Through Our Eyes: Franco Artists Looking at the World

Name: Through Our Eyes: Franco Artists Looking at the World
Start: 2026-03-12T18:00:00-04:00
Location: 51 Westminster St # 171, Lewiston, ME

Schedule

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026 at 06:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

51 Westminster St # 171, Lewiston, ME | Lewiston, ME

The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine invites you to join us at the university’s Lewiston campus at 51 Westminster St., in the Atrium Gallery on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 6:00 pm for the opening reception of Through Our Eyes: Franco Artists Looking at the World, with a panel talk to follow from some of the artists whose works appear in the exhibit. The event is free and open to the public, thanks to the generous support of Schooner Estates, TV5MONDE, The Quebec Delegation in Boston, the Hilton Garden Inn, Auburn Riverwatch, and Severin and Cynthia Beliveau.
The exhibit will be on view through the beginning of May and will feature the works of working Franco artists Joyce Coyne, Jeanelle Demers, Mercedes Gastonguay, Sean Hasey, Anita Poulin, Linda Clavette Quigley, as well as Franco artists of the past, including the works of Raoul Nadeau, exhibited by his grandchildren Jane Martin and Michael Gagnon. Following a reception with refreshments, artists will speak about their creative process and how their Franco identity shapes their art.
About the artists:
Joyce Coyne works in watercolor, pen and ink, and oil, and has studied at Maine College of Art Continuing Studies and the University of Maine. Over the years she has participated in multiple exhibits and in solo-shows at the Central Maine Medical Center, St. Mary’s, and right here at USM LAC, as well as in group shows at the Juried Society of Canadian Watercolorists, the Montreal Botanical Gardens, the Diamond Cove Gallery, and the Orr’s Island Merrymeeting Art Association. She has worked as a public art coordinator and art gallery operator, earning numerous awards. In her painting career she has been very influenced by her trips to Canada; As a child she traveled to see relatives every summer and she continues to do so. Each time there is more to see, more inspirational spots, and the tie she has with this country is very strong. Most recently a trip to Nova Scotia provided many more subjects for future paintings.
Joyce’s parents both immigrated here from Canada, her father at age 16 and her mother when she was 4 years old. Joyce grew up in Lewiston in a French speaking environment and attended Catholic schools where at that time French was the second language taught. She never forgets or takes for granted how her parents instilled their Franco-American heritage in her life.
Jeanelle Demers is a fine artist and graphic designer based in Portland, Maine. Her artistic practice combines her love of the outdoors with exploration of lines, layers, and colors. Constantly in awe of the beauty that exists in nature, she finds herself seeking subject matter in fleeting moments and striking places. Her creative journey is marked by a passion for exploring the outdoors, which deeply influences her work. Specializing in acrylic paint, watercolor, and ink, Jeanelle blends these mediums on canvas, paper, and wood, and is constantly experimenting.
Mercedes Gastonguay does original artwork on commission in all subjects and media. She is noted for her pen and ink renderings and paintings of homes and businesses. Her talent and versatility have led to many challenging projects including Maine seascapes and landscapes, rustic still lifes, portraits, florals, religious subjects, and scenes depicting her Franco-American heritage as well as paintings of the Bates College Campus. Her works are represented in private collections and have been displayed in Maine galleries including the Nettie Ricker Art Gallery in the Maine State Building at Poland Spring, juried art exhibits including the Tri-County Area Artists exhibits at USM LAC and at the State House in Augusta. Mercedes and her students were also invited to annually exhibit a variety of subjects and media in the USM Atrium Gallery at LAC. She is retired from thirty years of teaching art to children and adults in her Apple Sass Hill Studio. She continues to create her own works that may be viewed in gallery exhibits. A self-taught artist, she also credits outstanding workshop instructors for much of her education.
Sean Hasey lives and works in Biddeford, Maine. He is Maine born and has lived here all of his life except for 4 years he lived in NYC. He attended college at University of Southern Maine in Portland from 1993-1997, focusing on sculpture and drawing. He has maintained a studio practice since 1990.
Much like human life itself, the paintings he selected for this exhibit are a collection of contradictions. Complexity and simplicity, monochrome followed by sharp bursts of complimentary color, seemingly built environments split open to reveal the landscape, cautious beauty and unexpected disunion all exist together in us and them.These paintings want to see what was, what is, and what will be. They want to walk down a beach in southern Maine on land rather than on property. The semantics of color invite the viewer to imagine the world in a different context, shifting from a more quotidian palette to the saturated world of these paintings. The line and plane force the question of ‘truth’ for the observer—and like regular life, the meaning shifts and changes as they are observed. These paintings suggest cataclysm in the gentlest way possible while leaving the door open for utopia.
Anita Poulin was raised Franco-American in the French Community of New Auburn, Maine. She is from a family of four generations of self-taught artists. Ms. Poulin has created a video of her family's art. The video has been enjoyed by Senior College students, the Rotary Club, the Auburn Art Club, and other local and out of state groups. She and her late husband Jean established GreenWood Gallery of Maine in 2013. The building used for the gallery was originally her great grandfather’s tool shed/bait and tackle building that stood on the land owned by her grandfather Arthur J. Auger - “Auger’s Landing” located on the “Whitman Spring Road” Lake Auburn (west side) and moved to 998 Old Danville Rd. in Auburn, three miles from the
Auburn Exit.
Ms. Poulin has been a supporter of the fine arts for several decades and continues to support local artists, sharing her gallery space during the gallery's yearly Open House. She has taught at Senior’s Plus, Senior College, Schooners, the Arboretum in Augusta, as well as local schools and in her private studio in Auburn. She also teaches Neurographics online and is the founder of the Friday Art Group, an online ZOOM art workshop for new and seasoned artists, now in its second year. She works in watercolor, acrylic, pastel, as well as pen and ink and multi-media. She enjoys creating natural scenes, still-life's, pet portraits, house portraits, and abstract art. She also carves in wood and creates wood-burning art. She says: “Many times when I have finished a painting, I sit and wonder how I was able to create such an art piece! I begin to paint with something specific in mind and it always develops into something completely outside my original plan. Like someone else is holding the brush! Abstract art allows my brush to glide freely on the canvas with no restriction!”
Ms. Poulin and her husband raised three children and are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren who all carry on the family's talents.

Linda Clavette Quigley is a dog portrait artist, painting animals with a sense of vitality and tenderness across the mediums of pastel, acrylic, and oil. Her practice is devoted to capturing the unique spirit and character of each creature, celebrating the profound bonds we share with our animal companions.
Born in Lewiston, Maine, and now residing in Southern California, her work is also influenced by her love of genealogy and the journey she has taken exploring her family tree. The stories and discoveries of her Franco-American lineage breathe life into her paintings, infusing each piece with a sense of history and continuity.
Linda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Plymouth State College and has also earned a certificate of Studio Arts from the University of Southern Maine. Her formal education provided a solid foundation, allowing her to experiment and grow as an artist while honing her craft and developing her unique perspective. Linda has showcased her work in solo exhibitions in Maine and Southern California and has been part of many juried group exhibitions. Her talent has earned her mural commissions in New Hampshire, Maine, and Southern California. Linda is affiliated with prestigious art associations such as the Simi Valley Arts Association, Pastel Artists of Southern California, and the Westlake Village Art Guild.
Ultimately, her aim is to spark connection—between viewer and canvas, animal and human, past and present. Through her art, she hopes to inspire reflection, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for the stories that shape us and the beauty found in everyday life.
Raoul J. Nadeau (1903-1991) was born in Biddeford, Maine to parents who immigrated to the United States from Québec. Raoul and his future wife, Egline, met while skating at the Westbrook skating rink in Biddeford. As a father of 7 children, Raoul worked in insurance for Metropolitan Life for decades. In his 70s, once retired, Raoul took painting classes at Biddeford Adult Education. He produced many watercolor works into his 80s. His paintings, largely Maine landscapes, continue to be displayed in the homes of his many family members.
For more information or to register to attend this event in-person, contact the FAC archivist, Anna Faherty, at [email protected], or by phone at (207) 753-6545. If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Anna. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.