John Mead painting of roachback trout, a native species which is now extinct
Eleven major museums had simultaneous folk art exhibits in 2008 to create the Trail. The only museum remaining with a major exhibit is the Rufus Porter Museum, as folk art is all we have.
Maine is the repository of numerous outstanding pieces of traditional American folk art. Many have never before been seen by the public. These objects either have significance to the heritage of the state and/or are among the finest examples of New England folk art in the country.
Rare frontal view portrait attributed to Rufus Porter
Traditional American folk art celebrates the work of ordinary people who, with little or no academic training, have produced things of extraordinary beauty and charm. The term folk art embraces useful objects, hand crafted and embellished with aesthetic intention, such as pottery, quilts and weathervanes. It also includes decorative objects, made to adorn or commemorate, such as portraits, models, carvings and needlework.
Participating museums included:
| Bates College Museum of Art | Lewiston | Museums of Old York | York | |
| Colby College Museum of Art | Waterville | Penobscot Marine Museum | Searsport | |
| Farnsworth Art Museum | Rockland | Rufus Porter Museum | Bridgton | |
| Maine Historical Society | Portland | Saco Museum | Saco | |
| Maine Maritime Museum | Bath | Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum | New Gloucester | |
| Maine State Museum | Augusta |
The book created to accompany the Trail (Folk Art in Maine) is still available. It contains over 100 images of some of the best examples of folk art by the ten museums. The 144-page hard cover book serves as an introduction for the novice and treasure for the collector. It features a general introduction by Stacy C. Hollander, senior curator of the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, and commentary from curators of Maine’s folk art collections.
It is available for sale from Down East Books in Camden. Click on the book cover to order.
 Weathervane by Bridgton native James Lombard |
 Presentation box decorated by John Mead; Dr. Kimball later moved from Bridgton to Hawaii to be physician to the last Queen |
Bridgton founder Enoch Perley; signed John Brewster 1825
photo by K. Lindberg
The Rufus Porter Museum recognizes the important artistic endeavors of celebrated western Maine folk artists working in the early 1800s. Outstanding examples of their art continue to be on exhibit at the museum .
The Farnsworth family portrait by George Washington Appleton, James Lombard weathervanes, several John Brewster portraits, Portland School needlework and other local painters such as John Mead and Vivian Akers are represented in this well rounded exhibit of Maine folk art.
In addition, the set of murals signed and dated 1837 by Rufus Porter and his son, Stephen Twombly, are on exhibit year-round at a separate location in Bridgton. Referred to as the Howe Westwood murals, they are considered his finest work in landscape murals.
The Rufus Porter Museum is entirely devoted to folk art, so a visual treat is in store for visitors in the year 2009.