ROCKLAND — Carver Hill Gallery in Rockland will host a talk and book signing by Belfast artist David Estey on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. His new book is a humorous, illustrated memoir called Whoop and Drive 'er – Growing up in Aroostook County, Maine.

The book features many of  Estey's paintings with the stories.  Estey also has several pieces on exhibit in the current gallery show "Us and Them," which will hang until November 3.

The author describes the book as a labor of love, a personal piece of Americana about colorful family members, friends, characters and situations he experienced while growing up in Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle, Belfast and during 42 years away.

Although the unique memoir begins in Aroostook, he includes his years at Crosby High School in Belfast, going to Rhode Island School of Design, studying art in Italy for a year, illustrating four years for the army, doing public affairs for IRS, dealing with the news media, living in the South, enjoying a second career as an artist, and his return to Belfast in 2002.

The book is endorsed on the back cover by Carl Little, distinguished poet and author of several books on Maine painting, and Kathryn Olmstead, editor of Echoes magazine and a columnist for Bangor Daily News.

Little wrote, in part, "In this entertaining and often moving memoir ... vintage photographs and Estey's portraits and paintings are the perfect accompaniment to a storyline that will leave you laughing and inspire a tear or two."

Olmstead wrote, in part, "David's memoir is laced with humor and filled with anecdotes that make it a tribute to small-town America."

The 144-page memoir is an art book with 41 photos or drawings and paintings he did over the years. It will be available at the Gallery, some local bookstores, and directly from the author.