Thu, 07/19/2018 - 1:00pm

Kim Traina

“Summer Wave” is one of the pastel works by Kim Skillin Traina in the summer show at Damariscotta River Grill. The show also features the works of Doug Houle and Susan Tilton Pecora. Courtesy of the artist

One of Doug Houle’s works in the summer show at the Grill, “Farmhouse.” Courtesy of Kim Skillin Traina

The walls at the Damariscotta River Grill transform to summer colors and images, exploring a number of themes and capturing the light and beauty of Midcoast Maine. Three artists capture the essence of summer in Maine in three distinctly different styles and viewpoints, through pastel, oil, acrylic and watercolor.

Meet artists Doug Houle, Susan Tilton Pecora and Kimberly Skillin Traina at the “Art at the Grill” opening reception, Wednesday, July 25, from 4pm to 5:30pm. Stop in and enjoy beautiful art while savoring light summer hors d’oeuvres. Art is on display July 23 through Sept. 10.

Doug Houle lives in Augusta and has been traveling and painting in northern New England since 1998. His focus has always been painting New England's buildings and landscapes, creating dramatic images of these ordinary buildings using light and color.

“Through my painting I have chosen to highlight the architecture of small town New England. I am drawn to the charm and nostalgia around old homes and barns, store fronts, and light houses. Whether the places are frequently visited or passed by, they surround a town’s people, giving recognition to the historical relevance they have in our communities,” said Houle. “I like to create a mood in my paintings that will remind you of a time gone by, and light and color are crucial for these pieces. Working primarily in oils, I leave the under layer of my painting showing through the planes and edges, which helps to develop a level of interest to the surrounding work. Objects absorb and reflect all sorts of color and how that is manipulated impacts the mood. The light that each color creates is there to invite you. I want you to live in every one of these rooms, within each window, and behind every possible door.”

Susan Tilton Pecora was raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts. In this seashore community she grew to appreciate the quality of light and the intrinsic beauty of New England, painting the streets and seaports of New England since she was a child. “I synthesize the world through drawing and painting, always have. It began at about four, when my parents gave me blank pads on which to draw while living on our small boat that cruised up and down the New England coastline during the summer months,” Pecora said. “I take a sketchbook with me wherever I go, then work the sketches into finished paintings in the studio. I have always been attracted to the wildly diverse nature of Maine. There is enough subject matter in one square mile of this State to keep me busy for a lifetime.” Susan Tilton Pecora exhibits and sells her work through galleries and art associations throughout the country and is a signature member of The New England Watercolor Society.

Kimberly Skillin Traina is a graphic designer, photographer and pastel artist living in Edgecomb. “I have a passionate love affair with color ... intense, pure, brilliant color. Painting with soft pastels allows me to work with my fingers mixing pure pigment on paper, layering colors, feeling the medium as the magic of the moment unfolds. Studying the color of light compels me, its ability to transform the ordinary, evoke memories, moods and emotions. The expanse of sky and water we are surrounded with in Midcoast Maine is a never ending fascination. I am drawn to capture the essence of those moments in nature, which to me, inspire joy, serenity, power, calm, delight, gratitude. If I’m not painting plein air, I start with a photograph I have taken, but the end result is always it’s own story. My creativity keeps me connected and focused, living in the moment.”

Please call the Damariscotta River Grill for more information 563-2992 or visit our Facebook page. The Grill is located at 155 Main Street, Damariscotta, and is open seven days for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.