Learn more about the fascinating, magical world of mushrooms on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m., when Southport Memorial Library (SML) welcomes local author and artist Hilary Bartlett to talk about her new book, “Mushroom Mania.”

Explore their history as food, medicine, and spiritual mediators, as well as their role in Maine’s ecosystems, through colorful photos and commentary. Hilary will be available after the presentation to sell and sign copies of her book. Watercolors of mushroom species featured in the volume will be on display from November through December at the library. Mushrooms are depicted with soft bride-like hues, bright lipstick reds or lavender blues, and every conceivable shade of yellow and brown. Some look like umbrellas or pedestal tables with caps as large as dinner plates or as small as a dime. Other species resemble balls, cauliflower, or hard hoofs growing on trees.

Hilary Bartlett was born and raised in postwar Liverpool, England, a predominantly Irish city where markets stocked a dozen varieties of potatoes, rarely mushrooms. As a child, Hilary came across mushrooms primarily in cans of soup. She tossed fresh mushrooms in untried recipes when she first moved to London as a student. She studied mushrooms as part of her microbiology training and earned her doctorate from University College London.

A science fellowship brought her to Boothbay Harbor in 1975 to work at Bigelow Lab. She was supposed to return to England, but Maine’s rocky coast bewitched her — she never left. Hilary first hunted for wild mushrooms when she came to live here. She switched from scientific research to a home-based art career after her daughter was born. Bartlett’s paintings have been exhibited at galleries in Maine and Santa Fe, New Mexico, some have won awards. To purchase one of the paintings in this show, contact the artist at 207-449-6847.

The Library is at 1032 Hendricks Hill Road on Southport Island. Library hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with evening hours on Thursday from 6 to 8. For more information visit www.southportlibrary.org.