From Bodies of Water to the Human Kind at Zoot Coffee in Camden

The Union of Maine Visual Artists proudly presents Bodies in Motion, at Zoot Coffee, 5 Elm Street in Camden, ME. The exhibition, which runs from April 1st through April 30th, 2026, showcases an array of abstract and representational renderings of human, animal, natural and ethereal bodies moving through space and time. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, April 4th, from 1 - 3 pm. The exhibit can be viewed during Zoot Coffee regular business hours: 7 am to 4pm, seven days a week.

Works in the exhibit include renderings of tidal motion and freshwater falls; abstract and representational depictions of the human form; mythical and ethereal beings offering hope and blessings; groups of people navigating challenging situations together in difficult times. This family friendly show will appeal to nature lovers, and those who could use a dose of uplift and beauty during these challenging times. The show was curated by Alicia Inés Ethridge of Seven Artist Collective.

"Across this exhibition, motion is understood as a condition of being, an ongoing negotiation between body, environment, memory, and time," writes Ethridge in her curatorial statement. "The works presented consider bodies as vessels, holding labor, emotion, history, and transformation. Whether human, animal, elemental, or implied, each is shaped by forces both visible and unseen."

The Union of Maine Visual Artists is a nonprofit organization and vital artist network of over 400 Maine artists and art lovers. Founded in 1975, the UMVA remains a statewide connector of Artists, Collectors and Art Lovers, fostering camaraderie and connection in interconnected, mutually supportive, ever-growing state-wide community of visual artists and informed public that treasures and supports the arts and artists. To further enhance Maine Arts and Artists,

UMVA publishes the Maine Arts Journal - a quarterly online Arts magazine; Maine Masters film series of artist profiles, often seen on PBS Television; Artists' Rapid Response Team! (ARRT!) banners, placards & posters for public causes; LumenARRT! projections on public buildings for awareness of public injustice; Sponsorship of art projects in the public interest. Additionally, UMVA has advocated for Maine art and artists to promote the common good. For example,

UMVA initiated and helped enact into state law the Maine Percent for Art Program, requiring 1% of funds for new state buildings to include art, and the Artist's Estate Tax Law allowing art work to be used to pay artists' estate taxes. UMVA continues to oppose entry fees for exhibitions and support requirements for organizations holding art auctions to give artists a percentage of the sale of their work. For more information on UMVA, go to https://theumva.org.

Alicia Ines Ethridge (b. 1984, New Jersey) is a visual artist based on the coast of Maine and a founding member of the Seven Artists Collective. Working primarily in oil and mixed media collage, her practice explores the tension between wildness and humanity through dreamlike landscapes and animal archetypes. Using bold color and expressive forms, she evokes emotional mythologies-moments of conflict, communion, and transformation that invite viewers to reconnect with instinct, intuition, and the untamed forces shaping our inner worlds. Ethridge holds an MSW in Expressive Arts from the University of Southern Maine and a BA in Anthropology and Art History from Montclair State University. She has also studied at the Maine College of Art. Her creative practice is deeply informed by spiritual studies, wisdom traditions, and contemplative practices. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across New England, reflecting a commitment to personal inquiry and collective dialogue through art. Ethridge's work can be found at http://www.aliciaethridge.com

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