Cindi Lagoudakis was the featured artist in Miele Gallery and Framing shop last week, as she displayed about 70 paintings that took a "couple years to finish," she said.

Lagoudakis mingled with a group at the opening Friday evening, discussing her contrast with colors, different tactics she uses to draw and the inspiration behind it all: the forest.

"I've worked for the Forest Service for 26 years," Lagoudakis said. "Clearly the natural world is something of interest to me."

The mayor is a hobbyist painter and said she feels proud to be in Petersburg, where art is abundant and appreciated,...