Robin and Chris are Portland-based painters who are working in contemporary art and in relationship to traditional Irish art.  Each approaches the idea differently — Chris Gray through meticulous realism and Robin Savage through modified cubism.  Both stress the linkages between the past and the contemporary.  Together, they remind viewers of the important intersections between the poetic and the political, in ways that mirror Irish punk music, with its mixture of folk and modern.  Robin is an associate professor in postcolonial art history, literature, and film, and is a lecturer at Rhode Island School of Design and MECA&D.  Chris Gray received his MFA and MA in Ethnomusicology from MECA&D and the University College Cork respectively. He is the lead artist for Dean Barger Studios in Westbrook.  Both are the curators of more than 14 shows for the Carrickahowley Gallery at the Maine Irish Heritage Center here in Portland, Maine. 

*For more on Carrickahowley and its origins and philosophy, visit:  https://maineirish.com/carrickahowley-gallery-at-mihc/

In an effort to keep our equipment and facilities safe and in good order for everyone who wishes to produce media at PMC, we have developed a new policy and procedures for reserving and accessing our production rooms and equipment. Certified producers who wish to use our studio or conference (or other areas of the facility) to produce shows will need to complete an “On-Premises Room and Equipment Loan Form” two days prior to use. This form will list all the equipment they need to use while producing inside the facility. Staff will ensure this equipment is available when they arrive for their reservation. If the production occurs when staff is not present, the listed equipment will be left in a locked bin. The producer will need to pick up the key to the lock during staff hours to access their equipment and will be expected to return the equipment to the box and lock it, as well as leave the box and key in locations previously arranged with PMC staff. Producers will also be sent a digital photo of the room they reserved just before their use and will be asked to take a digital photo of the space just before they leave to verify that the room was left in the same condition as when they first accessed it.

To get a copy of the procedures, On-Premises Room and Equipment Loan Form and reserve equipment and facilities, please contact Dino Raymond (dino@portlandmedia.org)  or David Bedell (david@portlandmedia.org).

We have exciting news about upcoming episodes of Dave’s Video Vault.  On the Vault we show good, bad, critically acclaimed, or just movies from the past that you might not have had the opportunity to see, or would simply like to see again.

Well, we’ve just added a number of new (ok … old) movies to the vault for your viewing pleasure.  We’ve added comedies, westerns, dramas, documentaries and other types of films designed to pique your interest.  If you like Dave’s Video Vault, or have comments, be sure to contact PMC and let us know.  As long as we have a following, we’ll keep adding movies to our list for your enjoyment.

I hope you enjoy our upcoming film additions so be sure to join us on Portland Media Center Channel 5, Saturday nights at 9pm for the next episode of Dave’s Video Vault.

PMC’s news show, PMC Studio, continues this month with our own Christine Sullivan as the host.  PMC Studio is the training vehicle for PMC’s studio class, so the crew are students who are getting experience as they learn by operating cameras and the switcher as directors for this show.  On every show the interviewer, topic and guest will be different.

In this show, Christine interviews Genius Black (aka Jerry Edwards) about Gem City.  If you’ve walked by PMC this past month you will have seen the work of Gem City in our front window including clips from music videos.

Genius is a social innovator, entrepreneur and musical artist based in Maine.  Naturally a storyteller and motivator, he focuses on collaboration and audio and video production as crafts.

GEM CITY Maine is a collaborative collective of musical talent, which Genius curates.  He holds a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College, and was a founding Co-Director of Black Owned Maine.  He produces and hosts Maine’s Black Future Podcast with the Maine Monitor, focusing on historic and current influential Black Mainers.  He is also a Media and Communications Organizer for TheThirdPlace, a PMC Board member and honorably served as Emcee for the Maine Immigration Forum’s inaugural event in 2023.

In this show he talks about how GEM CITY was formed, its connection with TheThirdPlace, its collaborations and music.  Tune in on Tuesdays in March at 7:30 PM to catch this interesting interview.  

The crew for this show included Aiydan Fenderson, Sarah Petrin, Matteson Nadeau and Charlie Ashlin.  All four alternated being camera operators, director and floor director during the course of the show.  If you would like to take our studio class and be part of the crew for an actual show OR if you’d like to be interviewed about something you’re doing in the community or interview someone on this show, please contact Tom Handel at tomh@portlandmedia.org.

SportLand is a hybrid sports show that consists of in-studio interviews and feature stories from around the Greater Portland area. It is a mixture of sports news, history, upcoming events, and conversations with the interesting people we come across.

Our central goal is to highlight community sports and the people around them. The teamwork, camaraderie, and perseverance often found in sports brings people together. Our show searches for those who represent and give back to the community.

For the first episode, we are talking to Al Bean Jr., the director of the University of Southern Maine Athletics Department. He tells us about his experience playing an integral role in the rise of USM athletics. We also take a look at the Westbrook Lions Club’s Bowling Tournament, where we learn more about what it means tobe a Lion. To finish off, we go over the recently crowned high school champions.

You won’t want to miss it!  Tune into SportLand for an inside look into Southern Maine sports and the great people behind them!

This month on The Rundlett and Baldacci Report, Rob and Derry interview Anthony Ruggiano, a former mafioso. Anthony, now out of the business of the mafia, was featured prominently in the Netflix documentary “Get Gotti”.  In this eye-opening interview our intrepid hosts talk to Anthony about, as Rob Baldacci puts it.  “The good, the bad, and the ugly”.

Be sure to tune in to The Rundlett and Baldacci Report for the entire month of April. Debuting on the PMC’s Channel 5 and our YouTube channel on April 3rd at eight o’clock pm., you can catch it various times all month on channel 5 and at whatever time suits you on the PMC’s ever-growing YouTube Channel!

Jim Nadeau, a local flood consultant, Professional Land Surveyor, Realtor, and educator located right here in Portland, Maine is branching out with a new podcast!

Recorded and edited here at the Portland Media Center, Jim is hoping to help listeners improve the decision-making process pertaining to flood risk or flood insurance. By educating stakeholders of the National Flood Insurance Program and allowing each of them to better serve their clients when creating recommendations, designs, or long-term strategies pertaining to flood, Jim aims to educate anyone interested in getting a better understanding about what goes into the complex decisions around flood zones.

Check it out on our website, portlandmedia.org, or your favorite podcast platform!

Spice of Life

The array above reminds me of all the projects we have going on at PMC.  Personally,  I like to add curry spices to unexpected items, like popcorn & oatmeal with raisins & nuts.   I wonder what the Spice in the book/movie Dune would taste like? 

This month we have another colorful Rundlett & Baldacci featuring a reformed Mafia character.  The PMC Gallery will be having a dual show with two fine artists, mysteriously titled, “Whale Oil Beef Hooked.”  Do stop in to 516 Congress Street on First Friday, April 5, or later in the month to see it.  My fondest hope is that my amateur interview skills improve over my debut in the PMC Studio.  Watch it anyway to hear Genius Black’s fantastic energy and ideas. 

Another new feature we’re excited about is SportLand, a show on all the athletic activities greater Portland has to offer.   Dave’s Video Vault is rapidly expanding its offerings, so check it out for unusual movies.

Our podcast feature this month is advice from an expert, Jim Nadeau, on flooding issues.   Take a listen! 

Read on to hear about our new security features, detailing actions that will be required of all PMC producers.   And most of all, celebrate all things spring (even when you can’t feel it). 

Christine J. Sullivan, M.A.

Editor-in-Chief