A retrospective exhibit by Barbara Rule Traficonte, “Life Inspired,” will open with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, July 8, at the Matolcsy Art Center in Norway. There will be light finger foods and drink.

The retrospective will represent a wide variety of her work dating back to 1952; seventy five years of oil and pastel paintings, graphic arts, pottery, spinning and weavings, collage, bird carvings, needle felting, rug hooking, and more.

Traficonte grew up in Kingston, New Jersey, attended Princeton High School and graduated from Douglass College-Rutgers University with a BFA, minoring in Art Education K-12. After moving with her husband, Arthur and young family to Norway in 1972, she attended continuing education classes at Maine College of Art in Portland. She also mentored with the pastelist, Albert Handel, for two years and took classes from other fine pastel and oil painters throughout the United States. Shortly after she started to teach oil and pastel painting to adults. The saying from John Cotton Dana which hangs in her studio says, “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”

Traficonte has been involved in the Western Maine Art Group in Norway since the mid- 1970s: she first became a member, then sat on the board and later became president of the group. In 1985 she was honored as President Emeritus by the Board of Directors of the WMAG. Barbara was one of the founders of the Main Street Gallery which became part of the Western Maine Art Group.

In 1985 she and her husband opened the 100 Aker Wood Frame Shop and Art Supply Store in Norway. And in 1988 she studied and sat for the Professional Picture Framers Association exam which she passed. Their shop was the first in the state of Maine to have that PPFA status. Their youngest son now owns the 100 Aker Wood store and her husband makes all of the frames for her paintings.

The retrospective will remain on view through July 23 at the gallery from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. daily. Matolcsy Art Center is located at 480 Main St., Norway.