About
Round Pond-based Sculptor Don Justin Meserve (1938-2010) explored narrative and abstract themes over the course of his 40-year professional career. A master mason and expert craftsman, Don is best known for “Cleat,” a granite monument created for the waterfront of Winter Harbor at the first Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium (SISS) in 2007. “Cleat” is a permanent feature of the Maine Sculpture Trail which runs through coastal villages from Bucksport to Calais.
In 2013, Don’s estate donated The Meserve Collection of works in stone to SISS which, in partnership with the Maine Stone Workers Guild, has since raised significant funds for art education. In 2021, art gallery Studio 53 in Boothbay Harbor featured this collection in “Don Justin Meserve: Sculpture Retrospective” along with works in wood, metal and mixed media. Studio 53 represented Meserve until owners Terry Seaman and Heidi Seidelhuber recently retired. We are grateful for the support of Don's legacy shown by them and other loyal art dealers over the years.
Sales of works shown on this site, and pieces on the Boothbay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail, will support training classes and internships. Unsold works include monumental pieces such as “Peary-Henson,” an imposing granite portrait merging two Arctic explorers, Admiral Robert Peary and Matthew Henson. Don’s fondness for visual punning is evident in “Minotaur,” which appears either to be an ancient helmet or the mythic bull. All works in stone can be installed inside or outdoors.
Don is also known for his “Stations of the Cross,” 14 devotional bas reliefs cast in pewter. Winner of the IFRAA award, the series reveals his uniquely subjective interpretation of Christ’s passion. After exhibitions at Trinity Church Wall Street, Washington National Cathedral and Museum of Biblical art, the series was acquired permanently by the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Portland, Maine. (A facsimile set of the 14 Stations as aluminum photo prints is available for loan or sale.)
Don’s sculpture reflects his hands-on approach informed by varied work experiences. In the 1960s, he practiced industrial design and studied Danish craft techniques at architectural offices in Copenhagen. At Bernadotte and Bjorn, Don designed architectural details, furniture, glassware, jewelry and other projects. While a professor at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) he was instrumental in establishing a graduate program in furniture design. He based his studio in Round Pond, Maine in the 1980s where he offered apprenticeships and mentored artists.
For more information, please contact:
Terry Seaman, owner of Studio 53 Fine Art Gallery
53 Townsend Ave, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538
p: 207.633.2755