Jeremiah at Portland Head Light painting.

BRIDGTON — Combining reality and imagination, the oil paintings of Jeremiah Gill will be the first guest artist exhibit to be featured at Gallery 302 this season. Jeremiah enhanced his drawing skills at the University of Rochester, and then graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut. He further developed his natural ability to draw by studying technical drawing at Southern Maine Technical College. He was featured at the Island Art Gallery (Kennedy Studios) on Martha’s Vineyard, where his work was displayed and sold until Covid-19 disrupted the gallery.

Jeremiah paints for the pleasure of capturing the feeling of beauty and energy that exists – in people, at the ocean, in the mountains or desert. The idea for a painting comes when he experiences an “aha” moment, but once the painting begins to develop Jeremiah looks into it like it is a real world and pays less attention to what is “out there”. Intent on capturing that fleeting feeling he alters whatever is necessary to achieve it, and often adds things to clarify that feeling, perhaps boats or horses or wildlife or people.

He states, “Big vistas, cozy cottages, shady nooks, they can all entrance us when the light is right and we suddenly awaken. Painting that moment when I feel “Ooohh” is what keeps me excited. Being able to share it with others is a joy, and when I hang it in my home it is like a permanent window into that beauty that I so loved!”

The exhibit will be on view at Gallery 302 (112 Main Street, Bridgton) from May 8th thru June 18th. Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 12 to 4 PM and Friday and Saturday 10 to 5 PM. In lieu of a reception, an online interview with Jeremiah will be aired on Thursday, May 20th at 7 PM on the Gallery 302 Facebook page and can be seen there at any time going forward by clicking the Videos button. For more information about the gallery, visit gallery302.com.