THE ACADIA SERIES: 2014-2017 EXHIBITION BY CHRISTOPHER S. TIETJEN AT SCHOODIC INSTITUTE. Opening Night Artist's Recption on Friday, August 4th, 2017

Winter Harbor, ME: Award winning, internationally collected artist, Christopher S. Tietjen will be exhibiting his most recent series of oil paintings at Schoodic Institute in Acadia National Park this August. The Acadia Series: 2014-2017 will open on Friday, August 4th, with an artist’s reception from 7:00-10:00 PM at the Moore Auditorium. The evening's program will include a welcome reception with drinks and desserts, a lecture presentation by the artist; an audience Q&A moderated by Tietjen's friend and collector, Laura Cutler; and remarks by CEO of the Schoodic Institute, Mark Berry. A portion of the sales will benefit Schoodic Institute. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP’s are encouraged by July 28th; please submit via email to JessicaLager@gmail.com. 

Christopher S. Tietjen is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania’s world-renowned Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and competitive grants. Although Tietjen is a Philadelphia native, he has been exploring and interpreting Maine's coastal landscapes for over a decade. The Acadia Series: 2014-2017 is the culmination of thousands of hours of dedicated plein-air work. The exhibition will feature six impressive large-scale oil paintings alongside a number of smaller studies developed on-site in Acadia over the past several years.

Tietjen’s process is arduous and often challenging, yet his commitment is deeply rewarding for both the artist and viewer. He explains, “Feet rooted in dirt and rock for long hours, I study and experiment, pulling moments out of many days. The painting forces an end, but this landscape never stops. So, I abandoned the idea of a static, polished product to pursue a genuine interpretation of Acadia. There are no quick conclusions, just layers of paint and the questions they portray, until the surface of the paintings become as worn as the land itself. I am interested in finding and documenting the intervals, the things that stay the same, in the context of the fluctuating and inconstant variables. In this way, the paintings depict an interaction between the past and the present in preparation for the future, in anticipation of change.“

The artist’s dedication to this landscape is further evidenced by his adamance that the work be first exhibited at its source of inspiration, Acadia National Park. Tietjen is proud to partner with Schoodic Institute and will be donating a percentage of sales to the organization, whose mission to “advance ecosystem science and learning for all ages through a unique partnership with Acadia National Park” is of particular significance to Tietjen. “My primary focus remains the contrast and cohesion of the elements that comprise this unique landscape, investigating and translating these nuances as both individual subjects, as well as segments of an elaborate ecosystem. Schoodic Institute has immeasurably contributed to my ecological appreciation of this park and it is vital that their work to research, educate and preserve be sustained for many future generations.”

Schoodic Institute reaffirmed their unique and powerful relationship with the art community, stating, “Schoodic Institute recognizes the long history of art in Acadia National Park and its value in connecting people to nature through inspiration. The Institute seeks to foster relationships between scientists and artists through a partnership with Acadia National Park, by providing an inspiring and unrestrictive environment in which participants can work.”

Following the reception, the exhibit may be viewed during business hours or by private appointment until August 14th. For more information about Christopher S. Tietjen and The Acadia Series: 2014-2017 please visit www.ChristopherTietjen.com or contact Jessica Lager at JessicaLager@gmail.com.