BANGOR – When you walk into the Howat family dining room, you’re actually walking into an art studio. The beautiful oak table is scantily covered with an oil cloth, while tubes of paint are lined up waiting for the next dab of a paint brush.

This is the calming environment 17-year-old Michael Howat created that helped him expand his resume to include a recent exhibit at Cafe Nouveau.

Howat got the idea of showcasing his work from frequenting a local frame shop, and the cafe was his first inquiry.

“I saw his work and just wanted to support his passion,” said Leslie Thistle of Cafe Nouveau, “and this encourages him.”

The recognition is what any budding artist can use.

“It’s difficult to be an artist. Sometimes you need a bit of encouragement. You can really get down on yourself and question yourself as you’re still developing and trying to become what you want to be,” says the Bangor High School junior.

It was a win-win situation for Howat and the cafe. Thistle said while the 17-year-old was the perhaps the youngest artist to display work at the cafe, the exhibit created a great opportunity for the entire community.

“It certainly was an advantage for me as well, because it gave me beautiful art to display and something new every month.”

For Howat, it was a great barometer, not to mention a morale booster.

“I was surprised in many respects to be offered the chance to display,” he said. “I have the inner confidence but the outer part me always questions my worth. This opportunity certainly helped me get a better grasp of where my art stands.”

During the busyness of a typical teen life – school, job, personal growth -Howat has discovered the paint brush as an identifying tool.

“I think the paint brush helps him focus his energy,” said his dad, Greg Howat. “When he was little, he would spend hours with LEGOs and devoted hours and hours on projects. I think that focus does have a calming effect. We marvel at what he is able to do, and I ask him at times, ‘how do you translate what you see to images on paper?’ and he says, ‘I just do it.’ I guess that’s the gift our son has.”

Bangor High art teacher Kal Elmore also was quick to recognize the teen’s talent.

“He’s ready for more complex ideas in his art and wants to hear what people have to say,” she said. “He considers your comments carefully and incorporates these suggestions into his pieces.”

Howat appreciates the prodding.

“She has inspired me like no other art teacher and she always pushes and challenges me,” he said.

Evidence of Howat’s ability to conquer challenges hangs throughout the family’s home. His mom, Marty, offers a walking narrative, pointing to one of the portraits that hung in the den and then became part of the exhibit at Cafe Nouveau.

“I’m actually amazed at his artistic ability,” said Marty Howat, who remembers the short stint her son had with private art lessons. Brief though it was, the youngster apparently pulled away a great deal of knowledge and growth with his talent and his personal desire to excel.

“He’s very detailed oriented and so much of his talent is self-taught, because if you were to see his portraits from a couple of years ago to what he’s doing now, it’s absolutely amazing,” she said. “He has even used an anatomy book to help him with faces, and has an e-mail exchange going with an artist whose work he admires.”

Howat’s work has been appreciated over the years in Bangor High School’s Mosaic publication, art displays at the Bangor Mall, City Hall, and even in other states as art teachers have shared his talents.

“I got the idea to get some exposure and feel like my art has meaning, while at the same time I am able to give back to the community,” said the teen, who was excited for people to see his nine pieces on display – three portraits and six landscapes.