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What started as a way for a mother and son to stay connected during the 2021 pandemic restrictions has turned into a transformative artistic experience. Unable to travel across state lines to see each other, Wendy and Nathaniel Kaye used their art to connect.

Nathaniel’s hand-panned, abstracted photographic images of Maine’s seascapes inspired his mother to interpret and paint those same scenes at a time when she was creatively stuck. And so, this project — which began as a one-time inspiration for a painting — has turned into their joint creative endeavor over the last 18 months.

Now, visitors to ����ֱ��’s Campus Center, located in Biddeford, can see the joint project in person, with Nathaniel’s and Wendy’s creations displayed side by side.

The duo’s love of the outdoors and Maine is evident in their art. Nathaniel, who is the photographer for Sugarloaf Mountain, specializes in photographing people interacting with the environment.

“Growing up in the heavily photographed area of coastal Maine has taught me to always look for new perspectives that best share the feelings that made me press the shutter,” he reflected.

Wendy is a painter who works out of her North Dam Mill studio in Biddeford.

“Art, in its many forms, has been central to me throughout my life,” she remarked. “Creating is a way to express myself and make sense of the world and my personal experiences.”

The mother-son exhibit “Collaboration + Connection” will be on display at the Campus Center through Dec. 1. An opening reception will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Campus Center.

The Campus Center is located at 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, Maine. Hours for the academic year are Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Masks are optional indoors for visitors to ����ֱ��’s campuses.

Header images, from left: “Maine No. 1638” by Nathaniel Kaye, Giclee on Archival Paper, 20” x 30” (detail); “Intuiting Maine No. 1638” by Wendy VE Kaye, Oil + Cold Wax on Cradled Panel, 24” x 30” (detail); “Hawaii No. 318” by Nathaniel Kaye, Giclee on Archival Paper, 24” x 36” (detail); and “Evoking Hawaii No. 318” by Wendy VE Kaye, Oil + Cold Wax on Cradled Panel, 20” x 28” (detail).