Q&A with Jean Maginnis

Marketing strategist. Community arts promoter.
Art museum manager. These are just some of
the titles Jean Maginnis of South Portland has
held over the years in a career that has spanned
both business and the arts.

Now Maginnis who directs the Maine Center
for Creativity is seeking to combine those interests
in an ambitious plan to develop a public art
project on the Sprague Energy Corp. oil tanks in
Portland Harbor.

Maginnis already has a background in creating
and promoting collaborations between industry
and the arts. But the oil tank project will be her
largest canvas yet. Maginnis organized,
developed and lobbied for the massive art project,
which involves a worldwide design competition,
a $30,000 cash award and the application of
winning artwork on 16 Sprague Energy Corp. oil
tanks.

The winning design, to be awarded in June, will
be seen daily by visitors flying into the Portland
Jetport, motorists traveling on Interstate 295 and
boaters sailing in Portland Harbor.

Maginnis recently discussed her inspiration
for the art project, the obstacles she faced and her
background in the arts in Maine.

Q. What was your inspiration for
proposing artwork on the Sprague oil
tanks in South Portland?
A. I've always been inspired by the
artists Christo and Jean- Claude. They not
only bring art to unusual places, but they
also work with people through the democratic
process and put business and the arts
together. The inspiration for the oil tank
project itself came to me several years ago,
when my husband and I were on a bike ride
to Bug Light in South Portland. I was feeling
appreciative of the gorgeous view of Casco
Bay. I saw the white tanks and I imagined
the art I had seen the night before at a gallery
showing. It struck me that the tanks were like
a canvas awaiting color and beauty.

Q. Did you face challenges
Convincing stakeholders such
as Sprague, the city of South Portland,
the arts community to support the
project?
A. One of the most interesting aspects
of this project is that it seemed to capture
people's imagination early on in the process.
The work of collaboration is always challenging.
To me it was fascinating to unify
the arts and business community in ways
that haven't been done before. It was inspiring
to see Sprague and the city of South Portland
come on board and support the process
and say, This is a great idea.'

Q. Why is public art important to you?
A. It inspires. It sparks our imagination. It
helps us have a discussion and dialogue that
enables us to get to know each other.

Q. How will the people of South
Portland benefit from the oil tank art
project?
A. Local, individual artists and creative
companies get the opportunity to showcase
their talent and compete on an international
scale - and call attention to Maine's
creative work force. The creative economy
is part of how people make money in the
world. To connect to that larger community
is important.

Q. How do you respond to complaints
that oil tanks should not be used
for public artwork, when this nation
faces an environmental crisis directly
related to oil consumption?
A. I understand that not everyone shares our
vision. Part of collaborating with community
is respectfully hearing everyone's point of
view. A big part of my personal motivation is
collaboration how to bring people together
to work together toward common
goals. I find that if you can capture people's
imagination, that is when they begin to
work together.

Q. How did you originally get involved
in the arts?
A. That question makes me go back in my
memory. It was really the first time that
I saw live theater as a kid. I took dance and
piano lessons. I have a marketing and communications
background. My art training comes
from lots of reading and experiencing.
About 12 years ago, I worked at the Portland
Museum of Art, which got me hooked on all
things visual. I was director of membership
there. It was during my tenure there that I
started to spend a lot of time visiting artists and
artist studios. I later joined the board of the
Portland Players locally. That was about five
years ago. They had a great (theater) training
program for my son.

Q. Do women leaders whether in
the arts or business still face special
challenges?
A. I think women face unique challenges.
Gender distinctions have not gone away in
Maine. How do I handle it? With creativity,
persistence and intelligence. I see one major
hurdle for women owned companies as
access to capital. They are not getting it at
the level they should. It needs to be talked
about and acknowledged.