The annual Plein Air Painters of Maine (PAPME) show now being exhibited through Nov. 25 at the Boothbay Region Art Foundation is a collection of over 100 works. Within this collection, you will experience the colors, beauty and the energy of nature, from Maine to Italy, preserved on canvas as the artists experienced it.

The opening reception for the show, held on Nov. 14, drew a large gathering comprised of art lovers and featured artists.

Boothbay's Bruce MacDonald, former four-term representative for our district, is also a painter and musician. MacDonald has two paintings in the show, one is entitled “Dawn at Spannocchia, Tuscany.” MacDonald was hanging out with a group of artists who were at the organic farm estate, Tenuta di Spannocchia, for painting classes with Evelyn Dunfee. He had just gone there to paint for two weeks.

He was nicknamed the “Dark light painter,” because of his preference to begin painting early to experience the sunrises.

“It was really dark when I first started painting,” MacDonald said, laughing. “I put on a head lamp and set up my easel. I did a moon painting, too. I just really loved that dawn.”

Tom Greenier of Bath has been painting plein air for eight years and becomes very animated when talking about painting boats, rocks and surf. One of his works in this show, “Five Islands Boats,” is one of his favorites. Greenier changed to oil paints five years ago after painting in watercolor for five. Although it was like learning to paint all over again, he finds he prefers oils.

“When you're out there painting you have to work quickly to get the light just right while the bugs are crawling around on the canvas … I love it,” Greenier said. “It's a meditative, spiritual thing for me. I think I got this painting just right. I was in Stonington and loved the dragger in front of the island in this one. It has lots of energy and … drama, yeah, that's it, drama. I love drama in paintings. I'm working on that!”

Watercolorist Tony van Hasselt of East Boothbay has a painting called, “Foggy Morning,” at Knickercane Island. Van Hasselt paints often with the local PAPME group on Wednesday mornings. Many locations are revisited, like Knickercane. The renowned artist's passion for plein air was evident in his telling, in that wonderful accent of his, of a snowy morning there with watercolorist Ken Carlson.

“The snow was falling. It was so cold working with the watercolors. You have the water freezing on the brush and the canvas, you dip the brush in the color and, well, what you have is colored slush,” van Hasselt said. “And it's amazing because you get special effects — crystallizing — that happens on the canvas and stays right there … it's fascinating!”

See this show and be fascinated by the works of 41 artists from York, Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, Sagadahoc, Waldo and Penobscot counties: Geoff Bladon, Tenants Harbor; Ed Buonvecchio, Manchester; Ken Carlson, Gardiner; Kay Carter , Hampden; Barbara W. Chase,Waterville; Teddi-Jann Covell, Orono; Cheryl Dahn, Kennebunk; Sandy Dolan, Peter Yesis, Searsport; Virginia Forrest, Wiscasset; Jane Frost, Richmond; Stephan Giannini, Rockland; Roberta Goschke, Brooke Pacy, Waldoboro; Robert Grant, Ellen Hutcheson, Bruce MacDonald, Boothbay; Corinne McIntyre, Sally G. Smith, Tony Van Hasselt, East Boothbay; Sue Heil Kibbe, Southport; Jennifer Litchfield, Trevett; Roger Milinowski, Boothbay Harbor; Tom Whittle, W. Boothbay Harbor; Sarah Greenier and Thomas Greenier, Bath; Ken Harvey, Sabbattus; Dianne Horton, Swanville; Kris Johnson, Rockland; Carol Smith, Damariscotta; Kay Miller, South Bristol; Luise van Keuren, Spruce Head; Penny Markley, Winthrop; Candace McKellor, Sherman; Ellen Pelletier, Kennebunk; Julian Sacks, Whitefield; Felicity Sidwell, Brunswick; Bill Tomsa, Topsham; Michael E. Vermette, Indian Island; and Becky Whight, Waltham.

The Art Foundation is located at 1 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call BRAF at 207-633-2703.

For more information on PAPME, visit http://pleinairpaintersofmaine.blogspot.com/.