Frost and Bloom brings together works of art from the Zillman’s permanent collection that evoke feelings of winter and spring and how these seasons influence human experience. Images of landscapes document nature’s annual changes and are complimented by abstract pieces that represent how the environment may impact one emotionally and psychologically. 

Works depicting winter dominate this exhibit, representing the season in Maine that may feel like it lingers too long. In these works, color is reduced to stark white and black or the cool of monochromatic blues, with a few warm pops of red and yellow. In Maine Winter with Tree, artist Bernard Langlais uses these brighter hues to illustrate the inviting comfort of interior spaces. At the same time, the claustrophobia and restlessness resulting from months spent confined indoors can be felt from the surreal imagery of Roz Leibowitz’s Midnight Dream. Winter is also a season for reflection, nostalgia, and patience—emotions conveyed in the quietness of Michael Alpert’s Branch Mills Church and Beth Van Hoesen’s Postcards.