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The University of Maine at Fort Kent Blake Library Gallery will host exhibit “Scenes of Tranquility” by Artist Rita L. Pelletier. The exhibit will be on display through Friday, July 25, 2014.

"Scenes of Tranquility” is an exhibit of acrylic paintings produced mostly over the last two years. The exhibit is primarily of scenic subject matter such as northern winter snow, sunsets, and tree lined terrains. Pelletier said that she loves putting barren trees or pines in most of her paintings.

Pelletier remarks on her desire to paint, “My life-long dream of finding time to paint and allowing my artistic ability to burst forth onto canvas is finally being fulfilled. Although it has taken a long time to attain, this dream has given me an inner yearning to reach this point in my life,”

Pelletier is a retired elementary school teacher from her hometown of Madawaska, Maine.

“I can finally find the time for my artistic creations to be manifested onto canvas,” noted Pelletier.

In addition to the exhibit, Artist Rita Pelletier will host an “Art Talk” on Wednesday, July 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the gallery. The group session is free and open to the public.

Pelletier is predominantly a self-taught artist with an interest in drawing and painting. But in 1980, she wanted to further develop her techniques, so she took an art class with Marvin Jacobs, a renowned artist from downstate. Pelletier participated in craft fairs to sell her paintings and painted wood products. She also traveled parts of Europe and many places in the United States and had the opportunity to review and admire many different art techniques that helped her realize that she is a realistic artist: Realism in depicting urban and rural scenes, and in artistic works, it is the lifelike representation of people and the world, without any idealization (not being perfect).

“As life goes, it got demanding and I had to put my dream of painting on hold,” expressed Pelletier. In 1985, she attended UMFK and graduated in 1991with a bachelor of science degree in education. In 2006, she earned a Masters in Education from Walden University.

For Pelletier, “Teaching, being a very time absorbing profession, never allowed me the time to get absorbed in my own private creations, but I always enjoyed having my third and fourth grade students create their own masterpieces during art class. Seeing their faces display inner satisfaction and pride in their accomplishments was my greatest reward.”

Although teaching children also had been a life-long passion, Rita always had that inner wish that when she would retire, she would pick-up her paintbrushes to paint again. She then added, “As a result of this desire and passion, I yearn to spread my paintings into many homes, so others can understand what it is that I “dream” and realize that DREAMS do come true.”

The exhibit may be viewed during regular Blake Library hours. For more information, please contact Gallery Curator Sofia Birden at (207) 834-7527.

To view the library's website go to: https://www.umfk.edu/library/