Three Mid-Coast Artists’ paintings in a spring show at Gibbs Free Library in Washington, Maine
The Gibbs Library, Washington Village, Washington, Maine will feature the work of Sherry Dec, Marianne Swittlinger and Pat Ryan, from Thursday, May 3, 2018 through Tuesday, July 10, 2018. On Friday, May 11th from 5 to 7 PM, there will be a reception for these three Maine artists. All are welcome to visit and meet these artists as they celebrate this springtime show. Each Maine artist in this show has an interesting background.
Sherry Dec grew up in Kennebunk, Maine. She graduated from the University of Maine and taught language arts for thirty-seven years in the Mid-Coast area. Retiring from teaching, she decided to study oil painting. She has written poetry all her life and wanted to bring this imagery into her work.
She took classes from Angela Anderson and uncovered her love of painting. Studying with Ronald Frontin has challenged her to develop her technique, by acquiring and refining her painting skills. She is still studying with him as she explores her artist’s vision. She has begun blending her poetic images into the compositions of her work and she is excited to begin showing this new level of her paintings.
Marianne Swittlinger is originally from Connecticut where she was a working artist and art teacher for over 20 years. Coming from a family of artists, she was inspired at an early age to paint, draw and craft. Her formal education is a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut and a Master’s Degree from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut. She has worked as a French teacher, Field Executive at the Girl Scouts, Executive Director of the Art Guild in Farmington, Adjunct Professor of Art Education and Design at Central Connecticut State University and art instructor/mentor throughout Connecticut.
She moved to Maine in 1999, where she was an Artist’s Way facilitator for many years. She is also a founding member of the Girl Ain’t Right Group, which is now the Port Clyde Art Gallery in Port Clyde, where she has been a working member and manager for 10 years.
Her teepee series has been shown in the Art Guild in Farmington, Connecticut, Gallery on the Green in Canton, Connecticut and the Sea Studio Gallery in Tenants Harbor, Maine. These works represent a 10-year journey through the art, symbolism and lifestyle of Native American culture, spirituality and imagery.
Her art work is eclectic and personal and incorporates colorful images of familiar subjects as well as mixed media, photography, jewelry and three dimensional shrines. Her work is shown at the Port Clyde Art Gallery in the village of Port Clyde.
Pat Ryan has lived in Mid-Coast Maine for 42 years, residing with two dogs in Cushing, Maine. Her art education began with classes in photography. From there she began taking art classes through the University of Maine. She studied with Ronald Frontin for three years and is now studying with Angela Anderson.
Her primary medium is oil on canvas, focusing on life in Maine and portraits of its people. She enjoys using strong color and likes to paint in a loose manner. This winter she has started using charcoal again focusing on people’s faces.
She has shown her paintings in various galleries including the Port Clyde Gallery in Port Clyde, Maine, River Arts in Damariscotta, Maine and The Highland Gallery in Thomaston, Maine.
Please celebrate springtime by joining these three artists at their opening at the Gibbs Library in Washington, Maine on Friday, May 11th, from 5-7 PM.