Cushing resident Jeff Epstein will present on his more than 30 years' painting, July 9, at 7 p.m., at the Meeting House on Hathorne Point Road. While working on his MFA at Brooklyn College in the early 90s, he was encouraged to paint on-site by Lois Dodd and John Walker. Prior to that he had been working in the studio from drawings, photographs, and memory. The directness of the experience was thrilling to him and gradually he was able to use the smaller paintings as studies for larger work done in the studio. In this way he was able to retain some sense of the initial immediacy.

The summer after graduation, Lois Dodd invited Epstein and another student to Maine for a painting visit. They soon met neighbors John Wissemann and Nancy Wissemann-Widrig and would go out painting together, often at night. He would like to express his gratitude for the kindness and generosity they all showed him while he learned about bug spray, flashlights, wearing enough clothing for the chilly Maine evenings, community, and envisioning a life in art.

That was thirty years ago. He came back every summer to paint and on one such visit, bought a house down the road from Lois and Nancy. He recently retired from his college teaching career and looks forward to more time to paint and be in Maine.

The same evening, the Cushing Historical Society will recognize two other Cushing artists, who happen to be mentors of Epstein's: Lois Dodd and Nancy Wissemann-Widrig.