Spirit of Place... Island Respite... Creative Muses Abound
The mission of the Marilyn Faison Artist Residency is to provide illustrators, writers and narrative artists an opportunity to create in relative seclusion on Peaks Island, just off the coast of Portland, Maine. (Birdsong, crashing waves, bike bells and peals of laughter may occasionally be heard). There are two unique houses set in the woods across the lane from each other; one completely made of stone with a large outdoor deck, the other, a wooden tree house with a double layer of screened-in porches...each house has nooks and crannies for writing and reading, sketching, daydreaming or napping. Each house has a separate space for studio work, inside and out.
Imbued with the history of artists that created here, especially Marilyn Faison, who left good spirits behind, the residency now welcomes invited artists to come and be creative, allow time for new projects or to finish one in the works.
Peaks is a lively summer community but the Faison property is set a world apart, yet as close to the culture of Portland as a 15 minute ferry ride. The houses are nestled in the center of the island and a short walk to the rocky "back shore"coast.
Marilyn Faison was a treasure unique to Peaks, a graduate of RISD and fashion/shoe designer for most of her career.
From 1973 until 2015, Marilyn and her husband John continued the legacy of inviting artists to the island and were dedicated to the preservation of these special properties. It is now John’s wish, in honor of Marilyn, to maintain these houses as a inspirational space for artists in the form of the Faison Artist Residency in conjunction with Illustration Institute.
Marilyn Mazza Faison
Our Muse, Marilyn Mazza Faison: A vibrant spirit, Marilyn's artistic touch can be felt in both the Stone House and the Guest House. Playful, sophisticated, eclectic and inspiring, she brought a gracious and fashionable New York charm to Peaks Island every summer. She and her husband John were always dedicated to sharing the relaxed spirit of the island with other artists. That legacy continues to this day, through John and this residency in honor of Marilyn.
Nurturing art teachers, Iowa & RISD: Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa Marilyn attended Roosevelt High where she was popular and active in school as well as in extracurricular activities. A scout leader in the summer, she taught swimming to younger girls.
During her school years, Marilyn was singled out by one of her teachers who saw in her a special talent for art. This teacher nurtured Marilyn on weekends, helping her express her artistic skills and later, to further realize her educational goals by helping her to apply to Rhode Island School of Design. Accepted in 1956, Marilyn thrived at RISD. Her warm personality, natural leadership skills and artistic ability helped make her a star in her class. A fashion design major, "Mazz" was the leader, along with her dear friend Charles Wright, of the school's annual fashion show "Take a Break". A wonderful experience, it was here that she exhibited her fashion and leadership talents. Her close friendships with students of all disciplines combined with her natural curiosity proved to be guiding factors in her success and breadth of experience after graduation.
Travel & a Bold Move: Marilyn travelled widely, first to the West, then South America. Finally settling in New York City, she spent several years working in a variety of fashion businesses; at Loomtogs she designed a line of sports fashion and met Henk Van Helsdingen who would become a close friend and business partner.
In 1968 she married John Faison. Shortly thereafter, Marilyn and Henk made a bold business move, thus changing all their lives! Combining their savings, she and Henk took out a full page ad in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. In an unprecedented gamble, they labeled themselves as Mazza van Helsdingen, a young design team willing to undertake any project. The ad worked, and resulted in many leads that enabled them to design clothing, several show rooms, a co-op apartment, corporate presentations and many other design projects.
Bangor, Maine & Shoes: One such job for Marilyn was a six month stint designing shoes in Bangor, Maine. Her advisory position at Viner Brothers led to a full time job and her education about the construction of women's shoes. She subsequently worked for many different shoe companies,including Bandolino, traveling around Europe, South America and China as the shoe business evolved. Her last job was as head designer at Mootsie Tootsies, which, while it was based in Massachusetts, began developing shoes in China.
Marilyn was very instrumental in helping Maxwell Shoe develop a close relationship with a young Taiwanese contractor who became a major supplier of shoes through his factory, Oriental Max in China. Marilyn worked closely with founder J.C. Chang, developing a lasting friendship and working relationship with him and the many Chinese workers that became like family.
Peaks Island & Residency: In the meantime, Marilyn and her husband, John developed a long and lasting love for Maine. Their friendship with Charles Wright was a key catalyst for their purchase and restoration of some wonderful homes on Peaks Island.
Marilyn would be so proud to know that two of these homes, the Stone House and the Guest House, would become part of a residency for artists. Marilyn was always aware of the support and friendship of so many who helped her during her long career. She would be thrilled to know that her homes are now being used to further the dreams and talents of other artists.