Joyce Hines says she has been an artist all of her life. But, as she puts it, “life and kids took over.”

But her love of painting had never gone unrecognized by her husband. Once the children were in school full time, she received a  welcome surprise.

Her husband returned from work one day and announced that he had enrolled her in an adult education art class.

“He knew I wanted to be more involved in art,” Hines said. “He told the teacher to get me what ever I needed for materials. After that class, I never stopped again.”

The teacher of that adult ed class invited Hines to join her at her studio. A short while later, she was invited by the same teacher to join a small group painting/studying with Louis Rausch.

“He was an amazing teacher. That group really put me in the zone,” Hines said, recalling her many years in Ada, Ohio.

Hines even had a studio space in the downstairs of her home. Chuckling, she said, “I used to say that when I got down there painting, the house could burn down around me and I wouldn't know it till I felt the heat. That's just where you are when you're painting. Totally absorbed ... completely part of the piece.”

Hines worked in oils for 10 years. Then, about 40 years ago, she began wintering in Zephyrhills, Fla., and joined a small group of artists there. A member of this group expressed an interest in watercolor and found a teacher.

Hines said she “really got into the colors.”

The artist likes to mix it up with her palette, mixing colors — watercolor or oils — in her kitchen or plein air, before brush and canvas meet.

She finds watercolors easier to transport and they don't require floor coverings or special cleaners, such as paint thinner, turpentine or mineral spirits.

Today she prefers watercolor, but still uses acrylic from time to time.

Here's something interesting about artist Joyce Hines: she never titles/names any of her paintings — unless she has to.

“If I need to name it, I will. I just don't feel the need to,” Hines said. “I think the paintings speak for themselves. I like peaceful scenes ... lighthouses and covered bridges are favorites of mine.”

Hines has painted her grandparents' old homestead in Tennessee, created both from an old black and white photo found in a family genealogy book and from memory. A red and white boat pulled up on the shore is based on early work and an imaginary scene. Hines always takes lots of photos when she goes traveling, She often transfers the subjects of those photographs to canvas.

Oddly enough, this artist always knew what she would name a gallery, if she was ever fortunate enough to have one: My View Point.

Why? Because every subject she captures on canvas is from her view point.

The gallery opened June 21, 2012. Hines' friend, Durwood Lewis, built the structure on his Route 27 property for her. She became one of Boothbay's “snow birds” in 2010, summering in the region.

My View Point displays over 60 paintings, none of which are named, spanning 40 years or images. Hines' has a light touch with the brush.  Viewing her work, you may feel as though you have traveled back in time. Hines said she is a realist painter, but there is a quite a bit of romanticism in her artistic soul — and on her canvases.

Whether you are looking at a painting of Burnt Island, Mill Cove, Ram Island, her dear friend Dorothy's quarry or a water scene from Moosehead, you will be struck by the old time charm and sentiment behind each light stroke.

The scene at Moosehead showed various shades of blue and yellow; water, sky and mountains were alive with movement.

Some of her plein air pieces, the spring scene in particular, have a bit of an impressionistic air. Others, like her favorite oil depicting phlox from her garden in a vase, has the flavor of an old Dutch Master's still life.

Today Hines paints when time and energy are in sync. She either reaches into her “things to paint” file, take out a photograph, set up a still life (she finds these induce feelings of peace for her) or paints something from memory and disappears, so to speak, in the zone.

Other times, she works on her handcrafted baskets.

Hines has had one-person shows in Ohio banks and in shops here and there. And in Florida, where she still winters, there is an art festival she participates in where she has sold works.

My View Point Gallery is located at 495 Wiscasset Road/Route 27 in Boothbay, just 2.5 miles north of the Boothbay Town Office.

For more information, contact Joyce Hines at 419-303-1799, 813-782-8575 or email shejoyhi@gmail.com.