Tony Fitzpatrick in Rockland, Maine

I was excited to see the Art News (May 2010, p. 53) advertisement for Tony Fitzpatrick's show at Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine. He's one of my favorite collage artists. (See previous posts here.)

Tony's work will be displayed in a solo exhibition from Thursday, May 27th through Saturday, June 26th, with an opportunity to meet and speak with the artist on Thursday, May 27th, from 5-7 p.m. and a reception on Friday, May 28th, from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery.

I absolutely adore "Drawing for Crazy Horse #2 (Thunder Being)" and "Hell's Songbird (For Doc Holliday)" and I can't wait to see them (and the artist) in person! Check out Tony's blog, No. 9 - An Artist's Journey.

Perry's Nut House Re-Visited

These photographs were taken on the second floor of Perry's Nut House (postcard views here) probably around 1990 or so.

Friday the 13th - Perry's Nut House

Perry's Tropical Nut House on scenic U.S. Rte. 1, Belfast Maine was one of my favorite stops along the beautiful coastal route through New England. The back of the first card reads:

The Original Perry's Nut House. Perry's Nut House founded on May 27th, 1927 by I. L. Perry. Started in one room and grew to its present size thru the idea that "If a man sells better goods than his neighbor, the world will make a beaten path to his door." Over one hundred exhibits in our museum, admission Free. Most interesting place on Maine Coast. Visitors are always "WELCOME"

Here's the text from the second card:

World Famous Nut Exhibit. Over 150 different nuts in this exhibit from the four corners of the earth. Visited and exclaimed over by thousands. Just one of the many unusual exhibits at Perry's Nut House. Admission Free. The only Nut Exhibit of its kind. Photo by Win Sommerfeild.

As a kid I didn't take much notice of the nuts, but that huge crocodile skin certainly caught my attention.

According to RoadsideAmerica.com Perry's was closed in 1997 and the artifacts were auctioned. It is reported that some continue to be displayed in new public locations. For example, the owners of the Colonial Theater in Belfast purchased Hawthorne the elephant and Baby Hawthorne (seen in the first post card) for $1,600. Hawthorne, with his eleven-foot-tall trunk, has been placed atop their roof, while Baby Hawthorne is now in the theater's lobby.

Perry's Nut House re-opened in 1998, minus its historical artifacts. The new owners have a web site that documents its fascinating history. Their fudge looks pretty good!

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday to you all!