exhibit on view in Winslow

WINSLOW — A new exhibit at Winslow Public Library, “Watercolor Whimsy — Land and Sea,” is on exhibit through March 20. The exhibit features paintings by Catherine Gram, a local resident. Gram’s childhood was split between upstate New York and France. She studied Art History at Vassar and Hamilton Colleges and she also did an internship at the Jeu de Paume and Orangerie museums in Paris, France. All the while studying the works of other artists, Gram worked on her own artistic expression, whenever time allowed, according to a news release from the library.

Gram works in watercolors, with an occasional use of pen and ink. She finds delight in her immediate natural world and she likes to challenge herself to try and duplicate that delight on paper. Therefore, rather than striving for a truly realistic replication of what she sees, she is more a follower of the philosophy expressed by Picasso, “Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” She tries to keep her message clear and simple and hopes to bring a smile. Gram’s watercolor paintings, while whimsical, are carefully composed to play with color and motion. “What I love most about watercolor is the dialogue between the medium and the painter. It is a true conversation and the final product is sometimes a bit of a surprise.”

Catherine Gram has lived in Maine for nearly 30 years and has been inspired by the beauty of her adopted state. She presently lives in Fairfield and teaches French and Spanish at Falmouth High School. For more information, call Pamela Bonney, library director, at 872-1978.