Vyonne Spaar, Scott Hunter, June Dragoon and Diana Hertz have artwork at St. Mary’s.

LEWISTON – The St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Visiting Artist Gallery has a group show during December. Artists displaying their works are Vyonne Spaar, fine art prints; Scott Hunter, watercolor; June Dragoon, watercolor; and, Diana Hertz, watercolor.

Spaar, of Auburn, studied at the Baum School in Allentown, Pa., and, after moving to Maine, continued to study watercolor and pastel at the Maine College of Art. During the painting process, she enjoys the natural light while working outdoors in gardens, fields, beaches and marshes. Pastels and their intensity of color allow her to express even more clearly her passionate connection with the beauty of nature.

Hunter, of Turner, was brought up with a knowledge and exposure to the Maine coast. He and his family took trips to all parts of the coastline. It was these experiences that helped him form the main themes of his work.

He is inspired by the beauty the state has to offer. He attempts to capture the serenity and peace of gulls in morning fog, the quiet strength of the working boats in the harbors and the beauty of weathered clapboard on buildings construct long ago.

Hunter is inspired by his family and friends, the animals around them and their old home. The simplicity of the country landscapes, the thoughts and visions of the people who live there all contribute to how he perceives American life. These are the themes that he captures with his art – moments from life in Maine.

Hunter has had solo exhibits in Waterville, Bangor and Portland and has earned many awards, including placing fourth overall in the 2000 Maine Migratory and Waterfowl Duck Stamp Art Contest. He is a member of the Western Maine Art Group and Upcountry Artists.

Dragoon, of Peru, has paintings in private collections throughout the United States. She also has taken several awards and participated in many juried shows. Although she has studied with a number of well-known artists, she is basically self-taught.

Painting gives her a new way of looking at the world. Dragoon wants the viewer to feel as though they are entering her paintings. Her work consists of New England landscapes, florals and children.

She served as treasurer from 1999 to 2001 and is on the board of directors for the Western Maine Art Group. She is also a member of Upcountry Artist. Her work can be seen in many area galleries and sidewalk shows throughout Maine. Dragoon resides with her husband in Peru. Surrounded by family and countryside, she has endless subject matter. She also owns an art gallery in her home.

Hertz, a resident of Maine, began her art training in her native Chicago at the age of 8. Her love of art began with oil painting and she has been painting ever since. Some years ago, she discovered the joys and freedom of watercolors, saying, “For me, it best expresses the immediacy and excitement of life while avoiding the confines of photographic reproduction. I can quickly capture the beauty and essence of my subject and dramatize its central power.”

Her formal training began at 13 when she was awarded a full tuition scholarship at the Chicago Art Institute. Subsequently, she has studied at the Art Students League in New York and with private teachers. She also teaches watercolor painting privately and through Extension services.

Hertz’s work has been displayed in Washington, D.C., New York and Maine, where she won an award in a juried show. She is represented by the Thomas Spencer Gallery in Yarmouth.

For information regarding exhibiting at St. Mary’s Visiting Artists Gallery, call Vyonne Spaar, gallery coordinator, at 784-5323.