By Sarah Stebbins
Photos by Dave Dostie
From the Summer 2023 issue of Maine Homes by Down East
A prized possession is…
a gorgeous guipure lace skirt suit sewn by my grandmother [in my native Puerto Rico] in the 1940s. My mother passed it on to me and, surprisingly, it fit me perfectly. I wear it on special occasions, like the 2021 Colby College Museum of Art Summer Luncheon, my first as museum director.
An artist I admire is…
Faith Ringgold, for persistently speaking truth to power with her art. In 2021, the museum acquired one of her story quilts* depicting people making their way out of slavery through the Underground Railroad. It’s also inspired by the racism she experienced after moving to suburban New Jersey.
Recently, I purchased…
plates from Georgetown Pottery. I mostly have boring white plates, and I wanted to have more fun with what I eat and serve. I love the color, the shimmery effect of the glazing, and the variation between the plates. Glazed dessert plates, $25 each.
“When my friend and I were in college [in the U.S.], we went to Ponce, Puerto Rico, and each got a papier-mâché vejigante carnival mask. It’s a reference point back to the island, and I’ve carried it with me.”
I just finished…
listening to, and reading parts of, this epic book about the life and death of [Russian revolutionary] Leon Trotsky. It’s challenging to find time to read, so I listen to audiobooks on drives or while exercising. This is an incredible human story.
In my kitchen are…
demitasse cups my mother started giving me in high school and one I purchased in Portugal. Every morning, I make a version of cortadito [espresso and steamed milk] and use these little cups. It gives this feeling of being centered in a family tradition.
A favorite gift is…
A shawl my brother got for me in Argentina. We aren’t like, we have to get something for each other’s birthdays. We’d rather wait to find something meaningful. Although I don’t feel great about not getting him a birthday gift in February.
*FAITH RINGGOLD, COMING TO JONES ROAD #4: UNDER A BLOOD-RED SKY, 2000. ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, FABRIC BORDERS, 78 1⁄2 X 52 1⁄2 X 1 IN. (199 X 133 X 3 CM.). COLBY COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART, MUSEUM PURCHASE THROUGH THE JERE ABBOTT ART ENDOWMENT AND JETTE ART ACQUISITION FUND, 2021.276
