river stories day

River Stories Day

Join Common Street Arts and artist Maggie Libby from 11:00-6:00 p.m. to interact with her public art installation, River Stories, which celebrates the Kennebec River as a natural resource and as a central element for industry and recreation in Central Maine.  As part of the River Stories project, Libby invites participants to erase portions of her large charcoal drawings that explore the Kennebec River history, ecology, and beauty with pieces of Hathaway shirts.  During this inclusive and participatory process, Libby’s drawings are transformed and make space for other voices and viewpoints as they relate to the Kennebec River.  Libby asks viewers and participants to consider their vision for the river’s future during the erasure process and contemplate our relationship to the river over the erasures of its past.

From 4:00-6:00 p.m. Join us for Voices of the River-a roundtable discussion with artist Maggie Libby, and special guests David Calder and James E. Francis Sr.  Francis is an accomplished historical researcher, photographer, filmmaker and graphic artist, recently conducted an extensive oral history project for the Penobscot Nation.  Francis is also the Tribal Historian for the Penobscot Nation. David Calder, a Canaan singer-songwriter, worked as a river driver from 1966 until the last log drive along the Kennebec in 1976. Calder loved the outdoor work on the log drives and was inspired to write numerous songs about the river, which he will perform during this event. This conversation is an opportunity to share personal stories, memories, experiences, and future hopes of and for the Kennebec River.