207.646.5511 OgunquitPlayhouse.org Rte 1 Ogunquit, ME GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! SEP 5 thru OCT 28 Maria’s Ristorante Open Wednesday-Saturday | www.mariasrestaurant.com 337 Cumberland Avenue, Portland • 772-9232 Most romantic in the 1980s. Most romantic now. Six Course Italian Dinner for Two (Including a bottle of wine) $29 Per Person – Portland’s Classic Italian Restaurant – h ngry eye 88 p o r t l a n d monthly maga ine Tracy of the hotel says she’s “heard that art- ists have sold work as a result of their be- ing viewed here.” September’s show features artist Michel Droge and opens with a pub- lic reception on First Friday, September 7. the CoMM nity Canvas “The whole plan was to promote artists,” says Jeannie Dunnigan on opening CIA Cafe in South Portland (and a second in Saco last year). An artist herself, Dunni- gan sold art prior to becoming a restau- rateur and “designed the space like a gal- lery, with professional lighting and instal- lations.” Showing over 40 artists who sell pottery, jewelry, and original handmade items, CIA’s art sales generated $140,000 at the two locations in 2017. “I love sending checks to people who create art,” Dunnigan says. Drawing colorful, animated crowds, CIA’s celebrated openings spill onto the streets. “If they don’t buy then,” Dunnigan says, “one day they’ll come in for a sand- wich and leave with something like a hand- carved whale.” Soon after opening their doors in 2010, Local Sprouts, a worker-owned coopera- tive, began hanging shows that rotate every four weeks. “The interest in working with Maine artists is in line with our mission to serve meals with Maine ingredients,” says member Alexa Clavette. “Wanting to dis- play art that we’re passionate about, we of- ten reach out to community support pro- grams, such as Bomb Diggity Arts, to put together group or solo shows. an original An early pioneer in the restaurant art scene was Local 188. In the late 1990s, Local’s owners, Alison and Jay Villani, ran Pleas- t CI Coffee Ice Cream, rt in outh Portland, you never know what you’ll take home!