WASHINGTON VILLAGE — The Gibbs Library will feature the work of Maine painter John Lovejoy from Thursday, September 5 through Tuesday, November 6.

John Lovejoy, a Maine native, has been drawing and painting for the last 20 years. He started by taking night classes from Stan Keirstead of Farmington, doing realistic watercolors of Maine landscapes. Studying with Selena Shields of Boothbay, Marni Lawson of Waldoboro, and Ronal Parlin of Farmington, also took place. Since then, he has expanded to using acrylics, painting the things he loves, like his cat and cats in general.

He has been fascinated by the Northwest Indian Art of Vancouver, BC and Vancouver Island, BC, particularly the Totem art visited and drawn in person while on a 2015 road trip across the U.S. and Canada. Love for the American Indian petroglyphs, which were visited on a road trip across the U.S. in 2004, are important inspirations, according to the Library, in a news release.

Lately, he has been interested in the art of Keith Herring and Jean Michel Basquiat, and Steven Wheeler, one of the American “Indian Space Painters.” Bernard Langlais, Louise Nevelson, Sandy Calder, Andrew Wyeth, Mike Stiler (Monhegan), Chris Van Dusen, Gary Larsen, Dean Mitchell (New Orleans) and the American and European Impressionists have had a great impact on the work.

“In my heart, I feel like I’m and improviser, whether playing, guitar, piano or doing art,” said Lovejoy, in the release. “I enjoy multiple media for expression. I have to thank the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland, Maine for being a big influence on my work and for their friendly openness in their free, first Saturday of each month, art class. That class has inspired much of the acrylic work I’ve done of late. With special thanks to the kind, insightful instructors of this class, present, and past: Alexis Iammarino, Lisa Morgan, Sandy Weisman, and Marcie Bronstein. Also, thanks to CMCA’s director, Suzette McAvoy, and to the CMCA board for their gracious support of this class and for supporting contemporary art in Maine.

“I’d like to thank the Washington, Maine Library and Bo Marks for giving me the chance to exhibit in such a “cool little town” like Washington, just off Route 17, on Route 220. I look forward to seeing all who come to the opening of the show and hope those who come to view during and after that time, have some fun!”

The Gibbs Library is located at 40 Old Union Road, in Washington Village and is open on Monday, 4 -7 p.m.; Tuesday, 9 - noon and 4 - 7 p.m.; Thursday, 3 - 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 - 5 p.m.

For questions, contact the Gibbs Library at (207) 845-2663.