AUGUSTA — The official portrait of outgoing Republican Gov. Paul LePage was unveiled Thursday at the State House during an informal ceremony attended by the governor, members of his Cabinet and staff and other supporters.

LePage had his daughter, Lauren LePage and his son, Paul LePage Jr., pull back the curtains on the $25,000 portrait painted by Rockport artist Ken Hendricksen. LePage selected Hendricksen for the portrait and expressed satisfaction with the final product, saying, “It’s good. I like it.”

Hendricksen, a self-taught artist who grew up in Limestone, said LePage was easy to work with. LePage selected the Blaine Study, in the governor’s mansion, as the setting for the portrait. Hendricksen said it took about 300 hours to complete the portrait.

The work, purchased with money from the governor’s contingency fund, becomes part of the official collection of the Maine State Museum and will hang on the third floor of the State House in the lobby between the House of Representatives and Senate chambers, along with portraits of other recent Maine governors.

Gov. Paul LePage stands with his official portrait Thursday during an unveiling ceremony in Augusta. (Kennebec Journal photo by Andy Molloy)