Martha McAndrew is shown with a portrait she did of her father, Eugene McAndrew, who served in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Martha McAndrew of Clarks Green has been selected as the August Artist of the Month at Dunmore Activity Hub.

She  has been painting for 10 years and began studying art formally in 2011 with Al Ondush, who serves as an inspiration for her.

She began painting after she retired in 2002 as administrator of the Primary Health Center in Scranton at the age of 75.

Martha then served on the board of directors of the Center until she resigned this year at 85 years of age. She is extremely proud that the Center has provided 875,000 medical and dental services since it was begun 40 years ago, in 1978.

Her featured painting this month is a portrait of her father, Eugene McAndrew, who served in the U.S. Army during World War I. Martha chose to use a photo of her father taken in 1918 at an Army camp in Jacksonville, Fla., for the Hometown Heroes Project in Dunmore.

“Then I decided to paint the picture in order to honor my dad in my home,” she explains. Mr. McAndrew died in the year 2000 at the age of 94, having always loved the USA and its flag.

As in this painting, Martha finds a lot of her painting ideas “from life.”

“I paint a great variety of subjects–animals, landscapes, ultra modern buildings, Victorian mansions, anti-gun posters, Christmas, Easter and birthday cards, still lifes and cathedrals,” she says.

She finds the painting class at Dunmore Activity Hub “very relaxed and friendly.”

“Jill Swersie, our instructor, is very helpful and makes fine suggestions to each of us on her work. Her hints are very positive and helpful,” she notes

Martha points out, “There is something for everyone at the Hub. The variety of classes and activities is quite amazing. Allison Boga, the director, runs a very organized,–yet very friendly–‘ship’.”