Outside In

Nobody likes to be on the outside looking in, but sometimes, that perspective is clearer, more objective, different, better.

The same could be said of "The Great Outside," an exhibit and sale of outsider art that opens tomorrow and runs through Aug. 12 at 62 Bay View St. in Camden.

All of the artists hail from Maine and many of them have participated in workshops by Living In the Community (LINC) Social Club and Waterville Social Club, peer support programs for those with severe mental illness. For the last 27 years, these clubs have an art component to promote the role of creativity in recovery. Much of this work has never been exhibited before, and it runs the gamut from playful to jarring, simple to sophisticated. What ties it all together is "a directness and sincerity that reflects the artists’ lack of concern for art history or trends of the art world," according to Maine See Food, the group that organized the show.

Nearly 350 works will be on view, and proceeds from the sale will benefit the artists, Motivational Services Inc., which runs the social clubs, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport. For more information or to preview images, visit Maine See Food.

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