Liz Hoag, a Maine artist, has found beauty in the most simple of pleasures — looking at the amazing play of light and sky as it winds around, in and through the branches of the incredible trees that decorate our entire state. With Acadia National Park as one of her favorite wandering sites, this Portland-based artist finds the quiet and classic Maine and replicates it in a way we all can enjoy. We have all spent time looking up and watching the light play in the web of branches overhead. In all of her work the light is critical to the feeling. After taking photographs on walks around her neighborhood or local trails, she comes back to her studio. This is where the magic happens. Starting with a dark canvas, or negative space, she builds up by adding light. The result is a stained glass image that is both abstract and representational. Hoag says, "Paths, trees, branches, color, light, air, open space, water: we have it all here in Maine. Whether it's looking up at trees in our suburban neighborhoods, driving down country highways, or walking trails to the lakes, streams, and sea, we have a visual peace and quiet within reach. We can find calm and beauty right along the road almost anywhere in Maine." On the other hand, Hoag, who also paints in acrylic, is featuring more of the inland beauty of this area. Steams, brooks, and the enchanting woods have all inspired this Portland artist. Each piece of her work features nature and light interacting in a way that provides a new and different perspective on the everyday surroundings of the natural world. Mother Nature often illuminates her creations in a way only a few stop to notice. Hoag is one of those few.