Come see the magic of Jeanne Rosier Smith on Friday, Aug. 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. Jeanne will be doing a demo and answering questions at Black River Gallery, 16 McKown St., Boothbay Harbor. This is a must attend event!

“My paintings are a visceral response to the world. A flip in the stomach, an intake of breath sparks the work. My process relies on instinct. Dissolving and blending colors, creating vibrations with layered pigments reflects a balance of heart and mind working toward a moment of joy.

"Painting in pastel is a sensory experience," continued Jeanne, "Hundreds of colored sticks spread before me, each with its own texture, weight and feel. My arm becomes my brush, and I paint with direct touch, creating soft glazes or juicy impasto strokes with pressure shifts or the touch of a fingertip. I paint to awaken the senses, hear the ocean's roar, feel the wind, taste the salt air, smell the scent of the sun on blossoms. It's beautiful out there, and we are alive.”

Jeanne Rosier Smith, b. 1966, grew up painting and after earning a PhD in English, switched gears and began her full-time art career at age 35 when she began painting in pastel and fell in love with the medium.

Jeanne now spends most of her time painting in and around the beautiful New England area where she lives, and along the coastal areas that inspire her work. An avid swimmer with lots of beach vacation memories, Jeanne feels a deep affinity for the ocean. These two factors combined make seascapes a recurring theme and continuing source of inspiration. Hours spent riding ocean waves give her familiarityand comfort with the movement of ocean water and an enduring fascination with it.