About the Speers Gallery
Kennebunk Free Library provides space for art exhibits. Exhibit materials may be organized and presented by the Library, members of the community, and not-for-profit groups within the guidelines set forth in the Exhibit Policy below. The gallery has been host to a variety of mediums including photography, textile arts and mixed media assemblages in addition to renditions in oil, pastel, pen and ink, and watercolor.
In 2011, the gallery in Hank’s Room was named the Speers Gallery in honor of Mike Speers, former Library Trustee and Friend of the Library, who was the inspiration of the Gallery.
Current Speers Gallery Exhibit
December: “Homeage to Home” by Alissa Kruszenski
The Speers Gallery at the Kennebunk Free Library presents “Homage to Home”, an exhibit by local photographer Alissa Kruszenski showing December 1-31.
Alissa is a self-taught photographer specializing in landscape and nature photography of southern Maine. Her passion for photography began when she was 12 years old and borrowed her mom’s camera to take a picture of the USS George H.W. Bush from Walker’s point. She began noticing the blooming flowers, the sparkling water, and the photography spark ignited. Alissa says “Life is made up of so many moments that we tend to overlook. I use nature and landscape photography to capture the magic in the mundane, moments in time that we tend to take for granted or miss entirely.”
Alissa’s photographs have been shown in Town & Tourist, as well as the Friends of Rachel Carson 2023 and 2024 calendars. Her show at KFL will be her first gallery debut.
Kennebunk Free Library is pleased to show the work of this talented photographer.
Speers Gallery Exhibit Applications*, Policy, and Procedures
*Please note the application period to exhibit in 2026 is now closed. Applications to exhibit in 2027 can be submitted anytime up until the October 2026 deadline. Links to the application materials can be found below.
Dear Artists,
The Kennebunk Free Library’s Speers Gallery provides a space devoted to exhibiting artwork of local artists. Located on the lower level, the Speers Gallery offers the opportunity for the general public to appreciate the arts in a manner that reflects the Library’s mission to inspire and enable our communities to discover, learn, and connect.
We are currently inviting artists to apply to exhibit for a month in 2026. In November 2025, we will convene an art committee, consisting of members from the Library and art communities, to review the completed applications and set a monthly exhibit schedule for 2026. Please note that applications must be received by Friday, October 17, 2025.
Our application form and exhibit policies and procedures are linked below. I hope that you will consider applying to Exhibit in 2026. Please note that there is a $25.00 fee to exhibit and an additional fee of $10.00 to hold a reception. Payment is not due until the month of your exhibit. If you have any questions regarding this process, please feel free to contact me via phone 207-985-2173 x103 or email at mconners@kennebunklibrary.org.
Sincerely,
Michelle K. Conners
Director
Speers Gallery Artists for 2025
Speers Gallery Exhibit Schedule 2025 | |
| Month | Artist |
| January 2025 | Sue Howard – “Reflections: Paintings by Sue Howard” – Mixed Media |
| February 2025 | Joe Mulqueen – “Animal Alphabet Rhymes & Origami” – Paper & Poster Board |
| March 2025 | Brian Cohen – “A Career in Prints” – Etching |
| April 2025 | Laura Dauphinais – “Near and Far in Black and White” – Photography |
| May 2025 | Jeffrey “Hutch” Fay – “This is New England” – Oil Painting, Etching & Block Print |
| June 2025 | William McCarthy & Barney Cutrer – “Perspectives by a Pair of Painters” – Oil Painting |
| July 2025 | Erik Howell – “Plumbing the Vapor” – Acrylic, Ink & Charcoal |
| August 2025 | Matti Crowe – “Matti’s World” – Acrylic |
| September 2025 | Joan Forrester – “Joan Forrester – Maine Artist” – Mixed Mediums |
| October 2025 | Art Guild of the Kennebunks – “Local Color ” – Mixed Mediums |
| November 2025 | Joanne Maloney – “Simple Gifts” – Acrylic |
| December 2025 | Alissa Kruszenski – “Homage to Home” – Photography |
Maine Children’s Book Illustrators Gallery
The KFL Maine Children’s Book Illustrators Gallery, houses original works of art from children’s books by Maine illustrators. Represented artists include Barbara Cooney, Dahlov Ipcar and Kevin Hawkes. It was created in 1995, following the expansion of the Library, and is a wonderful means of educating patrons of the richness and diversity of Maine artists. It also serves to promote literacy by presenting literature in a visual form to the young and young at heart. The Gallery is located on the lower floor in the Library and is open to the public whenever the library is open.
Pictured above is a photograph of the Maine Children’s Book Illustrators Gallery, with benches below for patrons to have a seated view of the art.