rtist Nina ope’s work is on view now at ocal 5 . Mother and daughter team auren lmarode, artwork at right,and andi emmerman,above, take over onobo in Portland’sWest nd. h ngry eye 86 p o r t l a n d monthly maga ine from top: matthe roBBins - courtesy local 188; courtesy of the artist; diane hudson; co urtesy of the artist art habitat his is a new venture for us,” Jennifer Lewis says of her family-owned Clay Hill Farm in Cape Neddick. The restaurant, the first ever to be recognized by the Nation- al Wildlife Federation as a bird sanctuary and wildlife refuge, sits on 11 acres of roll- ing lawns, colorful gardens, and protected woodlands. “We have the space to bring the outside in. With our herbs and gardens, we bring ingredients in with our food, but be- ing here is so experiential. I wanted to ex- pand the boundaries and long dreamed of creating a sculpture garden on these beau- tiful grounds.” In April of this year, she ser- endipitously discovered sculptor Patrick Pierce (pictured on previous page) while meeting with his wife Kathleen Deely Pierce of the Maine Res- taurant Association. Pierce launched in- to the sculpture proj- ect with vigor, creat- ing Dreams Feed Me (on view through No- vember 2018). “I love the longevity of the site, a farm since 1794 that is nature-for- ward,” Pierce says. “I like adding energy; it’s a collaboration with nature that opens the way toward participation.” Inside Clay Hill is the newly opened Ve- randArt, a gallery situated in one of the smaller dining rooms. It’s “perfect to show- case one artist’s collection with festive openings every six to eight weeks,” Lewis says. “Celebrating artists is a way to support the community and share ideas. A certain kind of person will be drawn to a gallery, but here at Clay Hill people are coming in for food. Then they see the art. We are able to bring this gift to people who might not even know they need it.” on the table on the all The Good Table’s proprietor, Lisa Kosto- poulos, started exhibiting art for person- al reasons. “For years, dominated by old photos and antique bric-a-brac, the decor was dubbed by one reviewer as antiquat- ed,” Kostopoulos says. “That got me go- ing. Plus, I love living with my art at home.” Working with Port- land artist Marilyn Blinkhorn, Kosto- poulos redesigned the restaurant, grac- ing the walls with Blinkhorn’s striking paintings brimming with rocks, waves, and meadows. It presents a sense of place similar to the restaurant’s set- ting in Cape Eliz- abeth. “I was go- ing to have rotating shows, but I couldn’t part with the work.” She bought the entire show for $3,000. In 2013, she designed a bar with “fabulous blue walls” ideally suited for hanging the work of other artists, too. “The shows rotate every six to eight weeks. The work sells. My staff and I buy, as well as the diners.” But Kostopoulos does not take commissions, saying, “I feel like I am get- ting the gift.” For Stacy Cooper of Biscuits & Compa- ny in Biddeford, the decision to exhibit art was made “the minute we opened.” Rotat- ing once a month, openings are timed for Biddeford’s First Friday Artwalk. “I want- ed this restaurant to be part of a commu- nity where people could see art and hang out,” Cooper says. “It’s like you’re coming a A L