The granite circle #99 represents the natural world that envelops us. Carved in the ring are animals, plants and trees symbolizing the world.
The large granite circle was part of the ealiest design sketches of the mural. I knew the mural would have a lot in it and I wanted a couple of large elements to contain the various details.
artist, Chris Cart
small details
A detail of one section of the granite ring.
When I first painted the granite ring the diameter was 18 feet across but the width of the actual ring was only 9 inches. My wife Jen’s comment was it was too narrow. Over the 4 years of painting the width of that ring increased in width 4 or maybe five times, finally ending a 13 and a half inches. Jen was, of course, right.
On May 3rd, 1762 the first settlers of European descent #109 stepped ashore on the west bank of the Kennebec River, onto the wild lands that would become Hallowell, Maine. Deacon Pease Clark, his wife Abigail, their son Peter, with his wife Zeruah with their young daughter Phoebe, had traveled from Attleborough, Massachusetts, by boat, sailing up the Kennebec River until they came to our familiar bend in the river.
Local legend tells of the Clark’s first night where they had no shelter. The intrepid settlers passed the night under a rough cart they had brought with them, and turned upside-down for their first night’s roof.
The first efforts of the Clarks were devoted to making a small clearing and to the creation of a temporary dwelling. They planted corn and rye upon the burnt land. Before the snows of the following winter fell, these energetic first settlers had hewn timber, procured boards and planks from the mill at Cobbossee, and built a comfortable frame house of two stories in front and one at the rear, according to the fashion of the times; and ever after that, the hospitable doors of the Clark house stood open to welcome all newcomers to this locality.
Their riverfront lot measuring 50 rods wide (about 275 yards), encompassed the land around the current old Cotton Mill in Hallowell. The first woods they cleared for their home and farm is where the old Hallowell Fire department building is, at the corner of Second Street and Perley’s Lane—and incidentally, also where the artist created the mural prior to its installation.
Benjamin Hallowell
The Clarks acquired land from Benjamin Hallowell, from whom the city gets its name. Benjamin Hallowell was one of four wealthy Boston merchants, theKennebec Proprietors, who purchased large tracks along the Kennebec from the Plymouth Colony.
In 1629 the Plymouth Colony had been granted land originally claimed by the British monarchy.
map of the original Benjamin Hallowell Property and Deacon Pease Clark settler’s plot.
photo source: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946- Carol M. Highsmith Archive
earlier history
Since 1628 Europeans of the Plymouth Colony had operated a small trading post about 2 miles further up river, (near Fort Western). They traded with the local Abenaki peoples until the late 1670’s.
At that point what became known as the “Indian Wars” dissuaded any serious settlement by Europeans or colonists in the Kennebec Valley for almost a century. The New England colonies fought the native people of the Wabanaki Confederacy (the Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Penobscot, and Abenaki) who were allied with the French of New France over the rights to the lands.
The various land wars resulted in the the killing of so many native peoples that by the final treaty of the King George’s war in 1748 the battles were solely about French or English colonial rule in the area, with the New England colonies prevailing over the French.
The “official” photo journalist of the mural project was Joe Phelan#77, who works for Central Maine Papers. He documented the entire mural process from the early days of mostly blank canvas through the final installation.
You can see his beautiful photo-journal article about the mural at CentralMaine.com.
You can always tell a Phelan photograph by the power of the composition and style of photo journalism. Joe is also a great neighbor.
Brothers Joshua Violette#75, and Levi Violette#74, died during the years of the creation of the mural. They are included in the mural as a memory for their parents who were major donors for the mural project. The brothers were much loved in the area.
Gary Violette was a huge supporter of the mural and I painted the well beloved brothers by a way of a small thank you.
In 2023 the 700 square foot public mural, created by Chris Cart for Hallowell, Maine was unveiled to much fanfare with a flag guard of the American Legion and speeches by Maine’s Governor Mills, Representative Dan Shagoury and our Mayor George Lapointe.
In 2019 Cart began a many year collaboration with mural master John Gable initially to create two large murals for a venue in the outskirts of Washington D.C. Since that time they have worked together on many more projects, including two more large murals for Gainesville, VA.
Chris Cart has had several pieces chosen for the annual Painting the Figure Now exhibits at the beautiful Wausau Museum of Contemporary ArtWMOCA.
Another public commission was a large painting for the new Lithgow Library in Augusta, Maine, Stories from the Mezzanine.
In 2016 ompleted a 21 foot mural for the City of Bath, Maine. The theme is the “Spirit of Bath” which, of course, wraps around the history of shipbuilding in this City of Ships.
In 2015 he finished a public mural for the new Capital Judicial Center in Maine’s capital at Augusta. This 14 x 40-foot mural, a Maine Percent for Art project, called Kennebec is a maritime history of the Kennebec River with people, ships, history.
Over the years Cart has illustrated over 30 books and book covers.
He has had numerous one-man gallery shows and exhibited in galleries across Maine, in Seattle, Washington, New York City and Guadalajara, Mexico.
The artist in front of one of his paintings at Harbor Square Gallery, Camden, Maine.
Out hiking Mt. Chocurua, New Hampshire.
With a pencil or brush in hand I can create worlds within the canvas frame. The figures are my players and the canvas my stage. However, I am no fantasy artist. Reality creates the spark. My eyes open, I find things that need to be in my paintings.
I have exhibited in galleries and exhibitions in Maine, Seattle and New York City. As an illustrator I have worked for Hearst Books, William Morrow, Greenwillow Books, Random House and DownEast Books of Maine. And creating sets and playbills for theater is a thrill.
Born in Maine, I can claim that much coveted ‘native’ status but in truth I lived away a lot. My bones are solid New England stock but my blood carries the dusts of years in Mexico…and a bit of rust from the Pacific Northwest as well.
Back in my bohemian days I sold paintings at street shows and at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. Today I enjoy the luxury of having my work in a great gallery, but there is an excitement, a rawness to selling art on the street.
I currently live with my wife and fellow painter, Jen Greta Cart, in Hallowell, Maine.
Hallowell has been a cultural center since its early days, attracting artists from all over the region.
To the left, in the bow tie, is Alger V. Currier#104, (1862-1911) a well known Hallowell artist of the mid 19th century. His fine oil portrait of his wife Catherine #103, the woman in the yellow dress, can be seen today at the Hubbard Free Library in Hallowell, a building, incidentally, designed by Alexander Currier, Alger’s father.
The Currier portrait of his wife at the Hubbard library is well worth a trip to see. An fine piece of portraiture.
artist, Chris Cart
Lee Weeks, artist extraordinaire
Lee Weeks#102, is the renowned Marvel and DC Comic artist. Weeks grew up on Lincoln Street in the center of Hallowell.
Perhaps best known for his art for the Daredevil series for Marvel, his work bringing Batman to life for DC Comics is also iconic.
Weeks has won numerous awards for his art. Weeks is shown here as a drawing, drawing Batman.
Most people ask me, “Why is Batman in the mural?”. The simple answer? Lee Weeks, the renowned D.C. and Marvel comic artist is from Hallowell. I drew Lee, himself as a drawing, drawing Batman.I mean, how could I not include Batman?
artist, Chris Cart
Bruce Mayo
Bruce Mayo#101, is shown here in two of his many roles or guises in town. He is a fine artist, owner of Easy Street Lounge in Hallowell and most years the leader of the Mardi Gras parade.
it is always wonderful to run into Bruce in town.
artist, Chris Cart
so many artists
Helene Farrar#106, has taught and worked in the visual arts for twenty years while actively exhibiting in commercial, nonprofit and university galleries in New England, New York City, Pennsylvania, Italy, and England. Farrar has a BA in Studio Art from the University of Maine and a Masters of Fine Art Degree in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College in Vermont. Helene was director of the Harlow Gallery of Hallowell for many years.
Mark Poirier#107, shown in the blue ballcap with brushes, is known for his beautiful paintings of Hallowell.
Paola Buentello#105, of Mexican descent, had an art gallery, shop first in Hallowell, then in Gardiner where she exhibited some of her beautiful, very personal work.
Jane Burke#93, painter and muralist has many colorful murals across Maine. Jane is shown in the mural dancing with the musicians with her signature hair. Jane Burke murals
Andrea Dorak#117, is a talented easel painter, interior designer and dancer extraordinaire.
Jane Burke and Andrea Dorak are the two dancers framing the musician section. Jane to the left with the two-tone hair and Andrea at the right in the tan hat.
The mural artist’s daughter, writer Katherine Cart posed as Ellen Vaughan.
painting the wilds of Maine
Ellen Parkman Vaughan#100, of the prominent Vaughan family in Hallowell, in the lower right, was known for her watercolors and in her youth intrepid painting trips to the wilds of Maine in a canoe with paints, an easel and a guide.
The Vaughan Homestead has many of Ellen Vaughan’s drawings and watercolors from her treks to the north woods.
artist, Chris Cart
Ray Skolfield
One beloved Hallowell artist from the 20th century was Ray Skolfield#95, . He spent much of his later years in Hallowell drawing local people. Ray is the figure in the back presented as a drawing with his sketchpad—with one of his signature styles of simple line with snags of intense line color.
In his early days in the 1930’s Skolfield was a “New Deal” artist, one of the many WPA Project artists prior to WW2.
Ray was drawing and painting constantly, and giving his work away. I can’t count how many people I know who own one of more of Ray’s creations. I included him in the section of the mural with all the musicians because he spent so much time drawing our local bands.
artist, Chris Cart
Jen Greta Cart
Shown here in the witch costume is Jen Greta Cart #67, . She has been painting since she moved to Hallowell in the early 1990’s. She also has been known for your many roles in Gaslight Theater.
Also, Jen launched the “Hallowell Hexen” a troupe of Hallowell “witches” who get dressed as witches to dance in the annual Hallowell Hallowe’en Parade.
artist, Chris Cart
Chris Cart
In 2023 Chris Cart #110, completed the 650 square foot public Hallowell mural for Hallowell, Maine. The mural was officially unveiled to much fanfare with a flag guard of the American Legion and speeches by Maine’s Governor Mills, Representative Dan Shagoury and our Mayor George Lapointe.
Cart has over dozen murals across Maine in Washington D.C. and Seattle. F
I added myself in the lower left, still finishing up part of the mural. There was a while with several setbacks, including COVID that I thought the mural project would go on forever. There was always more to add.
artist, Chris Cart
supporting the arts
Deb Fahy#108, of Hallowell has been central to any and all support for artists in the Hallowell area for many decades. She was Executive Director of the Harlow Gallery for 14 years transforming it from a local art club to a gallery of note with shows reviewed by Maine’s best newspapers.
Since her time with the Harlow gallery she has moved on to spearhead the official city Arts & Cultural Committee and the creation of Vision Hallowell, our Hallowell’s 501c3 which promotes arts in our area.
Deb was key to getting the Hallowell Mural project going and keeping the fundraising alive so the artist could complete this vast project.
Deb has been no end of help to me and my career as an artist.
Blacksmiths were crucial to Hallowell society and industry. The blacksmith’s skills were needed, as with any other community, for shoeing horses, creating nails, repairing wagon wheels, etc., However, the blacksmith was crucial for the granite industry to keep the granite cutting and carving tools sharp and in form. One source states one blacksmith was required for every three stone cutters to ensure the tools were ready for the days work in the quarries or stone yard.
Note how thin the neck of the handle is on the hand hammer. Tony Masciadri told me this is so the impact of the hammer hitting the chisel and the hard granite does not telegraph up the handle–to relieve stress on the cutters hand after a day of chiseling granite.
artist, Chris Cart
tools
The granite tools here include a Point, Chisel, Hand Plug Drill and a Hand Hammer.
Michael Frett #61 of Hallowell posed as the blacksmith in the mural.
Over the centuries Hallowell has been known for its makers—its artists, musicians, potters, chairmakers, shipcarvers…
Malley Weber#60, is one of our contemporary makers in town. She has run a pottery shop and classes for many years.
…loved watching Malley make a simple pitcher. seeing such confident hands is a joy.
artist, Chris Cart
Johnny Stringer
One locally well known maker was John “Johnny” Stringer. He died in 1848 but many Hallowell residents today take pride in owning one of his well crafted chairs. One can be seen at the Hubbard Free Library as well.
Hallowell historian Ron Kley recounts a story of teh connection of Hallowell to our ship USS Contitution, “Old Ironsides”# 57 & 111:
We found a 1796 letter among the Charles Vaughan papers at Bowdoin (Charles was Benjamin Vaughan’s #6 younger brother ) that had been written to Charles, in Boston, from John Sheppard in Hallowell. (Sheppard was a British expatriate who managed a brewery, a warehouse, a wharf and probably a distillery for Charles, all in Hallowell.
This letter reported among other things that “the mast for the frigate” was ready for shipment.
There were six frigates then under construction for the navy at various shipyards, and we had no clue as to which one “the mast” might be intended for.
Several years later I attended a museum conference that was also attended by Anne Grimes Rand, the director of the USS Constitution Museum, whom I knew from work that I had done for that museum years earlier. I asked her if she had any knowledge of where the masts for the Constitution had come from. She didn’t, but said that she would pass the inquiry along to the museum’s historian.,
I had a call from the historian just a day or two later, telling me that the museum had records of the navy having purchased both the mainmast and the bowsprit of the Constitution from somebody named Charles Vaughan.
We have no proof as to just where the trees were cut, but the odds are that if they were awaiting shipment from Hallowell, they would not have been hauled very far to Vaughan’s wharf on what’s still known as Sheppard’s or Shepard’s Point, just south of the confluence of Vaughan Brook and the Kennebec, There’s a good likelihood, if not a probability, that the trees were cut in Hallowell, and perhaps even on the Vaughans’ land, including the present Vaughan Woods, from which it would have been downhill all the way to the Vaughan wharf.
I showed the thick base of a huge eastern white pine and had the top of the tree showing at the top of the mural.
artist, Chris Cart
eastern white pine
I’ve been a sailing ship buff since I was a kid building scratch models of sailing ships. This was good enough for me. How could I not include “Old Ironsides” in our Hallowell mural.
artist, Chris Cart
The eastern white pine was a very valuable tree in the early days of the new nation. The eastern white pine is a very tough and tall tree that was early prized for its use a tall straight masts for ships.
It is said that early precolonial forests contained eastern white pines that grew to more than 70 meters or 230 feet in height.
Mast pines
During the 17th and 18th centuries, tall white pines in the Thirteen Colonies became known as “mast pines”. Marked by agents of the Crown with the broad arrow, a mast pine was reserved for the British Royal Navy. Special barge-like vessels were built to ship tall white pines to England.
By 1719, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, had become the hub of pine logging and shipping. Portsmouth shipped 199 masts to England that year. In all, about 4500 masts were sent to England.
The eastern white pine played a significant role in the events leading to the American Revolution. Marking of large white pines by the Crown had become controversial in the colonies by the first third of the 18th century. In 1734, the King’s men were assaulted and beaten in Exeter, New Hampshire, in what was to be called the Mast Tree Riot. Colonel David Dunbar had been in the town investigating a stock pile of white pine in a pond and the ownership of the local timber mill before caning two townspeople. In 1772, the sheriff of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, was sent to the town of Weare to arrest mill owners for the illegal possession of large white pines. That night, as the sheriff slept at the Pine Tree Tavern, he was attacked and nearly killed by an angry mob of colonists. This act of rebellion, later to become known as the Pine Tree Riot, may have fueled the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
After the Revolutionary War, the fledgling United States used large white pines to build out its own navy. The masts of the USS Constitution were originally made of eastern white pine. The original masts were single trees, but were later replaced by laminated spars to better withstand cannonballs.
In colonial times, an unusually large, lone, white pine was found in coastal South Carolina along the Black River, far east of its southernmost normal range.[citation needed] The king’s mark was carved into it, giving rise to the town of Kingstree.
