Jean Wiecha is a landscape and portrait artist in Portland. In her paintings of rocky shores, bridges, oil tanks, and boats she explores coastal Maine’s mix of grace and physicality. Her experiences as a sailor manifest in her fascination with the moody interfaces of earth, air, and water conjured by waves, weather and light in Casco and Penobscot Bay. In her portraits, she strives to capture that brief moment of connection when eyes first meet. Also a writer, Jean’s book, Discover Her Art: Women Artists and Their Masterpieces(2022, Chicago Review Press), explores the art of painting and the role of women in art history through 24 masterworks by women.
Before the pandemic Jean had a decades-long career in public health research, collaborating with non-profit organizations on developing national health promotion programs for kids. While it was fulfilling work, it left little time for painting. She retired in early 2020 and flipped the script. Now she does a little science and a lot of art.