We’ve been interviewing Megan Rogers, the artist behind the iconic Maine Lobster Festival posters, for the last three years. This year’s poster features a calico-colored lobster, which if you ever read our blog, “The Rarest Color of Lobsters” states that there is a one in 30-million chance of finding a calico lobster in the water.
MLF: What was your inspiration behind painting a calico lobster for the 2019 poster?
Rogers: It was actually the lobster that made the press last October that was caught in Pine Point. It’s name was Friendly Krueger. (Note: The name was a reference to the horror-movie character Freddy, because its colors were Halloween-like, and it has claws.) In any case, they are so intriguing, and it surprises people when they realize just how diverse lobsters are.
MLF: Given that your last two posters have captured the elusive colors of rare lobsters, I feel like your poster next year is going to be an albino lobster.
Rogers: [Laughs] I know! I’m on my third year, so who knows?
MLF: How much time did it take you to paint the calico lobster this year?
Rogers: I’d say it was pretty similar to last year, roughly 10-12 hours, in four sittings. I work as a music teacher, so when I actually get time to sit down to paint, I usually sit for three hours at a time and work on it.
MLF: The poster uses those vintage fonts again this year; it really works out well.
Rogers: Yes, Jeffrey Thibodeau and the gang at Brio Promotions in Rockland do all that. The original painting featured the lobster completely vertical with both antennae showing and he scanned it, tweaked the orientation a bit and added the fonts.
MLF: In the past, the Festival invited you to be on site to talk to the public about your poster. How did that go?
Rogers: It’s always so nice to be at the Festival to talk to people about the poster and sign it for them. I brought the original painting so people could see how the poster was adapted. People wanted to take pictures next to me holding the painting. The response was really great.
MLF: You’re like a mini-celebrity at the Maine Lobster Festival now.
Rogers: Yeah, the ‘Poster Laureate’ someone called me.
MLF: Will you be there again this year to meet the public with this poster?
Rogers: Oh, definitely! It’s a highlight of my summer!
The 2019 Maine Lobster Festival will be held July 31 – August 4 at Harbor Park in Rockland. For more fun and interesting facts about lobsters, visit our Maine Lobster Festival blog.
