The event’s venue — Lord Hall Gallery — benefits from the generosity and influence of Professor James Linehan, a fixture in the Department of Art for decades.
ORONO — The University of Maine’s Department of Art will present its 2025 Student Exhibition in Lord Hall Gallery through May 2. The juried show features a diverse range of artwork by undergraduate students across disciplines, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, digital art, photography, graphic design and more.
Students who were enrolled in a department course in fall 2024 and spring 2025 were invited to submit up to six pieces of artwork, and a guest juror made final selections. This year’s juror was Amy Tingle, an artist and programs manager at Waterfall Arts in Belfast.
Diana Baumbach, an assistant professor of art and director of the Lord Hall Gallery, said the annual exhibit is a valuable part of the students’ learning experience.
“Education comes in a lot of different forms,” said Baumbach. “It’s not always about sitting in a classroom. You can gain a lot of knowledge in serving your community or by installing an exhibition and sharing it with the community.”
The annual exhibition is made possible in part through the Linehan Family Gallery Fund, created by retired UMaine professor and renowned painter James “Jim” Linehan and his siblings in honor of their parents, John and Mary Rose Linehan. Linehan taught at UMaine for 40 years and led the Senior Capstone Exhibition course for nearly three decades. He and his family launched the fund to support Lord Hall Gallery and enhance student access to professional art experiences.
“I believe that the gallery is like the village center for an art department,” Linehan said. “It’s where artists show their research, their art, and students show their research. It’s our opportunity to bring the world to the department.”
“Jim influenced thousands of UMaine students over his career,” said Jeff Mills, president and CEO of the University of Maine Foundation, which administers the Linehan Family Gallery Fund. “The fund is one more example of how Jim’s influence will continue for generations.”
The Lord Hall Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
