Portland-based artist Lauren Fensterstock looked absolutely stunning at the opening of her meticulously executed installation "Parterre" at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art last night. I managed to snap this photo (using - gasp! - a flash) of the artist and her centerpiece work right at the end of opening reception, when the huge crowd had thinned considerably. You can't see it in this photo, but part of her installation involves diamonds embedded into the gallery walls. Her work grabs attention with its compelling surface beauty and then pulls you in with its quiet, contemplative depth. The show remains on view until Jan. 11, and it's definitely worth a trip to Brunswick. I'll offer more details about the show in the Oct. 16 edition of Switch magazine.

On another art-related note, the question of the day is ...

It's Friday, do you know where your art is?

The answer is easy. It's in Portland, of course. Tonight is the First Friday Art Walk and, as usual, there's an overwhelming amount of stellar work to see. If you're having trouble determining what galleries to hit, you can check out my selected mini-tours, download the official map and see the full list of shows on the MaineToday First Friday Art Walk page. Hope to see you tonight!