Surry artist to launch January exhibit of area hikes in abstract form
This painting of Peters Brook in Blue Hill is part of a January exhibit by Surry artist Richard Keens showcasing local hikes. Photo courtesy of Blue Hill Public Library.
Dec. 22, 2025
By staff
BLUE HILL —The Blue Hill Public Library will present “Take a Hike: Abstracted Landscapes from Here and There,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Surry artist Richard Keen, on view at the library from January 2 through January 30, 2026. The public is invited to a reception for the show on Saturday, January 10, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
“‘Take a Hike’ is about the landscapes we carry with us — the ones under our feet and the ones we hold in our minds," Keen said in a press release. “I’m interested in how a path, a patch of light, or a distant line of trees can become something new when it’s filtered through personal experience.”
Specializing in abstraction, Keen’s work explores “the relationship between place and perception, often at the intersection of natural and built environments,” the release said.
“In this collection, Keen invites viewers into abstracted Maine landscapes shaped by memory, movement, and lived experience in the natural world. Using bold color, geometric forms, and shifting horizons, the work moves fluidly between representation and abstraction. Inspired by local trails, coastal vantage points, and the act of moving through nature, the paintings capture the feeling of a hike more than the exact terrain,” according to the release.
Originally from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Keen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Millikin University and a Master of Arts from S.U.N.Y. Albany. He has lived and worked in Maine for many years, drawing inspiration from its coastal environments as well as his professional experience as a commercial diver. In addition to his studio practice, Keen has completed several public art commissions, including large-scale murals for educational and community spaces.
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