By Community Contributor
Lorie Bonville Smith (Contributed photo)
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Wintergreen Arts Center will feature a solo show of the artwork of Presque Isle native Lorie Bonville Smith during August.
The exhibit’s opening reception will be held on Aug. 4, 2017, from 6 to 8 p.m. during Presque Isle’s First Friday Downtown Art Walk.
“Use the talents and resources you are blessed with” has been a meaningful life mantra for Bonville Smith. Born in Presque Isle, she married a Canadian and owns and operates Mustard Seed Art Studio and Gallery located at 402 Greenfield Road, Greenfield, New Brunswick.
When she was a child of 10, her parents recognized her passion for art and enabled her to become a prot√©g√© of the late Verna Hedrick. For seven years during after-school lessons with Hedrick, she not only learned the techniques of oil medium painting but was instilled with joie de vivre — joy of living — through art, she said.
To this day, Bonville Smith’s motto is “Paint Happy.” She believes that being at peace with herself and the world around her is the key to creating her best art.
In 2016, after 21 years of working in the healthcare industry, she followed her heart and opened the Mustard Seed Art Studio and Gallery. In her first year, she completed 165 paintings.
Her art varies in styles from realism to impressionistic, modern to abstract. She has recently begun working in a new medium, acrylic with a lacquer finish.
The artist describes herself “like a tree” planted on the Canadian and United States border with roots and branches reaching into both countries — equally loved. Her art sales are split about equally between Canadian and American customers.
Bonville Smith said one recent, Canadian highlight was when the town of Florenceville-Bristol purchased one of her paintings as a gift for New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant during his visit to the area July 15. Nine of her paintings also decorated the Shogomoc Train Museum while the Premier and other dignitaries visited.
When asked to create a solo show of her artwork for display in her hometown of Presque Isle during August, Bonville Smith was thrilled.
“This is icing on the cake this summer,” she said.
