About Us
Bangor Beautiful was founded in 2022 by artists and citizens of Bangor who are passionate about making our community a more beautiful place to live through public art, trees and gardens, and other beautification efforts.
The founding members have been volunteering and beautifying Bangor for many years. Over the past decade, we have planted hundreds of flowers, shrubs, and trees; organized community cleanups and gardening projects; and created murals on walls, benches, parking barriers, and utility boxes primarily in downtown. We are responsible for murals such as "Greetings from Bangor, Maine," "Paul B., Bangor Wants You," and the "Kenduskeag Stream Trail Mural."
Through this nonprofit, we will continue our efforts city-wide with a special focus on public art.
Our Board
Annette Sohns-Dodd
President
Annette Dodd lives in Bangor where she co-owns The Rock & Art Shop and Sohns Gallery. As a small business owner, former Art Teacher, curator, and sister of a Naturalist, Annette values community, the arts, aesthetics, and nature. She is always thinking of ways to improve and beautify her surroundings. Over the past decade, she has been volunteering to bring more art and Beauty to the downtown. Collaborating to plant apple trees along the Kenduskeag Stream, light up the Norumbega Parkway, bring large-scale wheat paste murals, and paint park benches and utility boxes. Her public works include The Greetings From Bangor Maine Mural, Paul Bunyan Bangor Wants You Mural, and most recently, co-painting with Peter Walls the Kenduskeag Stream Trail Mural. Annette is excited to bring her efforts city-wide!
Kat Johnson
Director
Kat Johnson is an artist and Visual Arts educator living and working in Bangor, Maine. Originally from New York, Johnson studied with renowned Hudson river artist Douglas Maguire before moving to Maine where she was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in Intermedia from The University of Maine. She has been involved in the downtown Bangor arts community for over fifteen years, and has worked for numerous local businesses and organizations such as Penobscot Theatre Company, The Zillman Art Museum, Husson University, Ten Bucks Theatre Company, The Maine Discovery Museum, and more. She currently works full-time as an art teacher at Brewer High School while running her own business, Kat Johnson Art. @kat.johnson.art / katjohnsonart.com
Greg Edwards
Treasurer/Secretary
Greg Edwards was born and raised in Bangor. He is passionate about giving back to this community, which he calls home. He is a co-owner of Edwards, Faust & Smith, a small CPA firm in downtown. He has a MBA in public and nonprofit management and has been heavily involved in dozens of local committees and small nonprofits. He served as the chair of the Downtown Bangor Beautification Committee for 6 years, where he helped organize the planting of hundreds of gardens and planters, decorative lighting, clean-up days, several mural projects, and numerous other small placemaking projects. He has helped organize the Friends of Lower Kenduskeag Stream (FOLKS) since 2015, has served on the Bangor Tree Board since 2013, and was a founding board member of Bangor Greendrinks.
Susan Bryand
Director
Susan Bryand is an artist and teacher from Bangor, Maine. She has been teaching art for over 20 years, currently serving the students of Bangor High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Academy. Bryand’s commitment to building strong relationships has allowed her to expand students’ experiences beyond the classroom walls, to include local museums and universities, the streets of her downtown community, and the virtual stage of the Metropolitan Opera. She is proud to have brought her Gratitude Flag Project to West Market Square in 2020. She was recently recognized by The Maine Art Education Association with their 2022 Outstanding Service to the Profession Award. susanbryand.com
Questions?
Contact BangorBeautiful@gmail.com with questions or for more information.