To watercolorist Marjorie Whipple, art is about dedication, learning and perfection, but most of all to have fun. As a professional artist, Whipple’s work has been displayed for three consecutive years at the Festival of Art at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast, and featured in local newspapers promoting the festival.  For the next two months, Whipple is among the artists featured at the Valley Arts Alliance Showcase at the offices of Sebasticook Valley Weekly on Main Street in Newport.  As a member of VAA, she has participated in several local shows hosted by the still-growing local arts group. She also has paintings for sale at Mainely Crafts, 445 Corinna Rd, Dexter, Me, now through Christmas.

“I’m inspired by the beauty of Maine’s landscape, vibrant colors, sunrises, sunsets, everything that I think, would be a watercolor the right person would enjoy, no matter what the subject.”
      Starting from a passion for photography and capturing photos of her beloved Maine landscapes, she graduated to painting first as a hobby for retirement. She especially enjoys capturing nature as scenes, birds and flowers and more. Lacking formal training, she joined a hobby class at a local YMCA, but ultimately found a mentor, Micki White, a retired professional artist from Camden who was struck by her eagerness to learn.

      “She shared with me all of her training, that cost her thousands of dollars and many workshops,” Whipple said of the experience. “I was taught to not only paint, but to mat and frame my work for gallery showing. In just six months, I had watercolors for sale in the Northport Landing Gallery in Northport, Me.”
      Her work has been for sale at The Moosepoint Traders in Belfast and still at Northport Landing Gallery in nearby Northport. In August of 2007, she was the featured artist for the month at the Winslow Public Library in Winslow, Me. She is also booked to be a feature artist of the month at Thomas College in Waterville in 2008.
      Whipple resides in Palmyra with her husband, Nelson, and is mother to three children and grandmother to five. She can be reached at 938-2995 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
      “I would advise anyone that had an interest in any form of art, not to hesitate, but to go ahead and do it. I did, and I will always be grateful to my artist friend for bringing out my talents, something I never knew that I had.”

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