All it took was a drawing of an apple for Franc Palaia to realize he was going to pursue a career as an artist. As a kindergartner in New Jersey, he impressed his art teacher with his take on a class assignment to draw the piece of fruit.

“The teacher showed us a way to draw an apple to show the illusion of 3-D,” he said. “I did it just as she instructed us, and she held it up and made a big deal about it. It gave me the courage to keep going.” Palaia, 68, has been painting ever since, especially murals, having created approximately 36 in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. A walk along Main Street in Poughkeepsie reveals examples of his work, including his latest project, “Community Portraits.”