Maggie Strater: In Her Own Light, April 10 – November 15, 2026
The Ogunquit Museum of American Art (OMAA) presents Maggie Strater: In Her Own Light, the first exhibition dedicated to the life and work of artist Margaret (Maggie) Conner Strater (1895–1971) who was married to artist Henry Strater, founder of OMAA. Conner Strater forged her own artistic path as a painter, sculptor, and active participant in early twentieth-century art circles. Trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), she became an enduring presence within the Ogunquit art community.
This focused exhibition brings together several sculptures by Conner Strater that have never before been on public view, offering rare insight into her distinct formal sensibilities and technical skill. Complemented by archival materials, photographs, and portraits of the artist created by friends and contemporaries (including by her husband, Henry Strater), the presentation illuminates the personal and professional challenges she navigated, and the creative triumphs that defined her life.
Maggie Strater: In Her Own Light is curated by Andy Ritzo, Collections Manager, Ogunquit Museum of American Art.
Says Ritzo, “Conner Strater entered sculpture at a pivotal moment, as formal Beaux Arts academic traditions were being reshaped by modern influences, and her style shows both technical proficiency and confident experimentation. While at PAFA, she met Henry Strater, who was studying drawing and painting. After their marriage in 1920, Henry began his career as a painter and Maggie devoted her energy to raising their family, returning to sculpture decades later, and becoming an enduring presence in the Ogunquit art community. OMAA is proud to present Conner Strater’s sculptures to the public for the first time, alongside examples of Henry’s portraits of her from the 1920s, which are among the finest and most thoughtfully executed paintings of his long career.”
Conner Strater remained a devoted patron of the arts throughout her life. After her death in 1971, OMAA received a gift of artwork she had collected by artists including David Von Schlegell, William Zorach and Robert Laurent. Her involvement with the Ogunquit art scene was so significant that donations in her memory to local arts organizations continued into the 1980s.
ADDITIONAL EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS
Three additional exhibitions will be presented at OMAA during the 2026 season: Looking for America on view April 10 – July 19; American Conversations, on view April 10 – November 15; and Carl Sprinchorn: All the World is a Painting, on view August 6 – November 15. Additionally, OMAA will present guest lectures by such renowned artists as Cara Romero, and a robust slate of programs, special events, and community collaborations. Visit https://ogunquitmuseum.org for more information.
ABOUT OGUNQUIT MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART (OMAA)
Opened in 1953, OMAA was founded by the artist Henry Strater. The museum shares close historic and geographic ties to one of the earliest modern arts communities in the United States. OMAA houses a permanent collection of paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, and photographs from the late 1800s to the present. The museum showcases American art by mounting modern and contemporary exhibitions and accompanying educational programming and events. OMAA sits on approximately three acres of gardens right on the water with stunning panoramic views of Maine’s iconic coves and outcroppings. The museum is open for the 2026 season from April 10 through November 15. For more information, visit ogunquitmuseum.org.
Media Contact: Meg Blackburn, meg@blackburncreative.com
