Ceramics

Pam Cabanas

Born in 1952 in Brooklyn, New York, Pam Cabañas has lived and worked in Friendship, Maine since 2004. She holds a BFA in painting and hand lithography from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and an MA in Art Education from the University of New Mexico. Pam has taught art and photography at levels ranging from high school to university in both New Mexico and New York. After a winding path through antiques, motherhood, and the decorative arts, she ultimately found her voice as a fine artist inspired by the coastal fishing village and island archipelago surrounding Friendship.

Pam works both en plein air—often traveling by skiff to remote islands—and in the studio, creating larger works informed by the history and daily life of her coastal community. She has recently returned to ceramic arts, using sgraffito techniques on porcelain to create work reflective of the Maine coast. In 2017, Pam and her son Eli purchased the circa-1850 East Friendship Schoolhouse, now Salt Pond Studio, a vibrant studio and gallery space featuring her work, guest artist exhibitions, workshops, and weekly life drawing sessions.