Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library (4 Oak St., Boothbay Harbor) will feature paintings by the late Jim Taliana in the upstairs Community Room at 4 Oak Street. The show will run from Sept. 4 through Oct. 31 and can be viewed during normal library hours. His wife, Gloria, is also hosting an art reception on Wednesday, Sept. 5 from 4.30-6.30 p.m. She has generously pledged to contribute 20 percent of any sales to the library.

Maine has been attracting artists from around the world for almost 200 years. Even among this august group, the artwork of Jim Taliana stands out. Jim brought his own distinctive style with an emphasis on color and spontaneity; a fresh, optimistic way to look at the landscape.

Jim has had 15 one-person shows in watercolors and oils. His work has been included in over 50 international and juried shows. Along with his extensive exhibiting, Jim was a frequent show judge and speaker/demonstrator. You will find his work in private collections throughout the United States and abroad. His paintings and drawings are also part of the permanent collections of Wayne State University, the VanHoosen Farm Museum Collection in Rochester Michigan, the Boothbay Harbor Town Office collection and the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library collection.

Jim was very generous with his artistic talent. He taught painting, drawing, calligraphy and advertising at the College of Creative Studies, his alma mater, the Scarab Club in Detroit, where he was past president, the Boothbay Region Art Foundation, where he was also past president, along with countless other schools, art clubs and galleries.

Jim was a lifelong visitor to Maine and eventually became a year-round resident of Boothbay Harbor, where he was an active participant in the local art community. Jim founded the annual Maine Photography Show. He also branched out into book design and illustration: "The Littlest Tugboat," "Harbor Journal Vols. 1 & 2," "The Seagull who Refused to be Ordinary" and "The Small Tall Ship."

Sadly, Jim died in 2012, but his work continues to be represented by the Ambleside Galleries in Greensboro, North Carolina; The Artist's Gallery in Lititz, Pennsylvania; River Arts in Damariscotta and the Boothbay Region Art Foundation in Boothbay Harbor.

To inquire about the work of Jim Taliana please contact Gloria Taliana: 633-2815 or jngtaliana@roadrunner.com.