LEWISTON — The two large display windows at The Studio on lower Lisbon Street are a constant rotating gallery of skeletons, paintings, sculptures and often edgy pieces. Sometimes they touch on current events.
For the past eight years, Grayling Cunningham has been renting the space, directly across from the Lewiston Police Department, to display his most recent paintings, which he hopes to sell to pay for more paint and materials to feed his passion.
The bride and groom skeletons were part of his first exhibit that were left in the space by the current owners of the building and have been a staple ever since. Frequent visitors look forward to how they will be portrayed.
“The unicorn mask, a variety of skulls and skeletons, as well as a large mannequin named Arnold, are part of the exhibits and often dressed up for the time of year or an upcoming holiday,” Cunningham said. “I always try to make the displays bright and cheery but creepy at the same time, usually with some dark humor attached that freaks some people out.”
Over the years, friends often show up with items they have come across in their homes, garage sales, or bought online that they know he would get a kick out of or be perfect for the gallery.
Grayling lives in a rented apartment upstairs. His balcony overlooking the alley behind stands out with the bright flower boxes on the porch where he often finds inspiration.
He subleases gallery space to other artists on the first floor where they all create art in various mediums.
Cunningham’s specialty is large, textured acrylic and oil paintings. Some are on display at area businesses.
“I like to create abstract pieces from the different emotions I am feeling at the time,” he said as he moved a giant pregnancy cast to another part of his workbench that overflows with pails of paintbrushes, art supplies, skeletons of all kinds and a host of plastic body parts and other funky items. “It is a form of therapy and a way to release tension and anxiety using my creative energy.”
His apartment is a few steps away so when he feels inspired or needs to get his mind off things, his “sanctuary” is just a short walk downstairs. He sees a lot of potential for a thriving art community, especially in the shops and storefronts downtown.
“Lewiston was once a mecca for music and arts and I can see it slowly coming back,” he said. “We have a lot of local talent here.”
Cunningham has been a fixture in the art and culture scene in the area since moving from Belfast in 1993 to enroll in Mr. Bernard’s School of Hair Fashion to train as a stylist. He worked for various salons until 2002 when he helped open Orbit Hair Lash and Brows in Lewiston, serving as creative director and master stylist with a thriving clientele.
Often outspoken when it comes to human rights, he gets involved in community issues and causes. One of his proudest accomplishments is being one of the founding members of the Art Walk and instrumental in organizing and finding artists to come to display their work. While his gallery might slightly shock some, it is appropriate and only offensive to easily offended.
“It’s PG-13 and kids love it but not many come this far down Lisbon Street,” he said. “But every one of them who do will instinctively find the mini foosball table in the first few minutes. I love to watch them stare at the paintings or react to some of the pieces.”
With COVID-19 shutting down the Art Walk and people not getting out much, there have not been a lot of recent visitors to The Studio so there are no regular hours, only by appointment via his social media page at @TheStudioME
Often times he likes to watch people’s reactions as they walk past or look over from their cars while stopped in traffic.
Cunningham said he looks forward to things opening back up and people are no longer afraid to go out in public and art events start up again.
“We need more businesses and more artists downtown,” he said. “When a local business displays the work of local artists, it helps build a thriving community. We are getting there and once this dark period in time passes, L/A can once again become a thriving place for art and entertainment.”
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