The Stier Family Gallery, on the library’s lower level, hosts exhibitions that offer great variety of media, topics, and artists that educate, inform, or entertain the community. Information about our current exhibit is below, followed by information on how to apply to exhibit your work in our gallery.
Currently on Display
Winged Visitors:
The Birds of Fort Williams Park
Photographs by Amy Witt
Presented by Amy Witt (Earth Walkers) and Friends of Fort Williams Park
February 2 – 28, 2026
Selected images from the exhibit
Click on an image for larger view.
Fort Williams Park is known for its sweeping ocean views and the iconic Portland Head Light, but it is also a vital place for birds. Shaped by shoreline, weather, and seasons, this 90-acre park brings together rocky coast, open lawn, and woodland edges to create a rich diversity of habitats that attract birds throughout the year.
Winged Visitors: The Birds of Fort Williams Park celebrates the birds that forage, nest, overwinter, or pass through this special place. The photographs were taken by local ecologist Amy Witt, an amateur photographer and dedicated birder whose images offer glimpses into moments that might otherwise go unnoticed: a duck riding winter waves, a warbler pausing mid-migration, a robin preening its feathers.
This exhibit is both educational and reflective. It invites viewers to learn about the traits, behaviors, and needs of different bird species while also encouraging a sense of wonder.
Birds remind us to slow down and look more closely. Paying attention—again and again—becomes a quiet act of care.
Special Event!
Join Amy Witt and Andrea Southworth from the Friends of Fort Williams Park for an event offered in conjunction with the exhibit on Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 pm
Click here for details!
Amy Witt has a degree in Horticulture, and is a Maine Master Naturalist, Master Gardener Volunteer and a Habitat Steward. Amy is also the founder and director of Earth Walkers, which provides nature-based educational programs for children and adults, as well as one-on-one garden coaching services.
Friends of Fort Williams Park work year-round to steward the park’s living landscape. Our birding programs welcome people of all ages and experience levels, fostering curiosity, observation, and appreciation for the park’s wildlife. We hope this exhibit inspires you to go outside with fresh eyes, listen for birdsong, and experience the joy of time spent in nature. Whether at Fort Williams Park, in your own yard, or or along a neighborhood sidewalk, birds invite us to pause, look more closely, and feel part of the world around us.
Information for Prospective Artists/Exhibitors
The Stier Family Gallery consists of two wall display areas (with a rail/cord hanging system) and a large display case divided into 5 segments. More detailed space plans are available in the gallery application.
- All interested artists are strongly encouraged to make a site visit prior to submitting a proposal. Artists are able to use part or all of the gallery space available. Please note, if an artist is only using part of the space (i.e. only the display cases), another artist’s work may be displayed elsewhere in the Gallery.
- Any interested party in utilizing the gallery must submit an application to the Library Director.
- Applications are accepted any time of year. Exhibits are scheduled on a “first come, first serve” basis. Please note that at times of high demand, the gallery may be scheduled months in advance.
- Given the public viewing of the gallery, the subject matter of any show must be appropriate for children as well as adults, therefore explicit images are not permitted in gallery shows. The Library Director reserves the right to reject or remove any material(s) that seem incongruent with the public nature of the gallery. In the event that the Library Director rejects or removes any material(s) for exhibit, that decision is final.
Click here for more information or to apply!