Pulling the Plug: Rethinking Energy in Maine

We will host a talk by Bode von Franken titled "Pulling the Plug: Rethinking Energy in Maine," on Thursday, August 12, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The talk is free and open to the public.

Bode von Franken is the artist also known as Robert Van Vranken. He now lives off grid in Brunswick, due to a series of unintentional events.

"I slowly stumbled into being completely off the grid," says von Franken. "One disaster led to another, and now we're completely free."

Von Franken's talk will explore the journey from the familiar life connected to the electricity grid to the unexpected freedom of living off grid. He will share his personal experiences during his journey to energy self-sufficiency on Pennellville Road in Brunswick.

Von Franken is best known as the artist Robert Van Vranken. His visual work, shown in New York at OK Harris Works of Art and in San Francisco at Jenkins-Johnson Gallery, has been described as "intellectually stimulating paintings of mysterious architectural spaces." A native of New York State, Van Vranken graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine and received an M.F.A. from the San Francisco Art Institute. He has received many awards, including residencies at the Djerassi Foundation and the MacDowell Colony. More information about him and his work is available online at www.rvvart.com.

This talk is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held on the second Thursday of the month at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

Hope you can join us!