Public Art Committee — Portland, ME
Date: 2026-05-20
Time: 16:00

Sharon Dennehy, Vice Chair
 Kat Zagaria Buckley
 Phoebe Cole
 Nathan Frazee
 Justin Levesque

 Management and Administration
 Sean King, Urban Designer with the Planning and
 Urban Development Department


 PORTLAND PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE
 Wednesday, May 20, 2026
 4:00 PM City Hall, Room 209 (Hybrid in person or Zoom)

1. Zoom Meeting Information

 Due to the existence of an emergency or urgent issue the Portland Public Art Committee will
 conduct this meeting by remote methods/technology at the Zoom link provided below, in
 accordance with the requirements of 1 M.R.S. section 403-B and the City Council's Remote
 Participation Policy. Allow your computer to install the free zoom app to get the best meeting
 experience.

 For more information on how to use Zoom, please go to:
 https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/18148b5d-f26e-472f-8d2c-245db97e5c27?cache=1800
 Public. Public comment will be taken; written comments may be submitted to
 publicart@portlandmaine.gov. Please click the link below to join the webinar:

 https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/81634418875

 Or One tap mobile : US: +19292056099,,81634418875# or +13017158592,,81634418875#

 Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1
 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782
 or +1 346 248 7799

 Webinar ID: 816 3441 8875

 International numbers available: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/u/kcytm2arCM

2. Call to Order (4:00 pm)
 A. Roll call of Selection Panel (Staff)
3. Opening Remarks (4:02 pm)
 A. Introduction of meeting procedures (Staff)
 B. Remarks by Selection Panel Chair (Dennehy)
 A. Introduction of meeting procedures (Staff)
 B. Remarks by Selection Panel Chair (Dennehy)


4. Finalist Interviews (4:05 pm)
 A. Gabriel Frey (4:05-4:20pm); Selection Panel Questions.
 B. Isabel Catherine Kelley (4:25-4:40pm); Selection Panel Questions.
 C. Celeste Roberge (4:45-5:00pm); Selection Panel Questions.
5. Public Comment
6. Closing Remarks
 A. Remarks by Selection Panel Chair (Dennehy)

Sharon Dennehy, Vice Chair
 Kat Zagaria Buckley
 Phoebe Cole
 Nathan Frazee
 Justin Levesque

 Management and Administration
 Sean King, Urban Designer with the Planning and
 Urban Development Department


 PORTLAND PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE
 Wednesday, May 20, 2026
 4:00 PM City Hall, Room 209 (Hybrid in person or Zoom)

1. Zoom Meeting Information

 Due to the existence of an emergency or urgent issue the Portland Public Art Committee will
 conduct this meeting by remote methods/technology at the Zoom link provided below, in
 accordance with the requirements of 1 M.R.S. section 403-B and the City Council's Remote
 Participation Policy. Allow your computer to install the free zoom app to get the best meeting
 experience.

 For more information on how to use Zoom, please go to:
 https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/18148b5d-f26e-472f-8d2c-245db97e5c27?cache=1800
 Public. Public comment will be taken; written comments may be submitted to
 publicart@portlandmaine.gov. Please click the link below to join the webinar:

 https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/81634418875

 Or One tap mobile : US: +19292056099,,81634418875# or +13017158592,,81634418875#

 Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1
 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782
 or +1 346 248 7799

 Webinar ID: 816 3441 8875

 International numbers available: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/u/kcytm2arCM

2. Call to Order (4:00 pm)
 A. Roll call of Selection Panel (Staff)
3. Opening Remarks (4:02 pm)
 A. Introduction of meeting procedures (Staff)
 B. Remarks by Selection Panel Chair (Dennehy)
 A. Introduction of meeting procedures (Staff)
 B. Remarks by Selection Panel Chair (Dennehy)


4. Finalist Interviews (4:05 pm)


 Page 1
 A. Gabriel Frey (4:05-4:20pm); Selection Panel Questions.
 B. Isabel Catherine Kelley (4:25-4:40pm); Selection Panel Questions.
 C. Celeste Roberge (4:45-5:00pm); Selection Panel Questions.
5. Public Comment
6. Closing Remarks
 A. Remarks by Selection Panel Chair (Dennehy)




 Page 2
 Gabriel Frey


 Gabriel Frey - Portland Harbor Common Public Art Commission

 Project Description

 It is an honor to propose “Amewin”, a bronze sculpture of a Wabanaki spear sherman,
 as a nalist for the Portland Harbor Common commission. This work comes from a
 teaching I grew up with: If we never take the rst sh, we will never take the last. The
 sherman sees the rst sh of the season but does not take it. His body is ready, but still.
 This moment carries responsibility, patience, and a way of being in relationship with the
 natural world.

 The gure stands in quiet anticipation at the edge of land and water, holding a traditional
 shing spear. He is not shown in the act of striking, but in a moment of restraint. For me,
 this gure is not just a person. He is a presence. He holds knowledge about care,
 balance, and continuity. I want the work to feel grounded and steady; something that
 meets people where they are, gives them pause, and gives them space.

 This site matters. Portland Harbor sits on Wabanaki homelands, and for millennia these
 waters have been places of gathering and sustenance. I see this sculpture as a way to
 bring that presence forward in a public space where it has historically been largely
 absent.

 The sculpture will sit at the end of India Street. It will be visible from the thoroughfare, the
 park, and the water. I am thinking about how it looks from a distance and how it feels
 when you are standing close to it.

 Materials


 The gure and base will be cast in bronze. I am choosing bronze because it holds up in a
 coastal environment and will last over time. It also carries weight and conveys
 permanence

 The surface will have a natural patina. I am not planning to add color. Variation will come
 through the patina, which changes over time with light and weather.




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 Fabrication Method

 I will work with New England Castings to fabricate the sculpture using a mix of digital and
 traditional casting.

 The process includes:

 • Carving the clay maquette
 • Digitally scanning the maquette
 • Scaling the gure from ½ scale to full scale
 • 3D printing casting patterns
 • Casting sections in bronze
 • Welding and assembling
 • Chasing and re ning the surface
 • Applying nishes

 I have experience working at scale with bronze, clay, and copper through my work at
 Tekαkαpimək Contact Station and in my own practice. I will work closely with the foundry,
 calling on their in-depth expertise in the medium, to ensure the piece is well-made and
 built to last.

 Site, Foundation, and Installation

 The sculpture will be located within the circular site at the park entrance. I understand
 the space is approximately a 10-foot radius and needs to allow people to move around
 the focal point.

 I am designing the work so it can be seen from all sides. It does not have a single front. It
 will respond to the street, the water, and the way people move through the space.

 If selected, I will work with the City, the landscape architect, and structural engineers to
 develop the foundation. I understand there are limits with soil and excavation, and I will
 design and execute with that in mind. Installation will be coordinated with the City’s
 construction timeline.

 Maintenance

 Bronze is a stable material for outdoor work, and the sculpture will last for decades with
 basic care.




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Maintenance will include:

  • Periodic inspection
  • Cleaning as needed
  • Reapplying protective coating over time
  • Checking connections at the base

The work will not include fragile elements or materials that require special upkeep.

Lighting

I am designing the sculpture to work with natural and ambient light. The bronze surface
highlights will shift throughout the day and across seasons.

If needed, low-level ground lighting could be added to improve night-time visibility. That
would be coordinated with the City as an additional element.

Interpretive Signage

I understand there will be a standard City plaque.

I would also like to include a short interpretive text or a QR code that gives more context.
This would explain the teaching behind the work and its connection to Wabanaki values
of sustainability and relationship with the land and sea.

I want the work to stand on its own while also giving people a way to go deeper if they
choose.

Budget

I am proposing a total project budget of $150,000.

  • Artist fee and design: $25,000
  • Digital development and scanning: $25,000–$30,000
  • Bronze casting and fabrication: $50,000–$55,000
  • Chasing and patina: $10,000
  • Engineering and coordination: $7,500
  • Transportation and installation: $7,500
  • Documentation and renderings: $8,000
  • Signage: $2,500
  • Contingency: remaining balance

This is based on current estimates and will be re ned as the design is nalized.




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Timeline

I understand that the City is aiming for installation in November 2026. This is an
ambitious timeline, and I am prepared to work toward it.

To meet this schedule, the project will need to move forward without delay after
selection. Based on my conversations with New England Castings, the foundry will
require a 50% deposit at the start of production to secure the schedule and begin
fabrication. The estimated production time is 3–4 months under normal conditions.

To stay on track:

  • June 2026: Selection and contract
  • July – August 2026: Re ne the design, maquette, and coordinate with engineers
 on the foundation and placement
  • September – November/December 2026: Fabrication and coordination
  • December 2026: Installation

Any delays in contracting, deposit, engineering, or approvals will directly impact this
schedule.

I will stay in close communication with the City and the fabrication team to keep things
moving while ensuring the work is done carefully and correctly.

Closing

Again, I am honored to be included among the outstanding group of artists under
consideration. I am proud to represent my tribe and my fellow Wabanaki through this
work. “Amewin” carries teachings passed down over generations. He speaks of
responsibility, restraint, and being in relationship with the natural world.

There is both history and forethought in all aspects of Portland Harbor Common, and I
take seriously what it means to be part of the city’s 21st-century outlook. This is a
permanent piece. It will live beyond us. People will come across it over time, walking
through the park, coming from the water, moving through the city, and it will become part
of how this place is experienced.

I want to contribute something that belongs here, something that holds its ground and
continues to carry meaning over time.




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April 29, 2026



RE: Portland Harbor Common Public Art Commission



To Whom It May Concern,



I am writing in support of Gabriel Frey’s public art proposal for the Portland Harbor Common. As
Executive Director of the Maine Arts Commission, I had the privilege of recognizing Gabriel’s
work and artistic contributions by selecting him for the Maine Craft Artist Award in 2025. He is
an artist of rare depth and integrity whose work carries technical mastery and deep cultural
connection.

Gabriel’s proposed sculpture of a Wabanaki spearfisherman, poised quietly at the edge of land
and sea, is a powerful and timely vision for this site. The figure he describes is a fisherman, a
witness, and a teacher. Grounded in Wabanaki saying, “If we never take the first fish, we will
never take the last,” the work speaks to patience, responsibility, and a reverent relationship with
the natural world that feels especially appropriate. It is a gesture of respect and stewardship that
will resonate with a wide public.

Gabriel’s practice is centered in a profound relationship to place and material. As a
Passamaquoddy artist trained within a long tradition of black ash basketmakers, he brings
extraordinary skill and attention to everything he creates. His recent work in bronze and
large-scale installation, including his remarkable contributions to Tekαkαpimək at Katahdin
Woods and Waters National Monument, shows his ability to carry Wabanaki design and
knowledge into new forms. He knows how to create large-scale work, collaborate effectively,
and design pieces that belong in the public realm.

Gabriel is a cultural leader and teacher. His work extends beyond the studio into the
community, where he creates opportunities for shared learning between Native and non-Native
audiences. He approaches this work with generosity and friendly openness, inviting people in
and remaining grounded in the values and traditions that shape his practice. His philosophy,
practice, and character are essential ingredients for a public project like this. The proposed
sculpture is naturally sited in the landscape, providing the public with a glimpse into the past,
present, and future of this place.



 2



 Page 7
Portland Harbor Common sits on Wabanaki homelands, yet Indigenous presence is often
missing from our public spaces. Gabriel’s proposal helps address that absence with clarity
and thoughtful consideration. His spearfisherman affirms continuity, dignity, respect, and
belonging.

Gabriel is ideally suited for this opportunity because of his exceptional craftsmanship, his
commitment to cultural stewardship, his generosity of spirit, and his clear artistic vision. He is
an exemplary artist and representative of this place we now call Maine. I offer my strong
endorsement of his proposal and believe it will be a meaningful and lasting addition to
Portland’s public landscape.

Sincerely,




Amy Hausmann

Executive Director

Maine Arts Commission




 Page 8
May 1, 2026

Letter of Support for Gabriel Frey

Dear Members of the Selection Committee,

I am writing in strong support of Gabriel Frey and his proposal for the Portland
Harbor Common Public Art Commission. I have had the privilege of knowing
Gabriel and his work over a number of years, and I can speak with confidence to
both the depth of his artistic practice and his ability to contribute meaningfully to
projects of civic and cultural significance.

I first met Gabriel approximately eight years ago through a deeply formative
experience. We spent time together in the woods harvesting brown ash and
working step by step through the process of making a pack basket. That experience
offered a rare and direct understanding of Gabriel’s practice, one rooted in patience,
discipline, and a profound relationship to land, material, and cultural knowledge. It
also revealed his generosity as a teacher and his ability to bring others into that
process with clarity and intention. That foundation continues to inform all aspects of
his work today.

In the years since, I have had the opportunity to work alongside Gabriel on the
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument, a
complex and highly visible public project developed in collaboration with Wabanaki
partners, artists, and institutions. Gabriel has been instrumental in this work. He has
contributed not only as an artist but as a creative collaborator who helps shape
ideas, advance concepts, and carry them through to completion. His involvement
has been critical to the realization of several of the visitor center’s most important
interior and exterior elements. He brings a rare combination of strong vision,
cultural integrity, and follow-through, qualities essential to the success of any
public-facing project.

From my perspective, as someone deeply engaged in civic initiatives and a long-
standing supporter of the arts, Gabriel’s proposal represents exactly the kind of
work public art should advance. Portland is a city with a rich and layered history, yet
there remains a notable absence of a visible Wabanaki presence in its public
landscape. Gabriel’s proposed sculpture directly and thoughtfully addresses that
absence. It aligns closely with the values he outlines in his letter of interest, offering
not only a powerful visual presence but a deeper framework of meaning grounded
in reciprocity, restraint, and long-term stewardship.

I also want to address what I imagine may be questions from the committee
regarding scale, execution, and delivery. In my experience, Gabriel approaches his
work with a clear understanding that projects of this nature are inherently
collaborative. He works with a network of skilled fabricators, advisors, and partners,
and he engages the right expertise to ensure successful outcomes. Public art is
never the work of a single individual, and Gabriel understands how to lead within




 Page 9
that structure, bringing together the appropriate team(s) while maintaining the
integrity of the vision.

Just as importantly, he follows through. I have seen him take on complex ideas and
carry them to completion with care, discipline, and accountability. There is no
question in my mind that he has both the commitment and the support structure
needed to realize a project of this scale.

Gabriel’s proposal for Portland Harbor Common is both artistically compelling and
civically important. It offers an opportunity to create a work that reflects a fuller and
more accurate story of place; one that acknowledges Wabanaki presence not as
history alone, but as an ongoing and vital part of Maine’s cultural landscape. His
sculpture would not only enhance the site visually but also invite reflection, learning,
and connection for all who encounter it.

I strongly encourage your support of Gabriel Frey’s application.

Sincerely,



Lucas St. Clair




 Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Portland Story Quilt




By Isabel Catherine Maritato
Porland Harbor Common
2026

 Page 15
Portland Story Quilt

The Portland Story Quilt is an artful account of
Portland’s history and fellowship with nature,
commerce, and optimistic future. Portland’s redesign
of the Portland Harbor Common Park would benefit
from the Portland Story Quilt sculpture by creating a
common place for the diverse cultures of Portland to
find and celebrate themselves and their home in the
telling of a community surrounded by the sea.




 Page 16
Personal Experience
As It Relates To The • An evolution of pairing contrasting varieties of granite
Proposed Artwork


 Page 17
Portland Story Quilt’s
 Quilt work and stitching have been used as the communication of travel,
Relationship To The of identification, and records of history and culture. My proposed
Portland Harbor sculpture quilts together Portland’s relationship to the sea, to history
 and community.
Common

 Page 18
From Natural to • Portland’s culture woven into stone
Ornate


 Page 19
 Fabrication of Six Granites
The combination of color and form as translated through stone, finishing
 processes and textures will highlight Portland’s unique sense of place.



 Page 20
Articulation of Seams
 Page 21
 Portland Story Quilt
by Isabel Catherine Kelley
 Page 22
Portland Story Quilt
2026

Portland Public Art Committee,
 Thank you for the opportunity to propose a permanent public art sculpture as a ﬁnalist
for the call to artists for the upcoming Portland Harbor Common Park. Based on the feedback
heard on the Public Art Committee’s selection meeting of ﬁnalists for this project, my proposed
project for the Portland Story Quilt has changed in size to a 5’8”Lx2’Wx7’8”H granite sculpture.
There will be multiple granites used to create this work, many of which are from Maine. The
granites intended from Maine are Jay White, Jonesboro Red, Oak Mountain, Cape Neddick and
Mystic Mountain. I intend to use Cambrian Black granite, hailing from Quebec, Canada, as well.
Supporting pins holding the blocks of granite in place are 304 Stainless Steel pins (1” and 2”
rounds). Akemi Knife Grade 2030 Epoxy will be used to support the permanent placement of
the pins and blocks, as they will all be epoxied together as one piece. Both the pins and epoxy
are weather resistant.
 Since the Portland Story Quilt is made of multiple rectangular granite blocks, the entirety
of the blocks will be sawn with square edges on all sides of every block (by granite suppliers),
dry ﬁtted together, pinned with stainless steel rounds at various lengths, carved and textured,
dry ﬁtted together again, epoxied (with stainless steel pins), carved, and textured. There are
three center blocks of the design which will need (prior to dry ﬁtting) to be cut to their designs
by wire saw. Once the entirety of the sculpture has been epoxied and pinned together, the base
can be drilled for the placement of the sculpture. The base stone will be polished additionally
after dry ﬁtting the sculpture. Upon installation, the sculpture’s base will be placed on its
foundation at the park, and I will epoxy the sculpture’s pins into the base stone to complete the
sculpture installation.
 As with all my outdoor sculptures, 511 Impregnator Sealer will be brushed on the
Portland Story Quilt’s surface entirely, base included. This sealer is known for a 20-year
satisfaction of weather resistance and UV transparency. The sealer is a solvent-based
penetrating sealer for protecting porous surfaces, like stone, with an invisible barrier which
resists water and oil stains, suitable for exterior use. Should graﬃti become an issue, this sealer
helps in the removal of said graﬃti. I do not feel that the Portland Story Quilt will need




 Page 23
additional maintenance, aside from a quick wash with a decently pressurized water hose should
the surface have organic debris on it.
 My proposed budget for the fabrication, installation, and artist fee of the Portland Story
Quilt for Portland Harbor Common Park is the full budget available of $150,000. An outlined
budget proposal is attached to the documents shared with the proposal. In the outline you will
see that my artist fee is 25% of my material, fabrication, transportation, expendable tools, labor,
non-expendable tools, insurance, and structural engineering consultation costs. This leaves my
budget with a $5,866.32 ﬁnancial reserve, which, I can imagine may be used for additionally
needed small detail relief-carving tools, additional transportation costs moving the stone blocks
around my studio to dry-ﬁt in place in areas where my expected CAT service could not reach and
additional studio assistant labor costs.
 Thank you again for the opportunity to present my work as a ﬁnalist for the Portland
Harbor Common Park.

 Sincerely,
 Isabel Catherine Kelley




 Page 24
Budget Proposal for Portland Story Quilt
Portland Harbor Common Park
Isabel Catherine Kelley
2026

This budget proposal outlines the anticipated expenses of material costs, artist’s fee, schematics
consultation, insurance, fabrication, transportation, installation and ﬁnancial reserves for the
fabrication and installation of the proposed Portland Story Quilt sculpture.

Project Proposal Budget: $150,000

Summary of Estimated Expenses
 • Material Costs: $60,739.48
 o Granite, 304 Stainless Steel, Plywood, Expendable Tools
 • Non-Expendable Tools: $2,445.47
 o Ie: cutting blades, Dremel bits, polishing pads, epoxy, etc.
 • Artist’s Fee: $28,826.73
 o 25% of Material, transportation, expendable tool, labor, non-expendable tool,
 insurance, and structural engineering consultation costs.
 • Schematics: $2,000.00
 o Sebago Technics Engineering consultation.
 • Insurance: $1,847
 o Commercial Insurance, American National, Farm Family Casualty Insurance
 Company, 639C Roosevelt Trail, Windham, ME, 04062, Michael Splane, 207-894-
 7010
 • Fabrication labor excluding installation: $34,995
 o Includes artist and assistant labor, outsourced CAT hire, and outsourced wire saw
 service.
 • Transportation excluding installation: $9,560.00
 o Includes transport of materials from 4 separate stone suppliers to my home
 studio and transport of prepped stone for wire saw cuts to outsourced wire saw
 service and return to my home studio.
 • Installation: $3,720.00
 o Includes transportation from my home studio to the Portland Harbor Common
 Park, installation labor, and hired crane service for installation.
 • Financial Reserves: $5,866.32
 o Expected extra outsourced CAT or transportation services and extra tooling.

Conclusion
The proposed budget is designed to cover essential material, labor, transportation, and
installation costs with an additional ﬁnancial reserve contribution within the budget limitations.




 Page 25
 Andreas von Huene




April 3, 2026
Portland Public Art Committee


Dear Portland Public Art Committee:

 It is my pleasure to write in support of Isabel Kelley for public art at
Portland Harbor Common Park.

Kelley and I met at the 2012 Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium in
Orono where she was assistant to Johnny Turner of New Zealand. She eagerly met
the challenge of working on large granite sculpture against a deadline. Of course,
we became appreciative colleagues and are often seen organizing and attending
the biennial Maine Stone Sculpture Symposia. Many of her symposium works are
already in public settings. Kelley has also been my studio sculptor assisting me in a
wide range of projects and offering deliciously fresh artistic insights.

To observe an artist be sensitive to the human condition and respond to it with an
inner muse of feeling and creativity is uplifting. To witness a responsibility to art
that raises others rather than just self is refreshing.

Kelley is among the leaders of the next generation of artists that work in durable
materials. Her deep vision is new and original. She is the new branch on the
ancient tree of sculpture. How fitting for a city full of new residents and new
beginnings. It would be wise to support this artist moving onto your stage.

Kelley’s quiet demeanor masks the blazing power she wields. Watching her sculpt
granite is awe-inspiring. Along with her sublime artistic vision and abilities, she
carries the skills of organization, communication, diligence, and drive. She brings
integrity and reliability to the fore. Her peers celebrate her with joy and form part
of her broad and deep cultural foundation.

I highly recommend Isabel Kelley to you as an artist in tune with Portland, and
worthy of this assignment.

Sincerely yours,
Andreas von Huene, sculptor




 Page 26
 Letter of Recommendation for Isabel Kelley Maritato




I first met Isabel in 2012. She had just finished her sophomore year at Maine College of
Art. She participated as an intern in the 2012 Schoodic International Sculpture
Symposium which was held in Orono in Collaboration with the University Of Maine. As
an intern Isabel distinguished herself quickly by working hard for multiple artists. She
learned fast and took on the physical work of carving stone naturally. Since that
symposium I have enjoyed watching her continue with stone carving. She has been
involved with the Maine Stone Workers Guild sculpture symposiums which has helped
her work evolve on a larger scale. In 2025 our Schoodic International Sculpture
Symposium commissioned her to install a temporary sculpture in Ellsworth as part of
the Union River Sculpture Trail project. She is the youngest artist participating but the
quality of her work and the history of her style development made her a strong
candidate to be chosen for this project. Isabel has successfully networked with other
stone sculptors in Maine and New England as well as stone industry professionals. If
chosen for an ambitious project I am confident that she has a professional support
network as well as individual talent that will enable her to deliver a professional and well
crafted finished product. I look forward to seeing her art practice further develop for
public art in Maine.

Sincerely,
Jesse Salisbury




 Page 27
Celeste Roberge
Portland Harbor Common
Proposal: Seaweed Zips




 Page 28
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



Introduction

As stated so succinctly in the Design Brief
for the Portland Harbor Common sculpture
commission:

“For millennia, the place we now call
Portland has relied on its ties to the sea for
sustenance, commerce, and our sense of
belonging. Water surrounds the peninsula
where our community is situated and is an
integral part of our identity…”




 Page 29 View of Portland Harbor Common from South Portland
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


The prominent site at the eastern terminus of
Commercial Street and India Street, along the
waterfront, is particularly well suited for a public
art sculpture that would reference the ocean,
the working waterfront, and the products of the
sea.

As an artist and a life-long Mainer, the ocean
has never been far from my consciousness as
is evident in my sculptures from the past 25
years beginning with the granite glacial cobbles
that ﬁll my sculpture Rising Cairn (2000) at the
Portland Museum of Art.




 Page 30
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


My most recent body of work, Seaweed
Zips, was highlighted as a point of
interest by the Public Art Committee in my
selection as a ﬁnalist and I concur that
Seaweed Zips would be particularly
appropriate to the site.

The Zips would be an unusual addition to
other outdoor sculptures in Portland by
departing from the past focus on
important men and industries and
foregrounding the importance of a natural
resource such as seaweed.




 Page 31 Seaweed Zip #2, 2025, cast bronze and basalt
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



Concept

Seaweed is the common name for marine
macroalgae. Seaweed is part of the blue
economy and is an important means of
diversiﬁcation for Maine ﬁshermen and Maine’s
economy. The wild harvesting of seaweed has
existed for as long as there have been written
records.

In Maine, scientists at several institutions are
researching the role of seaweed in marine food
webs, its potential for sequestering carbon,
mitigating ocean acidiﬁcation, and reducing
methane in cows. Seaweed aquaculture exists
in several locations in Casco Bay, mostly for the
farming of Saccharina latissima, common name
“sugar kelp”. Saccharina is precisely the
specimen that I use as inspiration and material
in the Seaweed Zips.




 Page 32 Seaweed drying in Celeste Roberge’s Studio
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips




 As seen in the groundbreaking 2023 exhibition
 The Cultures of Seaweed at the New Bedford
 Whaling Museum, seaweed has been depicted
 in arts and crafts in the United States from
 colonial times to the present. However, it has
 rarely, if ever, been the subject of a permanent
 public sculpture in New England.

 My use of seaweed is an innovative approach
 to a public art sculpture since seaweed is
 highly aesthetic, a natural resource of the Gulf
 of Maine, and relates to the economy of the
 working waterfront in Casco Bay.
Exhibition catalog from The Cultures of Seaweed at the New Bedford Whaling Museum Page 33
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips




What are Seaweed Zips?

I have been working with seaweed in my art for
over 15 years and have focused on Seaweed
Zips made from specimens of kelp and wax
since 2025. Existing Zips stand anywhere from
four feet to seven feet tall and are narrow in
width and depth. All end with a holdfast. They
curve through space like seaweed does
underwater as it reaches up to the sun to
photosynthesize, or they are straight and
narrow as if weighted or hanging from a line.
 Page 34 Seaweed Zip #1, 2025, cast bronze and granite
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips




Page 35 Details of holdfasts in Seaweed Zip sculptures
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


For this public site on the waterfront,
I propose to create a grouping of ﬁve,
8-foot tall, cast bronze Seaweed Zips.

The Seaweed Zips will be attached to
the tops of three granite boulders by
anchoring the holdfast to the stone
with both stainless-steel pins and
epoxy. Two Zips will be attached to
the tops of two large boulders and
one Zip attached to the top of a
slightly smaller boulder.

The three boulders will be irregularly
spaced within the 20’ diameter site to
allow viewers to walk around and
through the installation.

Anchoring the Zips to a granite
boulder is in keeping with the natural
way that kelps attach themselves to
the ocean substrate with their
holdfasts.



 Page 36 Rendering of Seaweed Zips in situ at Portland Harbor Common
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips




Page 37 Plan view of Seaweed Zips in situ at Portland Harbor Common
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips




Cross section detail #1 of Seaweed Zip in situ at Portland Harbor Common Page 38
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips




Page 39 Cross section detail #2 of Seaweed Zip anchoring at Portland Harbor Common
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



Materials, Fabrication, Longevity

 The boulders will weigh approximately
 3,000 to 4,000 pounds each, for a total of
 12,000 pounds distributed through the site.
 The height of the boulders will not exceed
 30 inches. The larger boulders will be
 oblong in shape measuring approximately
 30” x 48” with the smaller boulder in the
 range of 24” x 36”.

 As stated above, the three boulders will be
 arranged at irregular intervals within the
 site. All three boulders will be cut ﬂat, sit
 ﬂush with the ground, and will attach to the
 footers with stainless steel pins.

 The length, diameter and number of pins
 will be determined in consultation with a
 structural engineer. The installation of the
 boulders and the bronzes will be
 subcontracted to Fieldstone, LLC, of
 Steuben, Maine. (See Budget.)

 Page 40
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



 Materials, Fabrication, Longevity

 The lost wax bronze castings will be executed by Somerset Foundry of West Bath, Maine from my originals made of
 seaweed and wax. The Seaweed Zips will be approximately 8 feet tall.

 They will vary slightly in height. The Zips will be taller, wider, and thicker, with larger holdfasts than the smaller zips that
 I have been making for the past year and that are pictured in this proposal. (See Budget.)




Work in progress on Seaweed Zips at Somerset Foundry in West Bath, Maine Page 41
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



Lighting

If awarded the commission, I would like to
consult with a lighting designer/engineer
regarding the eﬃcacy of embedded ground
lighting. If the boulders will obstruct the lighting
such that the lighting would not contribute to the
visibility of the Seaweed Zips at night, then I
would forego the addition of ground lighting.




 Page 42
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



Fabrication Methods

Granite Boulders
The three granite boulders will be selected by me in consultation
with Jesse Salisbury of Fieldstone, LLC. The boulders will be
sourced in Washington County. They will be cut, shaped, and
sealed by Jesse Salisbury. Salisbury will attach the cast bronze
Seaweed Zips to the boulders with stainless steel threaded rods
welded to the cast bronze holdfasts, then attached to the
boulders with epoxy on site. The welding of the stainless-steel
threaded rods to the cast bronze Zip will be executed by
Cumberland Ironworks of Durham, Maine.

Lost Wax Bronze Casting
The lost wax bronze casting method is ancient, dating back at
least 3,000 years in Greece, China, and Africa. Not much has
changed over time with that technology except the mold-making
process. We will use ceramic shell molds because they are much
stronger and more resilient than other methods. Everything
related to the bronze casting of the ﬁve Seaweed Zips from my
originals in seaweed and wax will be executed by Somerset
Foundry in West Bath, Maine. I have worked with this foundry for
the past 5 years and they have cast all existing Seaweed Zips.



 Page 43 Greek Boxer, detail, 200 - 100 BCE cast bronze
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



Maintenance

Granite Bases
Granite, as we well know from its ubiquitous presence here in
Maine, will last millennia and requires little, if any, upkeep,
except in the case of graﬃti which can be removed by
sandblasting or by whatever method the City of Portland uses
on its buildings and other structures.

Bronze Seaweed Zip Sculptures
Bronze as we know from its use since antiquity in public
monuments, will last for thousands of years. The patina of
bronze will naturally darken as it ages and it may take on a
green/brown color because of the proximity of this site to salt
water. There are at least three sculptures made of bronze in
the City of Portland public art collection and all three exhibit
this natural process.




 Page 44 Seaweed Zip #2, 2025, cast bronze and basalt
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



 Transportation and Installation

 All transportation and Installation will be subcontracted
 to Fieldstone, LLC of Steuben, Maine (See Budget for
 details).

 Fieldstone, LLC is insured and will cover any need the
 City may require for me to have insurance.




Jesse Salisbury, Fieldstone LLC, installing a stone sculpture in Monson, Maine Page 45
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


 Page 1/3
Budget

● Sourcing 10 - 15 foot lengths of kelp from a wild harvester in Addison, Maine: $594.50
 Travel: 410 miles RT from South Portland to Addison
 ( 2 trips = 820 miles total at $0.72.5/mile IRS Rate)

● Materials and Equipment for modeling wax originals of 3 Seaweed Zips: $989.03 + Shipping
 10 - #11 slabs @ $49.00 per slab of Victory Brown Microcrystalline Sculpting Wax $490.00 + shipping
 20 - cans of butane @ $8.00/can $160.00
 5 - cans of propane @ $5.00/can $25.00
 2 - butane torches @ $40.00/each $80.00
 Roloc unitized discs: 20 - 2”, 10 - 4.5” $243.00

● Studio Overhead for 20 weeks $6,000.00
 Includes Heating/AC, light, insurance, mortgage/rent, maintenance, shop tools, and supplies, etc.

● Labor for Modeling of Five Seaweed Zips in Wax and Seaweed $64,000.00
 Each bronze casting of a Seaweed Zip takes 4 weeks to source, model, transport to and from the
 foundry, assemble, patina, and polish. Transport to and From Durham for fabrication of pins.
 Transport to and from Steuben for setting into granite boulders:
 Total ﬁve Zips = 4 x 5 = 20 weeks x 40 hours = 800 hours
 Sculpture labor rate: $80/hr x 800 hours = $64,000

● Bronze Casting - Somerset Foundry, Bath, Maine $45,000.00
 Estimated cost of casting, ﬁnishing, and patina of 5 bronzes @ $9,000 each


 Page 46
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


 Page 2/3
Budget

● Fabrication - Cumberland Ironworks, Durham, Maine $2,000.00
 Fabrication and welding of 5 threaded rods to attach the 5 bronze castings to the 3 boulders (estimated cost)

 $2,240.00
● Transportation of Bronzes to Steuben for attaching to Granite Boulders
 Bronze Seaweed Zips will be transported to Steuben to be set into granite boulders.
 I will work with Jesse Salisbury on this part of the sculpting project.

 Transportation:
 400 miles RT - South Portland to Steuben x 2 trips = 800 miles @ 0.725/mile IRS rate
 Accommodations: $580.00
 $300 / night (IRS rate) x 4 nights in Ellsworth
 $1,200.00
 Meals per diem:
 $92 / day (IRS rate) x 5 days $460.00


● Transportation and Installation by Fieldstone, LLC
 Transportation from Steuben to site of Portland Harbor Common and installation will be $19,916.00
 subcontracted to Jesse Salisbury DBA Fieldstone, LLC. See Appendix for details.

● Artist Design Fee (10% of budget)
 $15,000.00
● Contingency Fee (10% of budget)
 $15,000.00


 Page 47
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


 Page 3/3
Budget

● Sitework
 Sitework will be completed by the City of Portland as part of their plan for the Portland Harbor
 Common. I will provide speciﬁcations for placement of footers for the 3 boulders and the three
 bronzes.

● Insurance Probably not needed

● Structural Engineering Fees Unknown

 Unknown
● Lighting Design / Engineering




TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET: $170,739.53

*Note:
This budget exceeds the $150,000 amount of the public art commission by $20,739,53. My budget does not include engineering,
lighting or insurance. Insurance is needed for the installation however this is subcontracted to Fieldstone, LLC and they are
insured. I have allocated a 10% contingency fee of $15,000 which I may not have to use and that could be applied to the cost
overrun. The bronze casting could come in at less than $45,000, which is only an estimate from the foundry. I prefer not to
reduce my design fee of $15,000, however that is also a possibility. My labor charge at $80/hour is less than the labor charge of
most fabricators, for example Cumberland Ironworks charges $140/hour. Architects charge a minimum $150/hour for design.
I am an optimist, so I think the budget will work out.



 Page 48
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


  Celeste Roberge is an artist living and working in South
  Portland, Maine. She received her MFA from the Nova
  Scotia College of Art and Design, BFA from the Maine
  College of Art & Design, and BA in Sociology from the
  University of Maine. She was awarded an Honorary
  Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2008 from the University of
  Maine. She attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and
  Sculpture. After 22 years of leading the Sculpture Area at
  the School of Art + Art History, Celeste is now Professor
  Emerita, College of Fine Arts, University of Florida. Celeste’s
  studio practice for the past 15 years has focused on
  working with seaweed across multiple media.

  Celeste has received many awards including a residency on
  board the Antigua with The Arctic Circle on an expedition
  along the west coast of Svalbard, Norway in 2019; an artist
  residency at Monson Arts in 2018; a foundry residency at
  the Arts/Industry Program at Kohler, Inc in 2013; a residency
  at SIM in Reykjavik, Iceland in 2008. She has received two
  Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grants, a MacDowell Colony
  Fellowship, and a one-year Fellowship at the Radcliffe
  Institute, Harvard University.




Page 49
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips


Celeste’s sculptures are included in numerous museum
collections including the Portland Museum of Art,
Nevada Museum of Art, Farnsworth Art Museum, Crystal
Bridges Museum of American Art, Harn Museum of Art,
John Michael Kohler Art Center, Emory University, Agnes
Scott College, University of New England, Runnymede
Sculpture Farm, and Jackson Laboratories, in addition to
select private collections from Maine to California.

In addition, Celeste has participated in the following
temporary outdoor sculpture exhibitions: Expo 2000:
International Stone Sculptors in Hanover, Germany;
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA;
Sculpture on Sample in Coral Springs, FL; Outdoor
Biennial in Chattanooga, TN; The Chairs Project at Emory
University in Georgia; Ogunquit Museum of American Art
in Maine; Shelburne Museum in Vermont; The Fields at
OMI in Ghent, NY; and the former Gulf Coast Museum of
Art in Largo, FL. Most recently, Celeste has collaborated
with Downeast Sculpture and Schoodic International
Sculpture Symposium on The Monson Sculpture Project
in Monson, Maine and the Riverwalk North Sculpture
Project in Ellsworth, Maine.



 Page 50 Seaweed Zip #7, 2026, cast bronze
 Celeste Roberge
 Portland Harbor Common
 Seaweed Zips



 Appendix
Fieldstone, LLC, Steuben, Maine - Jesse Salisbury, Subcontractor

● Cost of 3 large cut boulders, ﬁnishing, and setting of the holdfasts to the boulders $12,000.00

● Transportation from Steuben to Portland of 5 Seaweed Zips and 3 Boulders $3,500.00
 Crane truck, one driver
 3 days: One Day Travel Each Way + One Day for Installation

● Installation on site at Portland Harbor Common $1,040.00
 Labor: One day, Two workers, 8 hours/day x 2 = 16 hours @ $65/hr

● Materials for installation
 Sealer, grout, epoxy, misc. $1,000.00


● Securing Boulders with pins to the footers on site $1,000.00

● Accommodations:
 Two nights at a hotel in Portland @ $300/night (IRS rate) $600.00

● Meals per diem
 $276.00
 3 days @ $92.00 / day (IRS rate)

● Fuel/mileage surcharge estimate for 2027 installation & misc. $500.00

TOTAL SUBCONTRACTING FOR INSTALLATION: $19,916.00
 Page 51
April 11, 2026


Attn: Kat Zagaria Buckley
Chair, Portland Public Art Committee


Dear Portland Public Art Committee:

It is my pleasure to provide this letter of recommendation for artist Celeste Roberge. I have
known Celeste and avidly followed her work since the early 1990s. In my role as Curator at the
Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, I organized two exhibitions of Celeste's work—the solo
exhibition Quarry in 2002, which included the Stacks series, and the two-person exhibition The
Mind is a Muscle with Ron Leax in 1993, which included three of her large-scale Figurative
Cairns. I also facilitated the acquisition of two of her works for the museum's permanent
collection—Northern Archives: Geographies, 1987 (Museum purchase, 1993), and Chaise
Gabion, 2004 (Museum purchase with support from the Friends of the Farnsworth Collection,
2004).

I have no hesitation in recommending Celeste to the Portland Public Art Committee for a
commissioned work. I know Celeste to be a serious, committed artist, dedicated to her vision and
craft. She is responsive, meets deadlines and budgets, and is a pleasure to work with. I am
confident in her ability to follow through on all the details required for a major sculpture
installation. Her proposed grouping of Seaweed Zips in cast bronze reflects her long engagement
with seaweed as a material, image, and subject. It is especially fitting for a location in the newly
designed Portland Harbor Common Park.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like additional information. I am happy
to lend my support to Celeste Roberge and her proposal.

With all best regards,




Suzette McAvoy
7 Northport Avenue
Belfast, ME 04915
207-323-3299

suzette@suzettemcavoy.me
www.suzettemcavoy.me




 Page 52
 Dr. Aaron Rosen
 Founder and Director
 The Parsonage Gallery
 8 Elm St, Searsport, ME 04974

 Visiting Professor in Sacred Traditions & the Arts
 King’s College London

 1 April 2026


REFERENCE

For Celeste Roberge Portland Harbor Common Public Art Commission


Dear Colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to write in strong support of Celeste Roberge's proposal for the Portland
Harbor Common public art commission.

I have come to know Celeste over the past couple years through my work as founder and director
of the Parsonage Gallery in Searsport, Maine, an institution dedicated to the intersection of
ecology, spirituality, and contemporary art. I recently visited her studio, and I have invited her to
participate in a two-person exhibition this fall alongside artist Sophie Anna Gibbings. I am also
exploring the possibility of bringing her sculpture Fisherman's Knit Sweater to Searsport as a
future work of public art — drawn by its distinctive Maine vocabulary, its wit, and its tribute to
the sailors whose labor shaped that town for generations. I mention this to give a sense of how
actively I have been following Celeste’s work and believe in its unique vision.

Celeste's proposal for a grouping of Seaweed Zips in cast bronze is, I believe, an exceptional fit
for a waterfront site in Portland. These works achieve something genuinely rare: an elegant
simplicity that rewards sustained attention while remaining immediately accessible to a broad
public. Their vertical form carries a distinguished art historical lineage — from the ancient
world's first monuments and memorials, including Egyptian obelisks, through to Barnett
Newman's celebrated Zip paintings and sculptures, which transformed a single vertical mark into
an expression of the sublime. Celeste arrives at this lineage through her own decades-long
engagement with the Maine coast and its materials, which gives the Seaweed Zips a deep sense
of belonging in this place. It is indeed hard to fathom a more direct link to the waterfront.

Cast in bronze from the organic textures of actual seaweed, they are playful, tactile, and inviting
— works that Mainers of all ages will find approachable, even joyful. A grouping on the
Portland waterfront would animate the space differently across seasons, tides, and passing
weather, rewarding both the first-time visitor and the daily commuter.




 Page 53
Celeste brings to this commission not only an outstanding artistic track record — her works are
in the collections of the Portland Museum of Art, Crystal Bridges, the Farnsworth, and other
significant institutions — but also the professional experience and temperament that public
commissions demand. Her résumé includes complex fabrication work across foundry and
industrial residencies and a sustained practice of working at scale in outdoor and public contexts.
She is, in my experience, a conscientious, well-prepared artist who is also a pleasure to work
with.

I recommend Celeste and her proposal to you without reservation and would be glad to speak
with you further on her behalf.


 Yours Faithfully,


 Aaron Rosen, PhD (cantab)




 Page 54