Presented with Maine Historical Society.

Access for All on Third Thursday
May 15
Access for All on Third Thursday

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

Public Symposium “Reflecting Forward: Learning from American Art Reinstallations”
May 31
Public Symposium “Reflecting Forward: Learning from American Art Reinstallations”

Reflecting Forward: Learning from American Art Reinstallations This public symposium will bring together scholars, educators, and artists to explore how lessons from reinstallation projects in partnership with Indigenous communities can create sustained change in American art scholarship, exhibitions, and collection stewardship.

Artist Talk: Bhasha Chakrabarti in Conversation
Jun 5
Artist Talk: Bhasha Chakrabarti in Conversation

Join artist Bhasha Chakrabarti as she explores artmaking as a process of mending—both literally and metaphorically. Challenging the traditional view of mending as a mundane act, Chakrabarti transforms it into a creative gesture that confronts fragility, vulnerability, and impermanence.

Noontime Talk: Jo Sandman: Skin Deep
Jun 6
Noontime Talk: Jo Sandman: Skin Deep

Join Anjuli Lebowitz, Judy Glickman Lauder Curator of Photography at PMA, for an engaging gallery talk on Jo Sandman: Skin Deep, exploring the artist’s profound connection to materiality and form. 

Drawing in the Galleries
Jun 13
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. 

Access for All on Third Thursday
Jun 19
Access for All on Third Thursday

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

Performance: Art with Arias
Jun 20
Performance: Art with Arias

The PMA and Opera Maine's prestigious Studio Artist Program present a special summer engagement. Tenor Jack Hicks will perform a diverse repertoire spanning multiple genres in response to artworks in the PMA collection.

2025 Nelson Social Justice Fund Lecture with Chase Hall
Jun 27
2025 Nelson Social Justice Fund Lecture with Chase Hall

Multidisciplinary artist Chase Hall explores race, identity, and history through narratives of power, earning him recognition as an essential voice in American contemporary art today.

Access for All on Third Thursday - Maine Marimba Ensemble
Jul 17
Access for All on Third Thursday - Maine Marimba Ensemble

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

Lecture: Artists in Conversation – Ann Craven and Jay Stern
Jul 24
Lecture: Artists in Conversation – Ann Craven and Jay Stern

Artists Ann Craven and Jay Stern come together for a conversation on their creative processes and inspirations. Craven, known for her vibrant, emotive paintings, explores themes of nature, memory, and repetition. Stern’s expressive oil paintings delve into memory, time, and transformation, offering a layered perspective on artistic expression.

Access for All on Third Thursday
Aug 21
Access for All on Third Thursday

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

Access for All on Third Thursday
Sep 18
Access for All on Third Thursday

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

Access for All on Third Thursday
Oct 16
Access for All on Third Thursday

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

Access for All on Third Thursday
Nov 20
Access for All on Third Thursday

Visit the museum for free all day with an ever-changing monthly party.

 
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