“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse

Why the arts?: Regularly, I talk with people that have definite opinions on the importance of the arts – visual, musical, theater, culinary, and so on. Many seem to delight in and thrive on taking part in an artistic pursuit, such as playing a musical instrument, painting, or acting in community theater, whether they are professionals or amateurs. Many others seem to feel similarly fulfilled and excited about being part of the audience for such creative, expressive endeavors.

Representing the beauty of Maine: Lovely Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, in Boothbay, has been honored for its breathtaking beauty by being chosen by the U.S. Postal Service as one of the 10 garden venues nationwide to be featured in its 2020 American Gardens series of first-class Forever stamps.

Follow her anywhere: Whitefield’s Sheepscot General on any given Friday evening is a busy, fun place, in large part due to the fact that Fridays from 5-8 p.m. are Pizza Night, the one night each week when one can partake in the sourdough-crusted gloriousness topped with fresh (and often delightfully interesting) ingredients that is Sheepscot General’s regionally famous pizza.

“The less there is to look at, the more important it is that we look at it closely and carefully. This is critical to abstract art. Small differences make all the difference.” – Kirk Varnedoe, “Pictures of Nothing: Abstract Art Since Pollock”

Masterful work: Open since July, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts’ new building in Edgecomb, the Joan Pearson Watkins House, houses an art gallery. Currently, the gallery is hosting an exhibit titled “Masters and Apprentices,” featuring the work of master basket, wood, blockprint, assemblage, and jewelry artists and their apprentices.

Wanting to see less plastic: I like hanging out with Damariscotta artist Marnie Sinclair. Every so often, the enthusiastic Sinclair just pops up on my arts radar and we chit-chat about her latest project – always, it seems, focused on the environment.

Appreciating subtlety: Mathias Fine Art, in the Boothbay village of Trevett, had been on my radar for some time before my recent visit there, due to the intriguing nature of its shows and its intriguing location as a village I had not yet visited in the Boothbay region.

Reveling in ragtime: OK, if the likability and enthusiasm of Alna composer and ragtime pianist Aaron Robinson, whom I met for the first time on Thursday, Sept. 26 at Alna General Store, is any indication of the likability and top-notch quality of the upcoming Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue in Camden on Saturday, Oct. 5 (and I believe it is), I say, “Go see it!!!” (That is with three exclamation marks, to be clear.)

Reveling in island time at Kefauver: Last week, I reviewed Damariscotta painter Will Kefauver’s fine little solo show at Rising Tide Co-op in this newspaper. In my review, I mentioned that Kefauver has a multi-artist show called “Monhegan and the Islands” up at his gallery in Damariscotta, Kefauver Studio & Gallery.