Our Story
The Center for Arts and Ecology at Desert of Maine was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in spring 2021, gaining 501(c)(3) status in 2023. While the Desert of Maine, a commercial enterprise since 1926, continues to operate as a tourist destination and campground, the Center for Arts and Ecology is a separate entity focusing solely on educational, ecological, and arts programming for curious audiences of all ages. The Desert of Maine offers a unique outdoor classroom to witness ecological impact and recovery—while visitors can view obvious signs of ecological devastation and the negative impact of human choices, we can also witness nature’s remarkable resilience. The Desert is an ideal place to study reforestation, allowing us to view the commonalities with other landscapes that are rebounding while also observing the resilient and co-evolving native ecosystems that are unique to this landscape. Far from being a wasteland, the Desert of Maine is a living testament to the ability of nature to heal and thrive once again. Our educational programs provide an immersive look into environmental consequences and rehabilitation. The Tuttle Barn, dating to the mid-1800s and the last surviving structure of the working Freeport farm owned by the Tuttle family, offers a lens to view Maine’s agricultural and architectural history. Our educational programs often include historical reenactment transporting us back in time with Eleanor and Elizabeth Tuttle, who provide a glimpse into the daily joys and stresses of a Civil War-era Maine farm. The Desert of Maine's unique and wondrous natural landscape inspires artistic expression. Maine is rich in talented musicians, artists, and artisans, and we strive to connect them with broader audiences through our programming. Part of our vision is to create a vibrant arts center to serve visitors, artists, and Freeport residents.
Our Connection to the Desert
The Desert of Maine landscape is vibrating with life and stories that span thousands of years. The Desert tells the story of the slow motion ebbs and flows of geological time that take place on a grand, planetary scale. It tells the story of human folly, but within the context of the social norms and ancestral practices that are handed down to any individual group of people. It tells the story of a local man who saw opportunity in what for others was tragedy and loss. It tells a story of people who spun meaning and a livelihood out of a patch of land that was otherwise irredeemable. It tells a story of the triumph of creativity. We want to help continue the story of this place in a way that is healing and enlivening for the people who come to enjoy the Desert’s beauty and wisdom.
Mela Jones
Mela is the Director of Arts and Education at the Desert of Maine Center for the Arts where she develops nature immersion and arts programs that serve the diverse wider-Portland community. A graduate of Oberlin College and the University of California at Davis where she earned her PhD in Comparative Literature, Mela enjoyed a career as a professor at Merrimack College where she taught Spanish language, literature and film. In recent years, Mela has returned to her first love--the arts. She is passionate about using her academic research skills and love of fiction to dig into the history of the Desert of Maine in order to communicate the fascinating stories to visitors and teach workshops on crafting artful historical narratives.
Elizabeth McDonald
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Liz is a passionate advocate for environmental stewardship and community connection. Through her work with the Complete Streets Committee and Connect Freeport, Liz has encouraged outdoor activity and sustainable transportation as ways to strengthen both community and environmental health. A dedicated supporter of the Desert of Maine, Liz finds deep inspiration in the Center for Arts & Ecology’s mission to celebrate ecological diversity and foster meaningful connections between people and the natural world. Professionally, Liz brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership and currently serves as Director of Operations for Vascular Surgery at MaineHealth. She lives in Freeport with her husband and their son.
John Albright
Board of Directors
John Albright began his career finding, studying, and conserving important species and natural communities by interning with The Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. This led to his serving as the Director of TNC’s Maine Natural Heritage Program, an intensive survey of rare and endangered species and natural communities throughout Maine. In that position he had the great good fortune to work with experts in all fields of natural history studies throughout Maine. He was instrumental in devising and launching the Maine Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project, one of the first ‘citizen scientist’ inventories nationwide. Upon retiring, John focussed on his other passion - music. He created an online concert series (aka “Til We Meet Again”) that ran during the pandemic; He advocated for and organized the Freeport Folk Festival in 2019; and organized an annual concert series’ at Wolfe’s Neck Center; all of which was designed to connect local talent with venues and audiences. John served on the Boards of the Forest Society of Maine, Freeport Conservation Trust, The Freeport Players, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Freeport.
Gennifer Giuliano
Secretary, Board of Directors
Gennifer is a devoted teacher, parent, and community organizer. She teaches as a World Language educator and IB Coordinator for Creative, Active and Service learning in southern Maine. Gennifer has experience partnering with local ecology and environmental education organizations such as Wild Seed Project, SubjecttoClimate, the Cumberland Community Orchard, Maine Environmental Education Association, and Impact. One of her passions is advocating for and empowering young people as they build relationships with the natural world around them, and increase their access to outdoor and experiential learning to develop skills for their future. She believes in the mission of CAE to fuel meaningful action with inspiration and wonder. Gennifer earned a BA in Spanish and Fine Arts, as well as her MA in Linguistics. She was honored to be recognized as one of the 20 Outstanding Women in Maine, and received a State of Maine Legislative Sentiment of Recognition. She has experience in permaculture design and installation, and is currently a Maine Master Naturalist in training. When Gennifer is not in the classroom, she can be found chasing sheep with her children, hiking and camping in the Maine woods, or out on Casco bay with her family and friends.
Meghan Nathanson
Board of Directors
Meghan Nathanson is a writer and visual artist living and working in Coastal Maine. In 2012, Meghan began sharing about the way her spiritual life intersected with her new role as a mother of two children. Early on she discovered that her practice of mindful presence was instrumental in her ability to foster meaningful connections with her children. She wanted to share this experience with other mothers and began writing a blog about Mindful Mothering (www.meghannathanson.com). Since then, she has written and shared hundreds of essays and expanded her writing to encompass the many ways life can be experienced more deeply with presence. She has also recorded guided meditations that have soothed listeners across the globe. In 2019, Meghan began working on a memoir. This manuscript was intended to reveal and reflect on the unlikely spiritual teachers and experiences that began showing up in her life decades ago, allowing her to become a conscious creator. In the midst of this work (135 pages in), Meghan was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Her life and work came to a sudden halt and much of her energy was directed toward her treatment. Although she had to discontinue writing the memoir she had begun, she did manage to share intermittently through her blog about her experiences living with a life-changing diagnosis. Like so many of life's challenges, Meghan soon discovered that this illness was a powerful teacher and an opportunity for growth. She decided to set aside her prior work and to follow this new thread. Her hope was to share in a whole-new memoir what it was like to navigate breast cancer treatment while maintaining a spiritual mindset and navigating the divide between conventional treatment and alternative methods of healing. This was the origin of her now completed work, There Can Be Joy. Meghan is a lifelong writer and worked for five years in the magazine publishing industry. Her employment at Time, Inc., allowed her an inside look and opportunity for contribution to both the publishing and editorial aspects of the business in her roles at LIFE Magazine and This Old House Magazine. Her writing about breast cancer has appeared in Wildfire Magazine as well as being featured in their anthology, Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope, and Humor. As a guest on the Wildfire Magazine “The Burn” Podcast, she spoke about navigating breast cancer with a spiritual mindset and the methods she’s used for healing. As the former NY Operations Manager for The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, she has the unique perspective and experience of having advocated for a cause that later impacted her own life. Meghan’s art has been shown in the neighborhoods of DUMBO, the East Village and SOHO in New York City and in various galleries and venues in Coastal Maine. Her position as a member of the board of directors for The Center for Arts and Ecology brings her great joy, allowing her to apply her diverse experiences in both the arts and non-profit fundraising to support and help grow an organization that she believes in wholeheartedly and that has supported her.