Art in the Square.

That's a 12” x 12” square by the way, and what local and regional artists transform those canvas squares into is quite brilliant. Media range from oils and watercolors to acrylics and casein, mixed media to paper mache and tissue paper.

When the show opened Nov. 25, a.k.a. Black Friday, 30 of the 200 paintings that started the show flew out the door. Before the opening reception for the show on Dec. 3, a.k.a. Harbor Lights, folks were flocking in — and buying. Eric and Saundra Neperud purchased five squares to adorn the walls of the rooms at their business, the Wiscasset Woods Lodge on Route 1. 

“This is the first time we've been to this show,” said Saundra. “We're looking for some art to brighten up the rooms.”

Eric said he they were attracted to the texture and brightness of the five they selected, in addition to the subjects.

Others perusing the squares had a wide variety of styles to choose from — realism, abstract, impressionism, surrealism and the whimsical. Subjects ranging from birds, trees (man those winter scenes with birch trees are popular!), farm animals (there's a darling cow and charming hen ...), landscapes, flowers, night skies, ocean scenes, ships, geometrics, pets, and brightly colored fish toasting with wine at a lovely bistro table (yep, pretty whimsical wouldn’t you say?!)

The response to the show has been overwhelming this year. June Campbell Rose, a BRAF board member, said the demand had been so great from the outset that the Art Foundation upped the total number of paintings each artist could submit from four to six. On Dec. 3, there were a few that had signs bearing the words “wet paint!” (One of those was a Maria Boord.)

Who are the artists contributing work for this show, a fundraiser for BRAF scholarship programs and the sponsorship of the annual spring student art show? Check it out: Sylvia Kraemer, Thomas Block, June Elderkin, Judy Nixon, Frieda Hanlon, Brooke Pacy, Mark T. Reilly, Sally Giddings Smith, Jean Kigel, Kay Miller, Sharon Ryan, Ken Carlson, Linda Morrison Wacholtz, Betsy Bisson, Jennifer Litchfield, Polly Steadman, June Campbell Rose, Sarah Wilde, Star Perkins, Carol Smith, Joyce Eames Steel, Ann Hedgcock, Suzanne Norton, Leecia Price, Bruce MacDonald, Jerry Maxwell, Bill Duncan, Penny Markley, Bruce Burnham, Livy Glaubitz, Franciska Needham, Teddi-Jann Covell, Mark Mellor, Susie Porter, Barbara Bean, John Butke, Bob Rose, Maria Boord, Merlin Smith, Jane Bowman, Jean Webster, Jane Bowman, Carole Patrovea, Catherine Eagleson, Kristen March, Judith Conlan, Scott White, Fran Scannell, Virginia Forrest, Herb Smith, Marcia Brandwein, Betsy Palmer, Hilary E. Bartlett, Kathleen March, Maria Doelp, Sarah Greenier, Nathan Campbell, Sondra L. Dunn, Kim Despres Villard, Suzanne L. Jones, Ron Johnson, Bill Duncan, Colleen Snow, Kay Miller, Marie Biddeford, Lois J. Lepisto, Lou Landry, Richard E. Plunkett, Darcey Crandell, Judith McKenna, Geoff Bladon, Luise von Keuren, Roberta Goschke, Donald Kerr and Eileen Kerr.

By Sunday, Campbell Rose said 100 squares had definitely been sold. Maybe more. As of Monday she hadn't had time to get a final count.

Saturday alone, and just the second day of the show, people were there to buy. You could sense it, sometimes as soon as they walked through the door. One gentleman was so impressed with some of June Elderkin's works he had to buy two and was considering another. He had put the two aside and went out of the gallery for a short bit. He came back to buy the third Elderkin — but it was gone! He told Campbell Rose he'd better get the two still in hand before they were swept up, too.

Another customer was overheard to say, “These are so charming and at this size and this price you can always fit one or two in somewhere.”

“We had a good bunch of people in here Saturday and Sunday,” Campbell Rose said. “As of Sunday (the 4th) we’d sold 105, which was above our final total for last year. And. Harbor Lights was just bigger, much bigger and better than last year. There were so many people around town. It was wonderful!”

Yes, $25 of each $100 square goes toward BRAF's programming, scholarship fund and sponsorship of the annual spring student art show. The rest is for the artists.

The Art in the Square reception is also the time BRAF announces the People's Choice from its ARTinME show held in October. BRAF Board Member Sally Giddings Smith announced that the distinction went to an artist from South Bristol, Alice de Mauriac. The People's Choice Award comes with a $500 prize, donated again this year by the Knickerbocker Group.

Art in the Square runs through Jan. 10, 2017. The gallery is open Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. BRAF is located at One Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor.