Henry’s Harvard room mate and father of the bride, John Chatfield, made arrangements with his cousin, John Ames, and his wife, Sarah to be our host and hostess during the wedding festivities over the weekend of August 6 - 8. We were then directed to Ten High Street Fine Art and Antiques at at 10 High Street, the Ames’  home and gallery located near the town center of Camden, considered to be the prettiest town in Maine. This was a comfortable 1.5 hour drive from Portland, where we’d spent the preceding night. When we arrived, we were thrilled to find ourselves in  a beautiful, comfortable setting, and were delighted to meet a wonderful  couple with whom we shared many common interests. We were shown to our separate guest cottage, a spacious apartment with loft bedroom above a living room/dining room filled with art and artifacts. The Ameses graciously put up with us for three nights nights here, greeting us each morning with breakfast inside the main house, where Sarah and John had prepared a wonderful meal. Henry and I both enjoyed learning more about them, their gallery, the artists they showed, and their lives in Maine. Sarah has inherited her interests in art through her mother and grandmother, both antiques dealers. John fell in love with art, introduced to it through his stepfather’s impressive collection of paintings by well-known French Impressionists. The two met one another through friends, and their relationship naturally evolved around their mutual interests. John wanted to re-create a gallery he had enjoyed, finding and exhibiting local mid-career artists and other artists who all have something to do with the state of Maine. His finds were often serendipitous, and his eye for quality has brought him a considerable reputation as an art dealer.  The work he shows is highly sought after  not only by collectors, but also by museum curators as well. His desire to  assist his artists in  building their careers is impressive, and he works with tireless enthusiasm to install exhibitions that reveal the best work and talent each artist can offer.  Sarah, his supportive wife and partner, stands by his side, thoroughly involved in the gallery, adding her expertise as a graduate arts administrator, as well as having an eye for beauty developed through her love of furniture and artifacts. The two have developed an aesthetic that is both sophisticated and admirable. Not only that, but working side by side as a team, they have developed the most important quality of all: they genuinely like each other, love to be together, and love what they do! With time each winter to relax with family in California on the far western coast of America, they bring rejuvenated energy to their life and lovely lifestyle on the shores of Maine.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. Interior 10 High Street Gallery. The works installed on the wall include paintings and drawings by Carol Rowan. The mixed media sculpture is by  Harvey Peterson entitled “Black Jacket”. 2. Detail: painting by Carol Rowan entitled: “Blooklin Dingie’s”, oil on panel. 3. Detail: painting by Carol Rowan entitled: ”Thornton’s ’52 Willeys”, oil on panel. 4. Mixed media sculpture by  Brian White entitled “Annunciation on Vinlhaven”. 5. Center, Top: John & Sarah Ames at Ten High Street Fine Art and Antiques.  5. Installation at  Ten  High Street Fine Art and Antiques includes a number of drawings over the fireplace. These graphite drawings of duck decoys are by Carol Rowan. The duck decoys on the mantle are works of the master carver Reggie Birch.  Center, Middle: The sign for Ten High Street Art and Antiques in Camden, Maine. Center, Bottom: Mix Media sculpture by the artist Harvey Peterson entitled “Dancing Lace”. Right Column: 1. Detail: Painting by Carol Rowan entitled: “Bea’s Peanut Machine”, oil on panel. 2. John Ames, standing on the driveway in front of the renovated barn that is Ten High Street Fine Art and Antiques. Alongside the drive is room for several parked cars. 3. The front door and flower garden of the Ames’ house. The red blossoms of the echinacea flowers are the perfect choice to coordinate with the red painted door. 4. A portrait of the couple painted by an artist friend Frederick Kellogg c. 2005, oil on canvas.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                      BACK TO MAP  PAGE