Union artist Kathy Felch will be presenting her “Upcycled and Repurposed” exhibition at Miles Memorial Hospital Hall Gallery Jan. 6 through Feb. 9. The exhibit features 20 wood and linoleum block prints on recycled papers surrounded by repurposed frames. A portion of the sale price for any art sold in this exhibit benefits Miles Memorial Hospital League.

Felch reflects her passion for connecting the past with the present while being resourceful in her work. Says Kathy, “Upcycling discarded items from thrift store shelves stirs my imagination. My process is simple; I use repurposed picture frames to surround my canvases of sheet music, dictionary pages, brown bags or handmade fine papers. I then apply my image, which I carve out of wooden blocks from my kindling pile. Matching these discarded objects with one of my carvings ignites my artistic expression. Each one is unique and breathes new life into the materials that have once been forgotten.”

Originally from New Hampshire, she and her husband moved to Maine to raise their family, where they have remained for over 23 years. She stayed at home to raise her three boys, where she learned to be creative, an approach she applies to her artwork. In 2007, Felch earned a BA in studio art from the University of Maine Augusta, where she studied watercolor painting and was introduced to the art of printmaking. Kathy sometimes mixes the two forms of media together to produce her work. She works from her home studio in Union.

Felch has shown her work at the Danforth Gallery at the University of Maine at Augusta and Bread of Life Kitchen, Augusta; Highlands Cafe, Thomaston; The Badger Cafe, Union; Damariscotta River Arts Gallery, Damariscotta; The Brunswick 10x10 Show, Brunswick; The Local Hub, Locke Mills; The Shy, Novice and Closeted Artist Show and The Elements Gallery, Bethel, Maine.

For further information, contact her by email at kathy.felch@maine.edu.