Artists and art lovers gathered for Art in the Park in Mill Creek Park in South Portland on Saturday. The annual event provides artist with a chance to display and sell their best work. "It’s just great," said artist Sandy Conlogue. "All year you paint and you get a chance to show your work. It means a lot to me.” Artists say their artwork acts as a conversation starter during the show, giving them a chance to talk about their work with fellow artists and locals. The opportunity was especially welcome after years of isolation and for some artists, it was their first show since before the pandemic.“Since COVID I haven’t had a show or been able to interact with people around my work and one of my favorite things is to be able to be around art and be able to talk to people about it," said artist Marie Ahern. " It’s really fun.” Artists set up there tents around the center of the park, providing colorful views at every turn. The artists who participated were all unique, presenting original paintings, drawings and photographs in a range of styles. All the artists also had an opportunity to enter a competition. “It introduces me personally to a lot of artists that I’ve never seen before and that’s always very inspiring," said competition judge Nancy Davidson. Some of the artists were returning for their 20th year and newer artists were just joining the show for the first time. “I just love the idea that so many people are involved in making art," said competition judge Bruce Brown. "Maine is a very special place for artists and always has been. There was a common theme that ran through the show. Many of the artists drew inspiration from their surroundings, displaying bodies of work that pay tribute to Maine. “We’ve got a really vibrant artist culture here that people should really take advantage of," said shopper Joe Hyland. Art is part of the fabric of Maine culture and Art on the Park highlights and celebrates that, connecting artists with art lovers who take pride in hanging local art on their walls. “I just really enjoy that a lot of the art that we have in our house comes from local artists," said Hyland. Art in the Park takes place on the second Saturday in August every year. WMTW is a proud sponsor of the event.