By MECHELE COOPER
Staff Writer Tuesday, January 30, 2007

enlarge Staff photo by Andy Molloy

Mariah Wiggins photographs a Daniel Kany painting while standing before another Monday at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell. Wiggins, a curatorial intern, was helping Portland gallery owner Michael Kany hang the show of the nationally regarded artist's work.

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Daniel Kany spent Monday dressing up Harlow Gallery at 160 Water St. with paintings of Michael Kessler, an acclaimed artist whose work hangs in such major national collections as the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

The exhibit -- "Paintings by Michael Kessler: A Recent Survey" -- comes to central Maine as a collaboration between the Kennebec Valley Art Association and the Daniel Kany Gallery, 89 Exchange St., Portland.

"Michael had a retrospective show in Boston that Dan helped arrange," said Deborah Fahy, executive director of the art association, which operates the Harlow Gallery.

"He was going to take the show down and put it in storage, but instead said he could bring it here. It's not often that we get a chance to show the work of an artist who is nationally recognized."

Kany, 40, a Waterville native who lives in Cumberland, recently opened a Portland studio that focuses on fine glass art and contemporary paintings.

He is the son of former Waterville Mayor Judy Kany and the late Robert Kany, who was professor emeritus of history at Colby College in Waterville.

"I opened my eponymous gallery in Portland at the very end of 2006, and I appreciate the Harlow Gallery's reaching out to help me establish a place in Maine's art community," Kany said. "I am originally from central Maine, so working with the Harlow feels particularly rewarding."

Kessler, of Santa Fe, N.M., uses "rhythmic and elegantly layered geometric abstractions" and won awards including the Rome Prize of the American Academy and the prestigious Pollock/Krasner Award.

Kany said the small exhibition features a broad range of work from the past 15 years.

"When I brought it to our board, they were excited about this," Fahy said. "It's a great opportunity for us."

The show will run Feb. 2-25.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, Ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com