In Maine,
You Can't Lockdown Spirit
During a pandemic that has crippled the Maine economy and forced people, at times, into near isolation, photographer Dave Dostie travelled about Central Maine to capture images of people still living their lives and helping the community and each other. Still surviving.
All From Six Feet Away.
Craig and Jop
Craig Hickman and Jop Blom met in Boston in the late 1980s while Hickman was a junior at Harvard University. The two began dating in 1997, were engaged on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and were married surrounded by their parents and one hundred friends in Boston.
After moving to Maine in 2002, Hickman became an organic farmer. A decade later he decided to run for political office and in 2012 became the first openly gay African American ever elected to the Maine House of Representatives. Now, eight years later, he stands as longest serving and highest ranking person of color in Maine politics. He also chairs the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.
Meanwhile, Blom has worked as a physical therapist for nearly four decades. He started his career in the Congo, caring for children with polio and club feet for three years before moving to Boston. While practicing in Boston, he earned a Masters Degree in Public Health from Boston University and a PhD in Health Policy from Brandeis University. Blom now works at MaineGeneral’s Winthrop Clinic.
Hickman and Blom co-own Annabessacook Farm in Winthrop and have been running the farm since 2002, growing organic vegetables and raising chickens, goats and pigs.
The couple feel that taking care of their blessings has guided them through many difficult periods in their lives, including the current pandemic. From six feet away, I had the honor to photograph Craig and Jop enjoying their two-week-old baby goats.
Heather Pouliot
Heather Pouliot returned to Augusta from New York City about eight years ago. In Maine, she wanted to explore ways of doing what she loves—being creative—while helping people grow their businesses, in part to make Augusta a more fun place to live. It was an important mission for Pouliot because she wanted to give back to a community that made her childhood a great and positive one.
Heather represents her community as an Augusta City Councilor and owns a marketing and graphic design company called Core Marketing & Design. She is also board president of the Augusta Downtown Alliance.
In this time of uncertainty, many people have a lot of fear of the unknown. Pouliot believes it’s important to bring positivity and try to balance that fear—whether it's trying to help businesses stay open doing what they do or helping my clients pivot their marketing strategy and do business differently.
Back in 2008, another time when the economy experienced challenges, she gained experience that helps drive her attitude and approach today. While many are fearful, she see changing times as an opportunity for people and businesses to recreate themselves, sharpen their brand, and reinvent how they conduct business. She hopes people will embrace change rather than view everything in a negative light.
We all say things like “Oh, I would do that if only I had time…” or “When things slow down, I’ll learn how to do this.” Well, now is that time, said says. A sort of “dancing in the rain” attitude helps us get through anything.