Boothbay Region Art Foundation

‘Color ME’: A coloring book for all ages

Wed, 07/29/2015 - 8:15am

Story Location:
1 Townsend Avenue
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538
United States

Remember how much fun coloring was when you were a kid?

Do you ever just sit down and color now? Would you like to?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, the Boothbay Region Art Foundation has just what the kid in you needs: “Color ME (Maine).”

“Color ME” is BRAF's first ever coloring book for adult kids and, well, actual kids, too. There are 24 pages of original drawings by members of the art foundation's membership.

The contributing artists works selected are Tom Block/The Blank Canvas Studio, Barbara Fischer Eldred/Mermaid Studios, Helen Farnham/Helen Farnham Designs, Bob Rose/River Road Studio, Sally Giddings Smith/Fortunate Chance Studio, Tony van Hasselt, A.W.S., Kim & Philippe Villard/V.S. Woodblock Prints, and Kris Johnson/Mars Hill Gallery, Tenants Harbor.

There are charming scenes of gardens, peeks under the sea, homes and yards, fish — you get the picture. June Campbell Rose, of the foundation, describes the first edition coloring book she named as “elegantly random.”

The idea of creating a coloring book was conceived at the foundation's February board meeting. Many of the members had seen Internet articles about the adult coloring book phenomenon and noted that book stores and clubs offered them. Why not make one of their own?

The board asked the membership, and other artists, to submit 8-1/2 by 11-inch drawings of a Maine scene. Artists were given a deadline of 30 days.

The 24-page “Color ME” is BRAF's imaginative fundraiser, created to help support its mission of offering outreach programming for the community, which includes free passes to the Farnsworth and Portland Museum of Art, the annual student art show, and a scholarship fund.

Adults are escaping daily stress and finding relaxation just by picking up a box of crayons, markers, pastels or colored pencils and a coloring book.

Rosie Kohler, of Westchester, Ohio, was a recent visitor to BRAF's gallery. Kohler said she had just ordered a coloring book for herself online before she and her husband left for vacation. The finished pages of the coloring book that piqued her interest will have a stained glass appearance.

Kohler added that her aunt, a breast cancer survivor, colored while she was receiving her treatment — and still colors today.

“She sits on her porch with her coloring book and the next thing she knows, two hours have gone by,” Kohler said.

The 250 copies of the coloring book, which arrived a few weeks ago, are going for $10, tax included.

Rose has a copy of “Color ME” out at all times along with a set of colored pencils as an invitation to visitors.

The adults who have seen the book think it's clever and nice, and want to get one for their grandchild or child, Rose said. Children at the gallery with adults have been coloring. Rose said they enjoy having something to do while the grownups are enjoying the exhibit.

“I encourage people to have fun filling in the spaces with their imaginations,” Rose said. “The drawings invite you to add your own personal touch by adding patterns to the fish or decorations on the houses.”

Block said BRAF is happy with the first edition. If it does well, the foundation plans to offer another next summer.

“People are searching for a means of visual expression that they've never had in their lives,” Block said. “A lot of people are going to painting parties or coloring because it's relaxing. People also seem to want to make art, but may be intimidated by the art process. Coloring books and these painting parties are another way to do that.”

“Color ME” is available at The Boothbay Region Art Foundation, located at 1 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor.