Woolwich resident Nancy Rogers is one of 150 Maine artists with works in the “10 X 10 Benefit Exhibit & Sale” on Friday, Sept. 27, in Brunswick.

The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Morrell Meeting Room at the Curtis Memorial Library and the Parish Hall, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brunswick. Proceeds benefit Arts Are Elementary, a local nonprofit program that provides artist-in-residence education to all Brunswick students in grades K through 5.

Rogers retired two years ago after 28 years of teaching. All but two of those years were in kindergarten classrooms in Woolwich, Bath and Brunswick. Her first two years were spent with first graders. Rogers loves to paint, and over the years completed works were placed in drawers until they became gifts for family and friends.

This fundraiser, however, was an exception.

“Art is important in schools and I like that aspect of the exhibition; raising money for that cause,” Rogers said. “It's also good exposure for local artists and a fun way to see what other people are doing.”

Rogers two watercolor submissions were both selected for the fundraising exhibit; they are among 300 works for sale. Rogers works will be displayed at the Curtis Memorial Library. Her subjects are sometimes painted from photographs taken in places she has visited, others are drawn from observations. Both pieces in the exhibit were completed this year. “Spannochia,” is the result of her trips to California and Italy. “Jay at Pfeiffer,” depicts a blue jay observed at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

Rogers' first exception to storing and giving paintings away happened 10 years ago in response to the loss of her daughter to leukemia.

“My brother-in-law suggested I create a calendar using my watercolors as a fundraiser for Dana Farber (Cancer Institute of Boston),” Rogers said. “Everyone there had been so kind and helpful, I thought it was a good idea to help support it, and a way to help me get through that time.”

Rogers sold the calendars mostly to friends, family and peers in the Bath and Brunswick school systems.

She has been painting consistently ever since, whenever her muse calls; and it appears as though Rogers' muse is a sports fan.

“I paint most often at night while I'm listening to the Red Sox games,” Rogers said, laughing.

The event

In 2007, Lucy Cooney and Judith Long conceived of the idea for the 10 x10 Brunswick Benefit Art Exhibit & Sale and the first show was held that very same year. Each of the paintings sell for $200. Half of the sale price is donated to Arts Are Elementary and half to the artist.

Brunswick artist Joe Godleski's entry “Maritime Workshop” was selected to represent the 2013 show. The work was inspired by a trip to the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. The two runners up artists are Maria Castellano-Usery for her acrylic painting entitled “Prentiss’ Owl” and textile artist Catherine Worthington for her piece entitled “Coastal Maine Sunset.”

For more information on the 10 x 10 Benefit Art Exhibit & Sale, visit www.10x10brunswick.org. Visit www.artsareelementary.org for more on the program.