Q&A with Jean Maginnis

Bringing business, arts together

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.

Q. Tell me about the Maine Center for Creativity, which you started in 2005. A. It is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors. We’re dedicated to creative projects and programs that support the arts and promote creative industries and professions in Maine. In May 2005, I put the 501(c)3 status together and worked with people. I then brought 15 people together as volunteers to create the basic organization and think about the things we were going to do. I also took a course in collaborative leadership skills through the Institute for Civic Leadership around the time I founded the organization. I specifically wanted to get better at helping people to collaborate. One of our early projects was an arts industry collaboration that was a video art installation on the front of the Cousins Island power plant a digital video art show. WCLZ radio played live, original music as the artist produced the work. Boaters and kayakers watched from the waters in Casco Bay. There were thousands of people who saw it. Art All Around (the name for the oil tank design project) is a project of the Maine Center for Creativity.