“Poppies by the Shed” by Kay Hannah is one of a series of pastel paintings focusing on the beauty of her native environment – the Pemaquid Peninsula
“Poppies by the Shed” by Kay Hannah is one of a series of pastel paintings focusing on the beauty of her native environment – the Pemaquid Peninsula

This summer, the Pemaquid Art Gallery in Lighthouse Park, Bristol, is celebrating 90 years of continuous seasonal operation (58 years at the current location). Two painters who will be familiar to visitors are Kay Sawyer Hannah and Peggy Farrell. Both had an interest in art from an early age, yet have had little if any formal art training. They are frequently seen in area art shows and are enchanted with the midcoast landscape where they reside in the same Seawood Park neighborhood in New Harbor.

As a youth, Kay Sawyer Hannah was inspired by the many local artists who painted along the shore near her home in New Harbor, including Gene Klebe, well-known early Pemaquid group painter. After her college education, she took classes and workshops in acrylic, watercolor and pastel with local artists. For many years she focused on watercolors, and now also paints primarily in pastel.

Kay Hannah paints what she loves…skies, water reflections, especially dawn and dusk and storm-driven surf. She also often incorporates flowers either in the foreground or background. The Pemaquid lighthouse has been a frequent subject through all seasons and times of day. She is motivated to produce work that will touch viewers, causing them to linger and respond to the emotion that caused her to paint the scene.

Peggy Farrell is also the product of local community and adult education classes. She was “notorious” for doodling and sketching as a child. Thanks to an aunt who curated prints and drawings at the Morgan Library in New York City, Farrell was inspired by the artistic illustrations of Beatrix Potter and other illustrators of children’s books. Growing up in Pennsylvania, she was also intrigued by the Wyeth family, N.C., who illustrated children’s books, and Andrew, with his eye for the mundane executed in such detail.

Artist Peggy Farrell responds to life around her and was inspired to paint “Jefferson Barn & Hollyhocks” at the sight of an old barn shed and its bountiful hollyhock blooms.
Artist Peggy Farrell responds to life around her and was inspired to paint “Jefferson Barn & Hollyhocks” at the sight of an old barn shed and its bountiful hollyhock blooms.

Like Kay Hannah, she paints what she loves, and believes in learning from one’s mistakes. After years studying tole painting, and even stained glass work, she gravitated to watercolor and gouache (opaque watercolor). Her work features glimpses of details in life around her, flowers, buildings, local scenes, and, currently, figurative and portrait paintings of people and animals, capturing the essence of each subject.

Farrell is one of the top favorites among visitors to the Pemaquid Gallery. She is rewarded by the correspondence she often has with buyers of her work, who may even include a touching anecdote with their notes of appreciation.

Her work can also be seen in area shows and on her website, www.thepottingshedstudio.com.

Visit the Pemaquid Gallery of Art this season to see the work of the following member artists: Barbara Applegate, Debra Arter, Bruce Babb, Julie Babb, Stephen Busch, Midge Coleman, Trudi Curtis, William Curtis, Dianne Dolan, Peggy Farrell, Sarah Fisher, Bill Hallett, Claire Hancock, Kay Sawyer Hannah, Kathleen Horst, Hannah Ineson, Will Kefauver, Jan Kilburn, Barbara Klein, Patti Leavitt, Sally Loughridge, Marlene Loznicka, Nancy MacKinnon, Judy Nixon, Paul Sherman, Cindy Spencer, Liliana Thelander, Ernest Thompson, Bob Vaughan, Steve Viega, Bev Walker, and guest artist Jane Bowman.

Artists all reside within the Lincoln County area. The Gallery is situated within Lighthouse Park at Pemaquid Point, Bristol and online at www.pemaquidartgallery.com. The gallery is open daily through Columbus Day, from 10 AM until 5 PM.