All community members & ages are welcome to participate in a West End Master Series workshop with artist Alicia Ethridge, who will speak briefly about her exhibition "Nature of the Beast" and then facilitate the contemplative art practice Lectio Divina. 

Lectio Divina is a traditional, meditative form of prayer that began with early monastics and has developed over time to include spiritual and secular texts and imagery. The idea is to enter into the text or image and experience it in the imagination and allow communication to come through from the Divine, whatever that may be for you.

The artist will provide images but you are welcome to use your own inspiration. Participants are invited to find an image that evokes a strong feeling within you. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite materials (art supplies, pen, journal, sketchbook). Participants will be encouraged to respond visually or by writing.

Artist Bio

Alicia Sampson Ethridge (b. 1984, New Jersey) is an artist living in Coastal Maine and a founding member of Seven Artists Collective. She received her MSW in Expressive Arts from the University of Southern Maine (2012) and BA in Anthropology and Art History from Montclair State University (2007). Ethridge studied abstract painting, life drawing and experimental drawing at Maine College of Art (2014-2019). Ethridge was ordained as a Soul Friend and Art Monastic through Inner Life Creations (2024), a modern Sanctuary and Wisdom School.

Ethridge’s work has been exhibited regionally in galleries such as: the George Marshall Store Gallery (York, ME), the University of New England (Biddeford, ME), the Parsonage (Searsport, ME), the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts (Rochester, NH), 3S (Portsmouth, NH), the Maine Art Gallery (Wiscasset, ME), the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (Rockland, ME), 82Parris (Portland, ME), Katzman Contemporary (Dover, NH), Blue Door Gallery (York, Maine), Harlow Gallery (Hallowell, ME), and Zero Station (Portland, ME). 

Ethridge works primarily in oil and mixed media collage. Her practice is influenced by a personal spirituality practice, myth, dreams, nature and motherhood. Ethridge’s work fuses life and art in her decade long study of art monasticism. Through contemplative art techniques such as Lectio Divina, Pantoum, and the embodiment of dream characters, Ethridge has found that art and prayer have much in common - both are rooted in an intense encounter involving a surrender of willfulness, openness to inspiration and lead to a deep engagement with mystery.

Connect with Alicia on Instagram @alicia.ethridge or Facebook @Alicia_Ethridge.

See "Nature of the Beast" at PMAC's Haas Family Gallery

Gallery Hours

• Monday: 12PM-5PM
• Tuesday – Thursday: By Appointment
• Friday: 12:30PM – 7PM
• Saturday: 9AM – 3:00PM
• Closed Sundays