At Wayne Village Pottery on Main Street in Wayne, shoppers who love pottery will be impressed by this fact: the artisans go out to their own back field to dig up the Maine blue clay used in the final works. How up-close-and-personal is that?? The early redware potters also used this kind of Maine clay, and potters at Wayne Village Pottery follow their tradition of making hand-thrown pottery which is useful, affordable, and decorative. Visitors also will find an array of Maine birds and beasts brought to life from clay. Open daily. Phone: 207-685- 3300

Did We Mention the Majolica?

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Imagine this: 20,000 square feet of (carpeted!) display area. That’s part of the description for Fairfield Antiques Mall, on Route 201 in Fairfield,the largest group of antique shops in Maine. More than 100 antiques dealers are parked in this crossroads of Maine, offering a huge inventory of Victorian, oak, country, mission, and wicker furniture; glassware; frames, mirrors and clocks; hoosiers and iceboxes; jewelry, watches, and coins. But why even try to list the highlights? The mall has three huge storewide sales every year, in January, April, and November, so check back often for dates and details. Open daily, year-round. Phone: 207-453-4100.

Everyone Loves the Lower Prices

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If you are traveling internationally, you may buy items without having to pay either the sales tax (called value added tax) or the customs duties assessed by the United States – primarily on liquor and tobacco but also with many other products. The savings from duty-free shopping can be significant. At Duty Free Americas in Jackman (2621 Route 201 North), shoppers can find discounted prices on premium spirits, wine, beer and tobacco as well as designer fragrances, cosmetics, fashion watches, crystal, jewelry, leather goods, gifts for children, and more. Currency exchange is available. Phone: 207-668-7738.

Murals and Frescoes on Every Side

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From outside, the South Solon Meeting House looks like many in New England. Inside, the 1842 Greek Revival building on south Main Street in Solonis unlike any other. It was restored in 1939 and during the 1950s students and faculty of the nearby Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture decorated every inch the interior walls and ceiling with fresco murals showing contemporary images from the Bible and the founders of the meeting house. The structure is open to visitors while it undergoes renovations. Just unlatch the front door (it's never been locked) and step inside to photograph the colorful scenes or reflect in solitude. Phone: 207-643-2541 or 207-643-2812

Trail to 53,000 Works of Art

The Maine Art Museum Trail offers more than 53,000 works of art, from ancient to contemporary, in a dazzling array of collections at seven leading art museums. Museums on the trail include Bates College Museum of Art (Lewiston), Bowdoin College Museum of Art (Brunswick), Colby College Museum of Art (Waterville), Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland), Ogunquit Museum of American Art (Ogunquit), Portland Museum of Art (Portland), and University of Maine Museum of Art (Bangor). The museums’ permanent collections include works of art by the many artists who have vacationed or worked in Maine. They also feature masterpieces by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, and Pablo Picasso, Greek and Roman sculpture, early American silver and furniture, and contemporary textiles, prints, ceramics, and sculpture. Some museums also offer free admission during selected hours.

Watercolors of Maine

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Among its offerings, the Colby College Museum of Art on Mayflower Hill Drive in Waterville has a permanent collection focused on American art. The Lunder Wing of the museum offers 200 American works, including paintings by John Marin, an early modernist artist best known for his watercolors of coastal Maine and urban scenes of New York. Maine settings that Marin depicted include Small Point Harbor, Deer Isle and Stonington on Penobscot Bay, Cape Split and South Addison. Open year-round. Admission is free. Phone: 207-859-5600.

Where the Trees Hang Out

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Calling itself “Maine’s Living Museum of Trees,” the Pine Tree State Arboretum on Hospital Street in Augusta is a paradise for nature lovers. It contains 300 species of trees and shrubs; a five-mile trail system open year-round to hiking, jogging, bird watching, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing on groomed winter trails; picnic areas; and bird-watching opportunities. Trail maps are available at the arboretum. This place is serenely beautiful in all seasons. Phone: 207-621-0031