Meet our 2025 Nature's Canvas Artists!
Join us at the Colony Hotel on July 10th for our Soaring Skies Soiree, and see the artists in person!
Take nature home with you!
Mary Bryrom
Visit: www.marybyrom.com
Instagram: marybyromfineart
Facebook: Mary Byrom Fine Art
Mary Byrom is an award-winning, internationally exhibited artist well known for her sensitive, elegant interpretations of wild, beautiful places.
She paints outdoors all year, capturing plein air paintings of the landscape that are brought back to the studio where they become the inspiration for large landscape paintings. She paints en plein air in every season and in every place that inspires her. Some of her favorite locations to paint are in the marshes and harbors and along the rocky coast of Maine where she resides and maintains her studio.
With a background in classical art she has received numerous awards for paintings, sculpture and packaging design, and has participated in invitational solo and group shows nationally and internationally. She is well known for her paintings of marshes and crashing surf.
She has participated in national and invitational plein air events and shows. She has been featured in Plein Air magazine, Southwest Art magazine, Portland Press Herald, and numerous other publications.
She is a popular instructor of plein air and studio painting in oil, acrylic, gouache and watercolor.
Linda Cersosimo
Visit: lindacersosimo.com
Linda Cersosimo is an artist and fine arts professor. She creates art in several mediums including acrylic paint, encaustic, watercolor, mixed media, collage, monotype, etching and silkscreen. She also teaches multiple art courses at Great Bay Community College, Portsmouth, NH, where she is an adjunct professor in the Fine Arts Department. Linda received the President's Award for Outstanding Adjunct Professor at Great Bay Community College in 2019.
Born in Boston, MA, Linda has produced art throughout her life. She graduated from MA College of Art and Design where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education and a Master of Science in Art Education.
Linda retired after a successful career as an art specialist in the Billerica MA Public School system, teaching there for 36 years. Linda has enjoyed working at the college level now for over a decade. She continues to share her love for the visual arts with her many students.
The natural world is an endless source of inspiration for Linda. She often paints outside, en plein air, where she captures the transient light, color, and organic composition of the natural environment. She shares the visual surprises she's discovered embedded in a setting, using color intuitively to recreate the dynamic energy and friction she's observed. Each piece conveys her personal connection with the landscape.
In addition to her creative practice, she is a curator, educator, and arts organizer, and has served on Boards of Directors for arts organizations.
Linda's artwork is on view at Gallery 302 in Bridgton, ME where she is an exhibiting member. She has exhibited her art in galleries and business throughout New England.
lindacersoimo@gmail.com
508 574 1602
Kim Chilton
Kim Chilton is a Maine native who grew up in a Baltimore suburb, returning to Maine in 1981. She was a long-time resident of the Kennebunks and recently moved to Wells.
In February 2017, as a joint gift to Kim, her mother and daughter, all with birthdays all six days apart, her sister hosted a party at The Muse Paint Bar. That was it! The next weekend, Kim went to Michaels, bought supplies and started painting.
Her art work has been featured the 2017 and 2018 York County of Council of Realtors Scholarship Auction, 2019 Kennebunk Kennebunkport Arundel Chamber of Commerce's Little Pantry fundraiser, the 2020 a Nutty Christmas benefiting Children's Christmas Charities. Kim's artwork was featured on the cover of 2024 The Prelude Issue of Tourist & Town and Christmas in the Kennebunks 2024 for Kennebunk Post. She was participant in the 2024 Kennebunk Art Walks and The Graves Library Community Art Shows in 2024 and 2025.
Notecards featuring her artwork can be found at Mail It Unlimited at Shoppers Village 45 Portland Road, Kennebunk. Original artwork and prints are available by reaching Kim directly at kjchilton@gmail.com.
Christina Davis
Visit: www.christinadavispaintings.
I grew up in the rural part of Westbrook, Maine in a small blue house, surrounded by wide open fields where I kept my horse. I went to college at the Portland School of Art. There I majored in painting and later attended classes in painting and jewelry design at Texas Tech University. After my education I pursued a career as a Jeweler but never stopped painting.
I now reside in Scarborough where the beauty of the beaches, trees, and open marsh fields called me back to painting on a full-time basis. My heritage also inspires my artwork. As a child, my family and I visited our cottage on the beautiful red sand beaches of Prince Edward Island. Now, with a family of my own, I make the trek to the Island each year to paint En plein air. Painting landscapes gives me a freedom to use broader brush strokes and play with the natural light of the time of day.
When starting a painting, the energy in the brush strokes provoke a movement and a commitment from me as a painter to my viewers. While immersed in the process of painting, and even just observing the scenic beauty of driving down a road, I see the world in mixtures of color, shapes, light, and contrast. My goal as a painter is to capture the essence of the beauty I see. I strive to translate these complexities and peace of the natural world around us through my art. I love keeping my mind open to expand this process each day.
I paint with oil, acrylic or pastel, really enjoying what each medium has to offer. I tend to let the subject matter and “what feel I want to go after” dictate which process I will use. I would describe my paintings as vivid landscapes of places I have a connection to. Whether I am in my studio or outside working fast to capture the moment, my paintings tell a story of where life has taken me, and sometimes, where I want to be.
Marguerite Genest
Visit: www.mgenestart.com
I have loved drawing and painting since childhood. A passion for figure drawing and fashion design could easily distract me from my homework, and my mother often found me doodling in the margins of school notebooks. Mom, who designed and made all of our clothes (prom and wedding gowns a specialty), had an great eye for design and passed her love of fashion on to me. I started with paper dolls and continued on to more serious painting.
I graduated as an art major with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and have since exhibited in both juried and non-juried shows throughout New England. Over the years my art has evolved to include landscape, seascape and portrait painting. During this evolution, I also developed an interest in the way children learn. I went back to school and earned a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and eventually a Doctorate in Educational Psychology. These degrees were instrumental in helping me carve out a career where I could help parents to understand how their children learn best, and also work with teachers to incorporate certain practices into their classroom. I have used art to develop visual aids for students as they tackled academic tasks, and encourage them to also use art as a learning tool.I have been fortunate in being able to combine my love for art with my interest in education. In helping to develop a Wellness Center at a local private school, I learned the importance of art for relaxation and meditation - for both children and adults.
I teach classes on the psychology and creation of mandalas, which participants find not only anxiety reducing but revealing of talents they never knew they had! Since relocating to Kennebunk Maine from Western MA, I have discovered a love for beaches and for the people and pets who gather there to enjoy the sea air. I am creatively inspired by the energy of local pets and their owners, who love them as family members. In addition to painting lively pets, I have had the opportunity to memorialize cherished ones who have passed. I love painting their soulful eyes although I do tend to become attached as I bring them to life on canvas! When accepting commissions, I find that collaboration is the key to your satisfaction when painting your beloved pet(s).
Cheryl Hughes
Visit: www.tinkerscartartart.com
https://www.facebook.com/tinkerscartart
Cheryl Hughes is a passionate artist who divides her time between the coastal charm of Maine and the sunny vibrance of Florida. Working primarily in acrylics, she also enjoys experimenting with a variety of other mediums, always seeking new ways to express her love of color, texture, and storytelling.
Her artistic journey began in earnest at the age of ten, when she was enrolled in her first oil painting class—a pivotal experience that sparked a lifelong love for painting, sketching, and drawing. Eager to develop her skills, Cheryl attended a vocational high school specializing in Commercial Art, where she gained a strong technical foundation. She continued her education with Fine Art studies in college and a minor in Art History, which deepened her appreciation for artistic traditions and helped shape her own creative voice.
Inspired by the ocean and its enchanting creatures, much of Cheryl’s work is infused with a playful, whimsical spirit. Her use of vivid color and expressive brushwork invites viewers into joyful, imaginative worlds. She often paints en plein air, capturing the spontaneity of nature and translating its energy onto the canvas.
Cheryl finds immense joy in teaching and sharing her love for art, whether through in-person workshops or online classes. Her approachable, encouraging teaching style helps students of all levels tap into their creativity and grow as artists. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes of Massachusetts, Maine, and Florida, she continues to explore, create, and inspire—with brush in hand and heart wide open.
Cheryl Janse
Cheryl Janse paints in oils along the East coast. She studied in Maine with Don Stone and Eric Jacobsen. She earned a BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design and studied for a year in Rome in the European Honors Program.
Norma Johnsen
Norma Johnsen studied art at the Rhode Island School of Design. She's an award-winning artist working in pastel, oil, watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media. She's a member of the Maine women in the Arts, the Pastel Society of Maine, the Pastel Society of New Hampshire, and the Union of Maine Visual Artists. Norma also studied English at the University of New Hampshire where she earned a PH.D. and taught writing and literature in the University of Maine system. She lives and paints on Peaks Island, Maine.
Selected Art Awards:
Abstract Award, Pastel Society of New Hampshire Member Show, 2024, 2023
First prize Pastel Society of Maine's National Juried show, 2023
Best of Show Maine Women in the Arts, 2016, 2014
Best of Show Art Guild of the Kennebunks, 2012
Honorable Mention Annual Animals in Art Exhibition, University of Louisiana, 2011, 2004
Third prize Pastel Society of New Hampshire's National Juried show, 2010
Susan Ketner
My medium choices are acrylics, pastels and watercolors. I have only been painting for 8 years which means I started painting at the age of 70. Now I love to paint where previously, I had no desire.
Jeanne Maguire
Visit: www.jeannemaguirefinearts.com/
As an artist, I have chosen abstraction as my expressive language, pouring my creative energy into acrylic and mixed media works. My process is a constant evolution, fueled by an insatiable curiosity for all things textural, sculptural, and organic. Drawing and composition remain lifelong companions, informing my exploration of where art and science converge - a beautiful intersection I'm driven to understand.
Having called New England home for most of my artistic journey, the local landscapes and historical contexts have left an indelible mark on my work. At my core, I'm fascinated by the human spirit's longing for authenticity and what transpires when that authenticity eludes us. While immersed in the act of creation, I often find myself pondering our spiritual kinships as a species.
Art has been my constant companion from the earliest days, though my path was dramatically reshaped when I suffered a traumatic brain injury as a young mother. The long road to recovery required relearning the most fundamental skills - speaking, writing, walking - while simultaneously caring for my two young children. This arduous period necessarily put my professional art practice on indefinite hold for decades. Yet now, having regained my full faculties, I view this experience as a profound "gift" that has enriched my perspective on the world and the human condition.
With a BA in Visual Arts and Art History, complemented by an advanced degree in Art Education, my passion for creative expression has taken me across the globe. From the ancient wonders of Greece and Italy to the artistic meccas of France, I've immersed myself in studying art's vast histories and philosophies. My work has garnered attention in print and television spheres, with critics lauding my abstract ocean-colored paintings as a pioneering new movement.
"Maguire's swirling, undulating canvases envelop the viewer in a hypnotic aquatic realm," praised one critic. "Layer upon layer of blues, greens, and earthy terracottas intermingle, evoking the ever-shifting mysteries of the deep sea. Her mastery of texture and her bold, gestural brushwork create works that are simultaneously serene and tempestuous, tranquil and turbulent."
Through my art, I strive to capture the essence of the natural world while exploring the depths of the human psyche. It is a lifelong endeavor, one that continually reveals new insights into the wonders that surround us.
Bruce McMillan, VWS, IWS
bruce@brucemcmillan.com | www.theartofbruce.blogspot.com
After a fortunate career as a photo-illustrator for 45 children's books using the photo realism of photography, Bruce McMillan embraced expressive watercolors, to interpreting what he sees. As his watercolor painting evolved it simplified, using fewer colors but ones that play well with others. He often goes bold with his drawing, using permanent ink instead of graphite. As he says, "Color, bright color, is pure delight. For me, watercolor painting is play."
Mary Naples
Mary Naples is a resident of Kennebunk who has been studying under local artists since 2020. She primarily works with colored pencils and at times incorporates watercolor enhancements. Mary loves all things nature in her beloved town and finds enjoyment and peace drawing birds and flowers.
Richard Perry
Retired and longtime conservation organization supporter, I have been making furniture and sculpture for a number of years. I have shown my work at the Wright Gallery, Rivertree Arts, Corey Daniels Gallery and currently at George Marshall Gallery. My mentor was Gil Page a well known local sculptor. I am proud to have recently been chosen by her family to receive some of her materials, unfinished works, books and tools following her passing.
Andrea Roth Kimmich
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreakimmichinthearts/andreakimmichinthearts
I dabble in a variety of arts. So many art forms and enterprises demand and compete for my attention. I feel such joy in making something from nothing, whether it's a gazpacho made from produce picked up at a farmstand, a gypsy scarf made from a leftover wool, or a painting using some discarded paints and wood.
My paintings are acrylic and/or oil on wood custom selected for each piece. In actuality though it's the wood that determines what's to go on it. Call me a wood-whisperer. I won't mind. I am. Some pieces of wood speak louder and more clearly than others, but most have a story, and all can tell one, and I'm happy to bring them to life, based on landscapes profoundly dear or familiar to me, ones that draw me in, some over and over again. And while i was once serious about coloring within the lines, i now enjoy painting the way i see things - a bit blurry! 🙂
I'm a relative newcomer to the area, especially by Maine standards, and have had most of my showings in New York's greater metropolitan area. I'm delighted to have moved a part of my focus to Maine and its spectacular landscapes, and I am eager to share my work with visitors here in support of the Kennebunk Land Trust.
Patricia Tewes Richards
Visit: www.patriciatewes.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriciatewes
Patricia Tewes Richards is a painter based between Florida’s Gulf Coast and Kennebunkport, Maine. Her work explores the beauty, vulnerability, and surreal mystery of the natural world through vivid, layered images that blend observation, memory, and magical realism.
With a background in biology and medicine, Patricia brings a deep understanding of living systems to her art. Her paintings often feature coastal plants, tropical environments, forests, water, and expressive figures—charged scenes that feel playful, sensual, and subtly haunted by ecological threat.
Originally from Long Island, Patricia studied biology at the University of Chicago and later became a medical doctor. Throughout her medical career and while raising two daughters, she maintained a dedicated painting practice. She later studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the New York Studio School, and earned her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York.
Her process often begins with sketchbooks—small drawings and paintings in pencil, ink, watercolor, and gouache made during hikes with her husband and dog. These visual notes become the foundation for larger works in oil, acrylic, and cold wax that build symbolic, emotionally rich worlds.
Patricia is a member of the Yellow Chair Salon, Women Contemporary Artists of Sarasota, National Association of Women Artists, and Art Center Sarasota.
Her work has been featured in Antennae: The Journal of Nature and Visual Culture, and she has exhibited nationally. She completed artist residencies at the Rokeby Museum (Vermont) and Château Orquevaux (France), and presented her work on the Painting the Plantocene panel at the Modern Language Association.
Awards include the Mercedes Matter Award from the New York Studio School and being shortlisted for Jackson’s Art Prize 2025.
Bob Tewksbury
Visit: www.bobtewksbury.com/
My interest in art began in high school. Although I’ve never had formal training, I’ve always loved to paint. During my baseball career, I found time to stay creatively active—painting and drawing during long road trips helped break up the monotony of hotel rooms and travel. I often created caricatures of teammates to lighten the mood during the grind of the season, and I also used my art to support local team charities.
Today, I primarily work with acrylics, though I’ve recently begun experimenting with oils as well. Since retiring from baseball in 1998, I earned a master’s degree in Sport Psychology and Counseling and have worked as a Certified Mental Performance Coach with the Boston Red Sox—including as part of the staff of the 2013 World Champion team—as well as with the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs. I continue to support both professional and amateur athletes through mental skills coaching.
L.M. Turner
My art interests have been an ongoing journey across the country and around the world. From the Gallery of Modern Art and the Phillips-Bourne Collection in Washington, D.C. to galleries in San Francisco, Saigon, Boston and Maine. In Maine, I am associated with a multi gallery business.
My media have includes dry and oil pastels, acrylics, oils, Chinese Ink, archival paper creations, pottery, cold wax, print making and silk screening, basket weaving and stained glass. There are no limitations to what I will try.
Memberships in Maine have included Maine Women in the Arts, Saco Bay Artists, Pastel Society of Maine, and the Maine All-Inclusive Pastel Society. In the 2017 Pastel Society International Juried Show I received recognition and a show prize. I was invited to be the Judge for the Art Guild of the Kennebunks Annual Juried Show in 2017.
Faye Wilkins
I enjoy the entire creative process of painting. From the provenance of an idea, designing the piece, applying the paint and letting the work flow to completion. To stay inspired and keep things interesting, I enjoy painting different genres; realistic, impressionistic and abstract.
I started painting in 2005 with watercolor, then several years later changed my focus to oil. I do like both mediums, they are very different. I prefer oil because I like the thickness of the paint and how easy it is to blend and control. I also like that oil paintings are much easer to frame, not needing glass or mats.
My subject ideas are inspired from nature, photos I've taken, small works painted on location and from other artists. Many of my painting ideas come from the lovely beaches and coastline of Maine. Having an abundance of sandy beaches, rugged coastline and quaint coastal towns in my backyard, there are endless subjects to paint. In addition to the beautiful coastline, there are many woods, trees, lakes, rivers and wetlands that all make for lovely landscapes and inspire shape and color ideas for my abstract paintings.
I learned to paint by taking classes taught by professional artist offered through community and art centers. Some of the classes were weekly and others were 1 or 2 day workshops. The classes focused on learning about perspective, color mixing, design, how to loosen up, how to paint realistic, painting with different paint mediums and much more. Painting with a Plein Air group for more than five years, I learned how to analyze color, paint faster, and that sometimes it's necessary to move a tree or rock to improve the composition.
Marie Wilson-Lago
I love to paint! My dad loved to paint! He painted the sea and ships beautifully and I like to think, and hope, that I have inherited a few of his genes. My choice of subject is nature, our meadows, streams, seacoasts, marshlands, and simply what we see each day living here in Maine. I started my education by attaining a Bachelor's Degree in the Visual Arts from the New York State University system. Through the years, I've studied with Richard MacDaniel, Karen O'Neil, and Elizabeth Mowry at the Woodstock School of Art in Woodstock, NY. I also spent two years attending art classes at the Boston Fine Arts Museum with Lewis Berenberg. Now living in Maine I have attended classes at Heartwood here in Kennebunk, and now study with Dennis Rafferty. Through the years, I have been in shows in Woodstock, NY and Rhinebeck NY. Here in Kennebunk I had a one-woman show Speers Gallery, and have been in multiple Maine Women in the Arts Shows, Gooseneck Beach Association's shows, Colours in Falmouth.
Katie Wienslaw
Katie Wienslaw is a recent resident of Kennebunk, having vacationed in the area for years, falling in love with it’s natural beauty.
Painting has become a new passion, working primarily in acrylics, under the tutelage of Marguerite Genest. Landscapes and local nature preserves are the primary focus of her creations, enjoying bringing the Maine coastline to life on canvas.
Rev. Mary Zachary Lang
Mary retired as a Registered Art Therapist and is an Interfaith chaplain, a painter and a maker. She has recently been inspired by Miriam Shapiro, (1930-2015) a feminist painter, who broke with tradition after a successful art career in New York City. She engaged the newly emerging feminism, changing her medium to create collages that she called “femmages”, expressing women's lived experience. She used paint with materials and icons associated with women including fabric, aprons, fans and other objects. Inspired, Mary began to use fabric with paint in her own
abstract collages but felt curious about using fabric in the landscape painting that had been her focus for most of her career. She has been delighted with the results and hope that you enjoy them as well.