Bob Arsenault Watercolor Exhibit to Open at Historical Museum

By Lawrence Furbish, President, Sanford-Springvale Historical Society

At its annual meeting on Sept. 26, the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society will open a new exhibit of watercolor paintings by the late Bob Arsenault, who painted thousands of works of public buildings, homes, landscapes and other subjects in the area.

Bob, who died in 2018, was a veteran, a musician and music store owner who only began painting after retirement. He painted landmarks in Sanford and nearby towns. He sold many of his paintings but also gave some away to friends and acquaintances. A number of real estate brokers in town had a close relationship with Bob and gave his paintings to sellers to remember their homes.

Bob’s paintings have a feather-like touch and a vivid sense of color, light, and shadow. He felt that shadows were like musical notes that gave each painting his unique touch. Watercolor is one of the most demanding and difficult artistic mediums and despite being essentially self-taught, Bob truly mastered it.

Born in 1931 and raised in Springvale, Bob once joked that the fact that he was born on Friday the 13th and his mother was born on Halloween probably explained a lot about him. His first artistic endeavors at age nine were in music, as a percussionist. He later graduated from the U.S. Navy School of Music in Washington, DC, and played in an 18-piece band. He also performed for many years in dance bands. When he was 55, his wife told him he needed a hobby and gave him a set of watercolors. And, as they say, the rest was history.

The basement of his home became his studio and gallery. He worked at a drafting table with a light and shower curtains hung on each side to protect the walls from the splashes of water and paint. He mostly painted from photographs and told his daughter he painted what he wanted to, even if it wasn’t exactly the same as what he saw. A bush or flowers that weren’t there might be added or some item he didn’t like dropped. That is what is referred to as artistic license.

The exhibit will open at 5 pm after a short Historical Society business meeting at the museum, 505 Main St. in Springvale. Bob’s daughter Michele McCarthy will speak about her father and a reception will follow. All are cordially invited.