Richard Boyd Art Gallery located on Peaks Island in Portland, Maine opens the month of March with an annual exhibition of art works in black and white. Although color is evident in some of the works this year, the focus remains on the creation of art using minimal color to create shading and variations in tone, lighting, and contrast. The exhibit features works by Kimberly Skillin Traina – images in pastel, Wilson Stewart paintings in acrylic, Rob Anderson's oil paintings, Randy Eckard – paintings in watercolor, and Amy Bickford's paintings in acrylic based gouache and watercolor.

Skillin Traina is a multi-talented commercial and fine artist with a BA in design and photography living in Edgecomb. Her career as a graphic designer and photographer spans over 30 years. Her creative process evolved from doing things by hand – developing images in the darkroom to creating on the computer.

“Six years ago, my love of the Maine coast and drawing inspired me to create works en plein air. I selected soft pastels as my medium, I love the intensity of color I can achieve with pure pigment, the ability to layer colors, and the feel of the medium as I work,” Skillin Traina said. “With both photography and pastels, my art is about capturing the quality of light, the feeling, and essence of nature. My creativity is my expression of my passion for life, for nature and of deep gratitude for this incredible place I live in.”

Wilson Stewart is a visual artist living in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. His primary artistic interests include landscapes and figurative works. His current series of acrylic paintings are inspired by his exploration of neighborhoods in his home state and Maine.

Amy Bickford’s paintings in acrylic-based gouache and watercolor depict a broad range of subjects including seascapes, landscapes and animal portraits.

Rob Anderson, a multi-talented artist and performer, has created art in various forms for over 40 years. His paintings in oil are inspired by the working harbors, sailing vessels, and ever changing interior and coast of Maine.

Randy Eckard is a trained commercial artist living in Blue Hill. His career as a fine artist working exclusively with watercolors spans more than three decades.

Richard Boyd Art Gallery is located at the corner of Island Avenue and Epps Street, in the first building on the right, on the first floor. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and by appointment.

For more information, contact the gallery: 207-712-1097, info@richardboydartgallery.com or visit www.richardboydartgallery.com.