LEWISTON, ME — The Woman’s Hospital Association (WHA) Rotating Art Gallery at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is proud to display the paintings of Cathy Chappell and Anita Poulin.

Cathy Chappell, a retired CPA, has transformed her love of photography into new outlets for creativity including iris folding which is the focus of her exhibit this month. Iris folding is a paper craft technique that involves folding strips of colored paper to form a design. The center of the design forms an iris—a shape reminiscent of the iris diaphragm of a camera lens. Using animals for her inspiration, she creates pictures with this intricate folding technique. From dinosaurs to unicorns, foxes and bears to elephants, all are on display.

Poulin is a well-known local artist who comes from three generations of artists who have painted scenes of Maine for nearly a century. The owner of GreenWood Gallery, which she founded in 2013, she loves living in a state where “the north light we experience brings out the rich colors” of the natural world. Although her preferred medium for over 40 years has been acrylic, she continues to grow and explore new means of expression, highlighting her versatility as an artist.

The works on display may be purchased through the WHA Gift Shop located adjacent to the main lobby at Central Maine Medical Center. A percentage of sale proceeds benefits patients of CMMC.

 “Elephant” by Cathy Chappell (photograph supplied by artist)