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98 Year-Old Maine Artist Receives USM Distinguished Achievement Award

May 11, 2004

Even as she approaches her 99th birthday, Maine artist Ruth Lepper Gardner, of Southport, continues to attend drawing classes. Gardner spent more than 60 years drawing the Maine coast and recently donated several of her maps to USM's Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education. She has been named a 2004 recipient of the USM Distinguished Achievement Award for her dedication to public service and her contributions to the arts in Maine.

The Distinguished Achievement Award recipient is chosen by the Honorary Degrees and Distinguished Awards Committee for significant scholarly or creative achievements with a strong commitment to public service. USM President Richard Pattenaude is scheduled to present the award at this year's commencement ceremony on May 15, at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland. More than 1,000 graduates and 7,500 audience members are expected to attend.

Born in Massachusetts in 1905, Gardner attended Pembroke, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. After studying drafting, she took a job working for the Navy during World War II where she became interested in mapmaking. Now her cartographic career spans more than 60 years, and her work is celebrated by map collectors nationwide.

She is a current resident of Southport Island, an active member of the Boothbay Region Art Foundation, and has attended summer drawing classes in Boothbay for more than two decades. She was recently honored for her 28 years of service on the town budget committee, having her work featured on the cover of Southport's 2002 Annual Report. Best known for her artistic cartography, Gardner has also owned a small business selling illustrated books and played the cello for a midcoast orchestra.

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