AUGUSTA — A visiting artist program of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau of Parks and Lands encourages artists this August to develop their craft through experiencing the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, according to a news release from the bureau.

The waterway has fueled imaginations for centuries. When Henry David Thoreau journeyed to Pillsbury Island on Eagle Lake in the mid-1800s, he was inspired to write about his adventure in “The Maine Woods.”

Since then, many visitors have attempted to capture the Allagash headwater lakes and lower river’s beauty and solitude through stories, drawings, photography and music.

The application period runs through Monday, Feb. 28, and artists are encouraged to learn more and apply at appengine.egov.com/apps/me/aww-artist-program.