The annual show will feature artists from southern and central Maine.

POLAND – Capitalizing on the storied tradition of Maine artistry and artists, the Friends of the Ricker Memorial Library will present the third annual Maine Art Show benefit beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 27, at the libary.

The event continues the path begun in 2000 that enables artists and artisans from the south and central parts of Maine to display their works for the public.

“This is a uniquely Maine event with art depicting the ocean, the mountains, wildlife, people and places of our state,” said Library Director Linda Hayman. “People are welcome to browse and enjoy the day on the grounds of the Ricker Library. They will be able to view pastels, acrylic, watercolor, oil paintings and photography.”

For its size, the town of Poland has an outsized proportion of artist representation with 28 percent of those participating. Poland residents in the show are Sandra Norton, Katherine Rohnert, Kristina Desjardin, Tracy Sanders, Charles Friis, Dorothy Coffin and Ulla Hansen whose talents range the full gamut of painting styles with the exception of Friis’ chosen avocation of wood carving.

Artists from other towns will offer photography, handweaving, silhouette cutting, pen and ink drawings, plus porcelain pottery and ornaments.

Complementing the Poland artists is the talent of Louis Bakula, 94, a resident of the town. Bakula’s artistic background emphasizes an interest in watercolor miniatures featuring the many lighthouses of the Maine coastline.

Going back to the early 1930s when he attended the Massachusetts School of Art and served in the U.S. Navy, his avocation for artistic pursuits has been constant throughout the decades and has earned him a display position for his drawings aboard the cruiser USS Quincy, now a floating museum in Quincy, Mass.

Bakula volunteered to create a pen and ink lettered sign to be used in the show’s promotional materials. He has displayed his work in prior Poland art shows and has once again decided to be there with his lighthouse minatures.

There is a historical significance to the art show because of the presence of a newly re-established art gallery in the Maine State Building at Poland Spring. More than a hundred years ago, when the Ricker family’s resort hotels were in full flower, Janette M. (Nettie) Ricker created an art gallery that, together with the first-floor library, enhanced the guest experience at the resort. She traveled widely in the U.S. and Europe to acquire art works, which she placed on the third floor of the State Building for exhibition.

Miss Nettie, as she was called, was one of the early women’s rights advocates and she used her independent nature to further her artistic interests as well as those of the resort guests.

The Friends group engaged the services of Night and Day, an aggregation from Yarmouth, that “harkens back through the small cafe style bands of the past but brings a much broader musical repertoire to any performance. Night and Day’s musical style is centered on acoustic jazz with excursions into Brazilian, blues and world music,” said Diane Hansen, a vocalist, songwriter and musician with the group. Night and Day will play from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.

The show will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the library, 1211 Maine St. (Route 26). Admission is free and a chicken barbecue lunch will be available at the Poland Community Church across from the library.