Jean Franz Miller and The Tale of Cursive Writing

Jean Franz Miller is a local artist at Harvest Gold Gallery whose beautiful paintings are featured on our walls. Since Jean was a child, she has loved creating art and has never veered from her love and desire to be an artist. Although she went to college in Gettysburg as an English major, she also took whatever art courses were available and took advantage of any opportunity to learn more. When Jean finished college she got married and began teaching art in elementary schools. Jean had to stop teaching in order to raise her four children, but slipped away to whatever bedroom, basement, or studio that was available for her to paint or make art in. Although Jean had loved being a teacher, she was driven to art because to her it wasn't a hobby, but a compulsion. For her, art is an absorbing passion and joy that nothing can replace.  She couldn't help herself but to find ways to paint even when times were rough.

Jean loves to learn more about the world around her and likes to express the geology of the world through her art. Jeans passion for painting followed her across the world as she traveled to places such as Portugal, Italy, France, England, China, and eventually here in the state of Maine. Jean came to Maine for the first time 59 years ago and had her honeymoon on Kezar Lake. For 50 years Jean had been coming to Lovell as guest until finally one day her son was offered the lot that they had been visiting and they moved in. Jean now resides on the lake during the summers and at her other home during the rest of the year.

Jean expresses her love of the world and knowledge in her paintings with her vast range of destinations and locations. Even though Jean has learned a lot from her teachers in times past, Jean has come to believe that the bulk of learning derives from the experience that takes place in ones own head. Jean believes that her trips to museums around the world, art studies in books and magazines, as well as many trials and failures have brought her have more expertise, maturity, and eventually competence.

When Jean came to visit Harvest Gold, she shared her love of art with me, but also helped me learn something new. Jean has written in cursive her entire life, and when I explained to her that the school curriculums no longer teach cursive she was baffled. In our history, cursive had been developed into the form we use today in the early 17th century, and has been taught ever since until the 21^st century. So Jean sat down with me and explained how cursive works, and a few days later dropped off a sheet that she made me with the alphabet and a phrase that I can practice my cursive with. Jean has so much love and compassion and I appreciated her taking the time to help me learn something that is very important to her. I learned something new that day, and Jean got to share some of her knowledge with me that I will now have forever. Jean will never stop teaching and learning, and even more she will never stop her true absorbing passion of creating beautiful art.

Please Contact Harvest Gold Gallery for more info on Jean Franz Miller or any of our other artists, or come visit us in Center Lovell, Maine. 

Located on Route 5 in Center Lovell Maine, Open Daily.

Contact us Phone: 925-6502 or Email: harvestgold@fairpoint.net

Great Time Had By All- Thanks For Coming To Our Annual Open House!

Last Friday at Harvest Gold Gallery we hosted another very successful annual open house! Thank you for all those who attended and helped make the evening so successful. Between the beautiful pieces displayed through out the gallery, and the fantastic food that was served, there was a lot to talk about as the customers, friends, and artists began to flood into the building. 

Jean Franz Miller, a local Lovell Artist,  educated our guests about her love of painting and learned about all of the various artist that Harvest Gold showcases.

A guests views the variety of Gold and Tourmaline Jewelry in the front of the store. 

This guests was loving all of our Miniature Original Watercolor paintings  by Varvara Harmon

Ashannah helps out with serving the yummy cucumber and herbed goat cheese appetizer that Bill had prepared for the event.

Hannah also lends a helping hand serving food to our hungry guests, serving a mexican style pico dio filled corn tortilla cup with pepper-jack cheese.

Guests discuss all of the various crafts and art here at the gallery in the hustle and bustle if the evenings events. 

A guests looks at the fine details in Varvara Harmons "Red Tulip" oil painting.

Ellen Nelson showed off her carved wooden birds and was able to learn more about the various artists showcased in our gallery. 

These two lady's were awed by the great craftsmanship of the hand carved utensils by Maggie's Farm in  Kents Hill Maine. 

Bill greets our guests from Quisisana, always managing to make them laugh! 

The Gallery was full of guests who were intrigued by the variety of local and Maine- Made art we offer.

Tom Merriam, an artist who's paintings can be found in almost every room of the the gallery,  came to the open house prepared with stories and photos from his recent trip to Africa. 

A guest takes a look at the variety of Gold wedding bands handcrafted by Bill and Linda here at the gallery, along with our glass salt and pepper shakers. 

Jacquie serves the food crafted by Bill, as Bill talks about the artists in our gallery.

Varvara speaks with a fan about her paintings and how the Maine scenery has been a huge inspiration to her paintings. Varvara moved from Russia to Windham, Maine in 2001 and has been creating a range of beautiful art inspired by the Maine scenery and people. She also talks about her most recent Plein Air painting that she has scheduled to be painted right here at the gallery looking at our gorgeous view!

If you were not able to come to the open house or would like to come see us again please feel free to stop by for a look around the gallery! We would love to see you here on route 5 in beautiful downtown Center Lovell, Maine overlooking Kezar Lake and the White Mountains.