Farnsworth Concert Series: Callie Brennan

The final performance in the Farnsworth Concert Series 2025-2026 season features Callie Brennan, a violinist in the Portland String Quartet. Callie Brennan was raised in Maine, where she spent her childhood writing short stories, practicing fiddle tunes, and tracking mu......More

The final performance in the Farnsworth Concert Series 2025-2026 season features Callie Brennan, a violinist in the Portland String Quartet. Callie Brennan was raised in Maine, where she spent her childhood writing short stories, practicing fiddle tunes, and tracking mud all through the house. At twelve years old she began studying with Ronald Lantz, who is to thank for her constant cracking of jokes. She attended the PSQ summer chamber music workshop at St. Joseph’s throughout her high school years, and it was because of this experience that she decided to pursue music as a career.  Callie received a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she studied with Lina Bahn and Harumi Rhodes. In her third year she traveled abroad to Sydney, Australia, studying under the tutelage of Ole Bohn at the Sydney Conservatorium. In 2016 she moved to London where she completed two Master’s degrees in music and violin performance at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and indulged in far too much tea.  During her time abroad Callie performed alongside the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, collaborated with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and recorded a film soundtrack at Abbey Road Studios. She was invited to play in Scotland, Spain, Italy, and France, in venues such as The Barbican Stage, Royal Festival Hall, and the Sydney Opera House more recently, Red Rocks Amphitheater and Boettcher Hall in Denver. She has appeared on stage with artists such as Bela Fleck, the Wu Tang Clan, Kristin Chenoweth, Father John Misty, Amos Lee, The Indigo Girls, Leslie Odom Jr., and many others. Back in the States, she held title positions with the Spartanburg Philharmonic (Concertmaster), the West Virginia Symphony (principal 2nd), and the Fort Collins Symphony (principal 1st), and section positions in the Colorado Ballet and Colorado Music Festival. Also appearing regularly with the Colorado Symphony and Colorado Opera, she (unfortunately) never did find the time to ski the Rockies – a reality she’ll never be able to live down.  Callie has an extensive background in chamber music and has trained with ensembles such as the Portland String Quartet, Takács Quartet, Heath Quartet, Endellion Quartet, Chilingarian Quartet, and the Zodiac Trio. She has enjoyed several solo appearances with orchestra, performing the Walton Violin Concerto in Waterloo, London, and more recently, Mozart’s third concerto for violin with the Spartanburg Philharmonic, a concert sponsored by the Habisreutinger Stradivari Foundation. Having recently moved back to Maine, Callie now holds a position with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and has fulfilled her long-time dream of joining the PSQ. When not practicing or dashing off to rehearsal, she spends her time trail running, beach walking, and eating alarming amounts of chocolate. Cost: $25 $20 for members students 17 and over $10 children 16 and younger are free. This concert is eligible for access rates. We also are offering a subscription rate for the entire music series  please click here to subscribe to all 8 concerts in the series at a discount. Thank you to our sponsors:

Farnsworth Library, 16 Museum Street, Rockland, ME, 04841, United States

365: Monochromatic Watercolors with Erica Qualey

Preregistration is closed to this class two walk-in spots remain. Please note: if you’re not checked in at least 10 minutes before the class starts, your spot will be released to any waiting drop-in registrants. Join Erica Qualey for a relaxed, playful watercolor worksh......More

Preregistration is closed to this class two walk-in spots remain. Please note: if you’re not checked in at least 10 minutes before the class starts, your spot will be released to any waiting drop-in registrants. Join Erica Qualey for a relaxed, playful watercolor workshop focused on small-scale, monochromatic abstract landscapes. We’ll explore the beauty of a limited palette while experimenting with saturation and the wet-into-wet process. By embracing how paint and water interact, we will push those boundaries to create unexpected and surprising results. We’ll also experiment with alternative ways of applying paint beyond the brush to create interesting marks, textures, and effects. Expect curiosity, exploration, and a low-pressure space to create! This workshop is open to anyone at any level of painting all supplies will be provided. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Erica Qualey is an award winning watercolor artist and teacher who lives in the midcoast of Maine. She has exhibited internationally and is represented in private collections throughout the United States and Canada. She is an associate member of the New England Watercolor Society and has been published in the 19th edition of the yearly publication, Splash. She has led workshops for adults at Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, ArtWaves DMI on Mount Desert Island, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and other art associations. She has participated in visiting artist programs in public schools and has run art programming for children through her local library.  Cost: Pay what you wish — suggested donation: $15 per person or $30 per family. Please list your name(s) of registrant(s) in the comment section at the donation checkout.

365, 365 Main Street, Rockland, Maine, 04841, United States

Gallery Walk: A Closer Look with Jaime DeSimone

Reggie Burrows Hodges (born 1965)On the Verge: Neutral Ground, 2019Acrylic and pastel on canvas 36 x 36 inchesGift of Ned Black and Carolyn Davis, 2023.21©Reggie Burrows HodgesA series of monthly walks, each focusing on select themes or sections within the exhibition MA......More

Reggie Burrows Hodges (born 1965)On the Verge: Neutral Ground, 2019Acrylic and pastel on canvas 36 x 36 inchesGift of Ned Black and Carolyn Davis, 2023.21©Reggie Burrows HodgesA series of monthly walks, each focusing on select themes or sections within the exhibition MAINE: A Force Within American Art (1890–2026). Join the Chief Curator at the Farnsworth Art Museum, Jaime DeSimone, for a guided walk through the galleries to view the exhibition MAINE: A Force Within American Art (1890–2026). This walk offers a focused look at select works and themes from her unique curatorial perspective. Guests will have the opportunity to interact, ask questions, and have a behind-the-scenes glimpse into specific portions of the exhibition. The walk will last approximately 30 minutes, after which guests will have the opportunity to explore the remaining galleries independently. Jaime DeSimone is the Chief Curator at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine.Prior to joining the Farnsworth in summer 2022, DeSimone served as the Robert and Elizabeth Nanovic Curator of Contemporary Art at the Portland Museum of Art in Maine from 2018-2022, where she curated the exhibitions Flying Woman: The Paintings of Katherine Bradford (2022), North Atlantic Triennial (2022), Richard Estes: Urban Landscapes (2021), Carrie Moyer and Sheila Pepe: Tabernacles for Trying Times (2020), and Ragnar Kjartansson: Scenes from Western Culture (2019–20). In 2019, she was the recipient of the prestigious Curatorial Research Fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts for research and travel in connection with the North Atlantic Triennial. DeSimone is also a current scholar in the Fulbright Arctic Initiative III (2021-2022). She served in other curatorial positions at MOCA Jacksonville (2014-2018) and the Addison Gallery of American Art (2005-2012). She holds degrees in art history, with a specialization in Contemporary Art, from American University (MA, 2005) and Bates College (BA, 2001). Cost: $12 $10 for members. Includes museum admission. Please meet in the museum lobby.

Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St, Rockland, ME, 04841-2867, United States

Artists on Art: Benjamin Spalding

Benjamin Spalding in The Black Seed Studio at Indigo Arts Alliance working on his sculptural forms for Go Bang!, his forthcoming Momentum 2026 exhibition. Photography by Alaric Beal. Join Farnsworth Chief Curator Jaime DeSimone with artist Benjamin Spalding (born 1984) ......More

Benjamin Spalding in The Black Seed Studio at Indigo Arts Alliance working on his sculptural forms for Go Bang!, his forthcoming Momentum 2026 exhibition. Photography by Alaric Beal. Join Farnsworth Chief Curator Jaime DeSimone with artist Benjamin Spalding (born 1984) as they discuss his artistic process and his new body of work created for the Momentum exhibition series. In his work displayed in Go Bang!, Spalding presents a speculative nightclub of characters that celebrates joy and community. Here Spalding translates decades of deejaying and dancing—from Berlin, Germany to Portland, Maine and New York City—into a sculptural installation featuring figural characters that reflect the dynamic social energy of dance halls and nightclubs. Cost: $15 $12 for members arrive between 4 and 5 pm to experience the exhibition before heading to the auditorium for the lecture.

Farnsworth Auditorium, 16 Museum St, Rockland, ME, 04841-2867, United States

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Summer Member Morning

Introducing Summer Member Mornings! All Farnsworth members are invited to visit the Museum before it opens to the public, 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m., every Wednesday in June, July, and August. Enjoy our galleries before the crowds! The Museum Shop will be open during these m......More

Introducing Summer Member Mornings! All Farnsworth members are invited to visit the Museum before it opens to the public, 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m., every Wednesday in June, July, and August. Enjoy our galleries before the crowds! The Museum Shop will be open during these members-only hours, and you’ll receive a Double Discount of 20% on your purchases! Not a member yet? You can explore Member benefits and enroll online, or call 207-390-6022.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

DJ Workshop with Benjamin Spalding

This hands on workshop is for the inner DJ and dancer in all of us. Come join Benjamin Spalding, learn about the history of hiphop, and experiment on a DJ station! Benjamin Spalding is an interdisciplinary artist and DJ based in Portland, Maine. His work explores rhythm......More

This hands on workshop is for the inner DJ and dancer in all of us. Come join Benjamin Spalding, learn about the history of hiphop, and experiment on a DJ station! Benjamin Spalding is an interdisciplinary artist and DJ based in Portland, Maine. His work explores rhythm and the pageantry of the body, blending influences from club culture, sports, local ecology, with personal family narratives. His work has recently appeared in the following exhibitions: Border(less), MassArt x SoWa, Boston, Massachusetts (2024), Last season on earth, Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, Maine (2023), and the CMCA Biennial, Rockland, Maine (2020).  Spalding was a David C. Driskell Fellow in 2022 and at Indigo Arts Alliance in 2025. He received his MFA from Maine College of Art (2017) and BA from New York University. He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Maine College of Art and Design, Portland, Maine.  Open to all aged 12+. Cost: $60 $54 for members $35 for children. Access rates available this class will run with 6 registrants.

Gamble Education Center, 9 Grace Street, Rockland, ME, 04841-2867, United States

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.

Highlight Tour

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour last......More

Join us on a Highlight Tour every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting May 21, 2026.  The Docent-led Highlight Tours offer guests conversational gallery walks while featuring current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection.  Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and are complimentary with admission. Space is limited, so please ask to be included at the admissions desk upon arrival.