Julie K. Gray is a Maine-based interdisciplinary artist. She earned her BFA in Photography from Rhode Island School of Design in 2005 and has since earned her MFA in Studio Art from Maine College of Art in 2012. Gray has exhibited  widely in New England and has also exhibited in Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, NYC and Canada. 

Email: jgray@meca.edu
Instagram: @juliekgray

self portrait pre-float by Stacy Howe  mixed media 2015 ​45" X 36 1/2"
collage drawing with ink, charcoal, and acrylic, with prints

We are proud to announce another successful Float for Philanthropy event is in the books. Thank you to everyone that floated during this event, and helped us in giving back to our community. After all the votes were in, the winning charity was chosen, Special Olympics Maine! Our donation will support their vision to transform communities by inspiring people throughout the world to open their minds, accept and include people with intellectual disabilities and thereby anyone who is perceived as different.

​In Maine, this means supporting a community of over 4,400 athletes, in over 70 events each year. If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics Maine, and how to get involved, check out them out here!

Originally from New Hampshire, I lived all over New England before deciding to call Maine home. Now a resident of Windham, I enjoy the quick commute to Portland, especially when the destination includes floating.
After learning some friends had tried this thing called 'floating' a few years back I had to give it a go. As someone who enjoys the quieter parts of life, floating, with the relief it brings to the senses, and ability to really check in with the body and mind, had me hooked from the start. My time at Float Harder started in 2017, as a just for fun, one day a week job that allowed me to be closer to floating. Now you can find me here most days of the week! 
Logging in 115 hours floating, after 77 sessions, each float is still so different. Floating has really helped me be aware of any physical imbalances, allow for total tension release, and gives me the opportunity to work on my meditation practice. When my mind is having a hard time quieting, I find it helpful to listen to music on the lowest volume, and while I prefer to float with the lights off, magenta is my favorite color to come back to when the float is over. My renewed focus on living a slow life, can at least be partly attributed to this floating practice. When I'm not at Float Harder, you can likely find me gardening, cooking up some delicious veggies, paddling on the lake, walking in the woods with our rescue pup, Sadie, snuggled in reading a book with our cat, Rupert, and soaking up any ray of sunshine possible! 

We provide two different options of earplugs for your float. Earplugs are not necessary, but most people do prefer them. We always recommend putting earplugs in prior to showering as they can be very difficult to secure once your ears are wet.
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​Another option provided is a silicone based earplug. These earplugs are NOT inserted into the ear canal, but rather forms a seal around the outside of your ear. There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to securing these plugs into your ears, if they are not properly applied, they can easily pop out during your float; however, guests who can manage to get a solid seal, swear by them!! 

If you don't particularly mind the feeling of water in your ears, floating without earplugs is also an option. It is completely safe for the salt water to enter your ear canal. Many frequent floaters have ditched the earplugs all together, finding this much less hassle and more comfortable.

The salt solution will not damage your ears but with six pounds of epsom salt per gallon of water, that salt might tend to stick around after your float. We provide a simple water and vinegar solution in our prep room that can help clear any residual salt left over from your float, or rinsing them out in the shower also does the trick! If you forget to do this, you might notice that you can hear some leftover salt crunching around when you yawn or chew. This is completely safe and should not cause discomfort but can be incredibly annoying. Rinsing your ears with the ear rinse solution should take care of this immediately. 

Many floaters find it comfortable to float without earplugs, however it is NOT for everyone. It is not recommended for guests who have had an eardrum burst recently or have ear tubes to float without earplugs, as the salt solution can be irritating to such sensitive areas.

This should not be taken as medical advice, if you have any specific questions we recommend asking your physician before coming in to float.

I was born and raised in Portland, Maine. I wasn't planning on living in Maine for very long but after substantial traveling, I quickly realized that Portland had so much more to offer than I was giving it credit for. 
When I am not eating my way through Portland I like to spend my time playing disc golf, going phishing and discovering new live music.
I am a self proclaimed cat lady and have two wonderful cats but am currently dreaming of finding a home outside of Portland's Peninsula where I will have room to grow food and flowers. 
The first time I heard about floating I knew it was going to be something that I would fall in love with but I had no idea how much it would eventually change my life. I found Float Harder in 2016 with little control over the volume of my voice and a lot of restless energy. I am grateful for a quiet space free from the distractions that are always being thrown at us.
The float tanks have given me a space to create a meditation practice that I have not yet been able to find otherwise. I have found that a regular floating practice has allowed me to be more grounded and generally, a better person to be around. 
In three years, I have floated 184 times and clocking in 276 hours in the tank. ​

Dave has been a member at Float Harder since July 2018!!
 He prides himself on his intuitive, creative instincts as applied to art, business, education and life generally. Since moving to Maine from Pennsylvania many years ago, he has expressed his creativity through the creation of businesses, new non-profit social service and educational initiatives, and functional and fine art pieces.
 Dave's work has been shown in exhibitions from Bar Harbor to Portland. And his paintings and clocks have been purchased for private collections and practical use throughout New England and beyond.