LIVERMORE FALLS – Now that she’s retired from the Maine Department of Human Services, Marjorie Austin is enjoying time for her favorite avocation, painting.

Her works are on display in a one-woman show at the Community Art Gallery in Androscoggin Bank’s Livermore Falls’ branch.

Although she has only been serious about her painting for a few years, the Farmington native recalls that she always enjoyed almost anything having to do with art, such as the weekly visit by the art teacher during her early studies at Mallett School.

She did take an art elective while studying at the University of Maine at Orono and another course at UM-Augusta, but her interest really peaked in the fall of 1997 when she took an adult education oil painting course from Joyce Dubay.

“Joyce gives you so much freedom,” she says. “She’s there to critique and help you along, but you do your own thing.”

In fact, she enjoyed that first class so much that she’s still taking classes from Dubay “just for fun.”

About the same time Austin began the class, she took her first trip to Matinicus Island off the coast of Maine.

“Much to my delight, I discovered Matinicus and oil painting went well together,” she said.

Although she admires and appreciates other media, Austin works just in oils. “I like the bold colors, I just put them on till it looks right to me,” she says.

Austin says she enjoys the whole process of choosing a subject and having the freedom to do whatever she wants to depict it.

“Sometimes I take many photos of my favorite places and collage them together, adding trees, fields, sky and water as needed to make it seem more put together.”

Another tactic she uses is to take old black and white family photos, turning them into nostalgic scenes.

Austin also enjoys painting on location. But due to bugs, cold or rain, she usually just paints a rough draft on-site and then takes photos for reference so she can finish in the comfort of home.

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