Jane Dahmen is a Maine painter whose large-scale works immerse viewers in the forests, rivers, and coastal landscapes of midcoast Maine. Walking on conservation lands near her Newcastle home or along the Damariscotta River, she sees paintings everywhere. “My ideas begin in the natural world,” she says, “but once a work is underway, the paint on the flat surface takes on a life of its own, and the color, line, and surface texture evolve as I work.”Jane studied art history at Colby College, where she first sketched Maine’s rugged scenery and was drawn to the bold visions of Marsden Hartley and John Marin. After years of sailing the coast with her husband, Joe, she settled in Newcastle full-time in 2005. Whether evoking birch trees, tidal rivers, or the ocean’s islands, her art grows out of a direct encounter with Maine’s landscape. Blending observation with intuition, she creates works that are at once personal and universal.In addition to her studio practice, Jane has been a strong advocate for Maine’s arts community. She previously hosted the popular “Talking Art in Maine” series at the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta, where she interviewed artists such as Alex Katz, Lois Dodd, William Wegman, and Katherine Bradford. “I learned something from every one of them,” she reflects.Jane continues to embrace curiosity and reinvention in her art. Her paintings are at once personal and universal, offering viewers a place to step into the natural and spiritual rhythms of Maine.Learn more about Jane’s art and philosophy on Radio Maine.