Industrial Landscapes Introduction Images of Series Process About the Artist JANICE L. MOORE 8 Old Mast Landing Road, Freeport, ME info@janicelmoore.com (207) 865-4912 JaniceLMoore.com
Introduction Moore returned to Maine in 1998, and began her exploration of both traditional and industrial landscapes. She has painted working factories still in operation, as well as a series on the Lewiston factories in their various states of use. She is investigating repurposed industrial sites in her pursuit of what usefulness looks like, and how it impacts us both culturally and physically. "My aim is to tell a visual a story of growing up in Maine and the Maritimes at the turn of the century. To examine how our manifestations of home and industry impact our physical landscapes." - Janice L. Moore, 2013
Industrial Landscapes IMAGES B & M Factory, Portland, Oil on canvas, 24" x 48" 2015
Lewiston Bleachery & Dye Works (Pepperell), Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 2015
Hill Mill, Lewiston, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 2015
PROCESS The industrial landscape paintings begin in a similar way as most things I paint. I keep my camera always close at hand. Something catches my eye, and I snap pictures as I drive by. I do the same when I m on the water. Sometimes I specifically seek out destinations, and plan trips when the light is right for me. HOW I WORK The process of gathering images starts quickly and spontaneously, becoming more focused with repeated visits. There are places I m compelled to photograph every time I go by them. I can t say exactly why. It may become clear to me only after years of photographing them. When I get a chance to review a series of images I ve taken, I look for emerging patterns, then become more focused in the pursuit of a specific idea There are some subjects I have photographed hundreds of times over many years. This process allows me to slowly examine and absorb a subject, and remain open to possibilities around it.
When a direction becomes clear to me, I m ready to map out the composition, and I have a series of documents on hand. They contain different vantage points, light conditions, and details I may need to help me tell the story. I have a familiarity gained over time, which allows me to say something authentic about the subject.. The process is intuitive. I m able to shed light, and to tell a truth about places that don t necessarily register in our consciousness when we see them as part of our daily backgrounds.
WHY I MAKE THE WORK What I paint has been greatly influenced by observing and listening to stories about the ways we ve gotten by here in Maine and the Maritimes. My grandfather lived and worked in Digby, Nova Scotia until he died at 94. He cut and hauled lumber, owned and ran service stations, and never met an engine he couldn t fix. Later, I heard about what it was like to live and work in Lewiston during its heyday from my partner s dad. I had already started painting factories and working waterfronts by then. I couldn t really say why; I was simply compelled to paint them. The idea of usefulness and it s impact on our physical landscapes became clearer to me listening to these men as they were nearing the end of their lives. What bothered them most, it seemed, was that they had outlived their usefulness. Having purpose defined them. I ve spent a lot of time considering the idea of usefulness. Making art has been compulsory for me all my life even through several challenges. I ve made adjustments to my practice, and am very conscious of using my time wisely. I believe we are all under the same constraints, really, and I ve determined that painting is the best way for me to be useful. Saying something about what that has looked like, and how it is evolving for us collectively, makes sense to me.
ABOUT THE ARTIST Janice L. Moore was born in Canada and grew up in Maine. She graduated from Waynflete School (Portland, ME),and Sarah Lawrence College, where she focused on painting and photography. She continued her art education in France; first in Provence, then Paris. After 12 years in New York, she returned to Maine to paint full-time. Moore shows her work in traditional gallery settings, and has a particular interest showing in places of healing, as she did at Maine Medical Center. She continues her ongoing exploration of our industrial landscapes, and what the architecture of our usefulness looks like. Moore examines some of the industries that have helped define us, including the Rumford Paper Mill, the Hood, and the B & M plants in Portland, Maine. She is currently working on a series of the many Lewiston factories in their various states of use. She works from her studio in Freeport, Maine.