Somerset County—in particular, Skowhegan, the county seat—is replete with public art.
The town of Skowhegan has a large collection of sculptures by renowned Maine artist Bernard “Blackie” Langlais (1921-1977) in addition to several other artworks. Both a student and a teacher at the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture during his lifetime, Langlais was a prolific artist known for his impressionistic folk-art style and oversized sculptures made from scrap wood and found objects. For more on Langlais and a map of where to find the Langlais sculptures, see this webpage.
In Solon, the South Solon Meeting House is an 1842 Gothic Revival church featuring the original podium, pews, choir loft, windows, and steeple. In the early 1950s the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture was instrumental in organizing three national juried competitions that selected artists to paint fresco murals on the meeting house walls and ceiling, resulting in a treasury of art.
In 2021 The High Peaks Creative Council worked with WesArts to bring their Barn Quilt Trail to Somerset County. Below is a list of locations and addresses. One location is still working on hanging their quilt up, the Athens Exhibition Hall.
Quilt Name Location Address
| Six pointed stars (two quilts) | White Farmstead | 405 Milbons mills rd, Skowhegan |
| Compass Star | Lacasse Bat Factory | 4 Madison Avenue Skowhegan, ME |
| Kaleidoscope | Skowhegan Grange | Pleasant St and 201 Skowhegan, ME |
| Golden Compass | SPACE On The River | 181 Water St Skowhegan, ME |
| Grange Quilts 1 and 2 | East Madison Grange | Grange Rd East Madison, ME |
| Compass Rose | East Madison Historical Association | 1108 East Madison Rd East Madison, ME |
| Carpentars' Wheel | Kenerson Farm | 1266 South Solon Rd, Solon, ME |
| Drunkard's Path | Golf Course House | 289 Golf Course Rd, Madison, ME |
| Sunflower | Athen's Exhibition Hall | Route 150 Athens, ME |
| Celtic Cross | Chapman Ridge Farm | 241 Chapman Ridge Rd., Athens, ME |
| Bear Paw | Hamilton Barn | West Ridge Rd, Cornville, ME |
| Ohio Star | Campion Farmstead | 461 Solon Rd (route 201A), North Anson, ME |
| Lilac Star | Poulin Farmstead | 482 Kennebec River Rd (201A) Embden, ME |
| Honey Comb | Runamuk Conservarton Acres Farm | 344 School St New Portland, ME |
| Star Sparkler | New Portland Library | 899 River Rd New Portland, ME |
| Forest Patchwork | Carter Farm | 366 Back Rd Lexington Township, ME 04961 |
| Sunrise on the Pond | Sheryl Dukes | 173 Somerset Avenue, Pittsfield |
| Double Ohio Star | Gillian Wilks & Gordon Scott | 389 Higgins Road, Pittsfield |
| Cardinal | Carol Ouellette | 153 Lancey Street, Pittsfield |
| 1901 Maine State Flag | Merlon and Cindy Lasselle | 214 Somerset Avenue, Pittsfield |
| Double Star | Rae & Dale Hersey | 52 Curtis Lane, Palmyra |
| Geometric Star | Dennis and Yvonne Villman | 182 Commercial Street, Hartland |
| Sunflower | Woodcock Family Farms | 159 West Ripley Road, Ripley |
| Father's Choice | Balfour Farm | 461 Webb Road, Pittsfield |
| Crow & Sunflower | Stan & Deb Short | 557 Hartland Avenue, Pittsfield |
| Compass | Don & Jane Woodruff | 109 Hartland Avenue, Pittsfield |
| Winter Star | Daphne & Tom Wright | 333 Spring Road, Pittsfield |
| Pinwheel | Rich and Patty Pellegrino | 141 Arbor Terrace, Pittsfield |
| The Dahlia Pinwheel | Dean & Rosemary Springer | 123 Summer Street, Pittsfield |
| Tulips | Peter & Sherry Hardwick | 47 Miller Corner Road, Palmyra |
| Double Aster in the Orchard | Peter and Bonnie Melanson | 454 Palmyra Road, St. Albans |
| Pointed Sunset | Paul and Darlene Wintle | 352 Phillips Corner Road, Pittsfield |
| Sixteen Pointed Star | Titlon Acres | 341 River Rd, Detroit |
Check out some of Somerset County's public art in the slideshow below.
