Category Archives: Exhibits

Body of Work Exhibits in December

Debra Woodward

Dine

We dine out not because we are necessarily hungry for food. We are hungry for the experience. Usually this means sharing the experience with others.  Since we are not cooking, serving, or cleaning up, we can focus on our tablemates.  Dining alone can also be a rewarding and meditative experience though, not having to engage in anything but enjoying every bite.

Here you will see Seacoast NH and one from the legendary Taos Diner which I was sad to hear closed last year. I have special memories from all of these places.  I gravitate toward making art with stories, like the Dad having lunch with his daughters at one of my favorite cafés in Kittery and another in Paris where I was watching from the street and it appeared that even though this fellow had apparently been stood up, he moved to a table and allowed the waiter serve him his meal alone. 

During lockdown, not being able to meet friends for a meal out was one of the greatest longings for a lot of us.   It was especially devastating for the restaurants and their workers, which makes it even more satisfying to see them come back from this and to see even more eateries open in this town.  So, get out there and support them!

Gwen Morgan

In creating a body of works for this exhibit I struggled over finding a theme, but my subjects are varied. I hope that the joy I find in creating shines through in these pieces and those who view them find joy.

My favorite medium is watercolor. The wonderful colors, the way the paint and water move on the paper and the joy of negative painting bring life to delicate flowers, rusty old vehicles, special locations and whimsical ideas. Recently I have found a new enjoyment and challenge in creating collages. I never know the direction a piece might take. I usually start with pieces from my gelli prints and arrange them into colorful pieces of art.

I began my studies in art with Elna Delson in Durham followed by a few classes at Plymouth State College and later with Elinor Vaughan, Doris Rice, Jan Kilburn and Danielle Genovese. I have painted with Doris Rice at local venues such as Strawbery Banke as well as Monhegan Island, Provence and Brittan in France, Tuscany in Italy and Ireland and Spain. My paintings hang in collection in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, New York Pennsylvania and Texas.

I am currently retired and am enjoying newfound time to continue to create.

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Body of Work Exhibits in November

Maryclare Heffernan

Tangled Together 

We are all tangled together. The blackberry brambles, miles of wildflowers, grasshoppers, crows, field mice, us. Not a single one of us will survive alone. 

This exhibit is my attempt to capture tendrils of grass around a bird’s nest, a baby lamb waiting for mother’s lunch, the lake harboring fish, frogs, snakes, waterlilies, teeming with life. The evergreen and apple trees, the briny ocean full of creatures. Such simple magnificence in our lives.

I paint what I love to look at, working in oils, watercolors, pencil and ink. I see the world around us filled with untold mystery in the sprays of sea salt, on fat ripe pears with their silver leaves attached, miniature bird nests and delicate lavender violets in the grass.

I arrived late to the creation of art. My learning has been inspired by working with master artists, my two brilliant artist sisters, and by myself.

 My art has been juried into numerous exhibits and displayed in galleries in Portsmouth, and Exeter NH, Ogunquit, Maine and Newburyport, Massachusetts and found in private collections throughout the United States and abroad.  

Kevin Talbot

Life in the ‘Shire

Kevin Daniel Talbot is a local nature photographer and avid hiker who uses his photography to share his love of nature. The photos in this show are the creatures that share this beautiful State of New Hampshire with us.  Over the past thirteen years Kevin  has taken photographs every day and posts on Facebook and his website. He has made eight-day long trips to volunteer at the summit of Mt. Washington (in all seasons) as a cook and housekeeper for the weather station crew.

“Many facets of nature are too small to see clearly. Through the camera lens I can zoom in and stop time to reveal the minute details that would otherwise be missed by the casual observer” states Kevin.  Through his photos he hopes one person might say, “I need to care more about the lesser creatures and the preservation of our world.”

Photographs of the New England hikes he took with his wife and dogs and his Mt. Washington photos can be found at: Ghostflowers.com

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Body of Work Exhibits in October

 Jane Copp

New England Boats 

New England harbors with their ever-changing tides, seagulls, salty air and working boats have always delighted me. Painting the reflections of these vessels upon the ocean and their details has been a source of visual interest. Within these compositions, I endeavor to have some aspect of mystery…whether it is a shape that disappears or a shadow in the distance. I want the viewer to travel through the painting and enjoy the uniqueness of these boats in their locations.

The paintings of the Hudson River School of Art have always been an inspiration …the work of Albert Bierstadt and Martin Johnson Heade in particular. Fitz Henry Lane’s luminous marine paintings are a favorite as well as contemporary painters of boats – William Davis, Todd Bonita, Robert Bolster and Joseph McGurl.

The artworks you see here are done in acrylic paint with either a gloss or matte varnish and have custom made frames. I find acrylic paint to be conducive to the rendering of the fine details seen on boats. Because of the quick drying time of this medium, the many layers of paint can be accurately maintained. I also like the saturated colors and clean edges that can be achieved with acrylics.

Annie Brown                                 

Reigniting The Spark

I was trained as a painter, but six years ago, I picked up a camera and discovered landscape/wildlife photography. While practicing my newfound craft, painting took a back seat, but was always in my heart. Since I found myself spending an abundance of time sitting at beaches, marshes and swamps waiting for wildlife, I began to really study, photograph, and sketch the surrounding landscapes. 

Then after experiencing some health issues last year that left me unable to hit the trails to search for wildlife, a spark of familiarity grew inside me, and I found myself putting paint to canvas once again. But rather than go back to my classical oil painting training, I decided to venture into the medium of acrylics and palette knives!  This body of work is the result of that spark.

It is hard for me to put thoughts about my work into words, but if pressed, I would have to say that painting is closest to my heart, and photography is closest to my soul!  Both are important to me and have played different roles in my life. Capturing my surroundings when all is quiet as the seasons have changed and the visitors have all gone home. These works embrace my love of texture, light and serenity!

Carol Powley has a degree in Fine Art from Rowan University SuMa Cum Laude, 1977. The artist learned to quilt during the 90’s and found that her knowledge of color, design and painting could be adapted to the fiber medium. Carol relocated to Kittery, Maine, in 2007, from New Jersey, where she had exhibited her paintings and Fiber Art throughout New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. She maintains a studio in her home in Kittery, Maine.

A listing of Carol Powley’s recent local shows include: Ayers Loft Gallery, Lowell, Ma. August 2022; Connecting Threads Invitational, Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, N.H. Spring 2022; Project Stitch: BJ Glanville & Carol Powley, Morgan Gallery, Kittery, Me. 2018; Wonderful Women Painters: Kittery Art Association Gallery, Kittery, Me. 2016.

Carol Powley is a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association. Also Kittery Art Association Seacoast Art Association, SAFA Seacoast Area Fine Artists.

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Body of Work Exhibits in September

 Marlene Zychowski

The Joy of Still Life 

My painting style is ever evolving, leaning from realism to impressionism. I work in oils and pastels, painting subjects that make me happy in hopes they will please others as well. My work tends to be “tight” and I am trying to loosen up my approach. Still life (food, florals, found objects) and landscapes are the subjects that interest me, especially the variety of flowers and peonies I grow from my gardens. I enjoy color and use it freely.

I work from life using my own setups and from photos I have taken. I also paint in plein air with local groups and in competitions but prefer the solace and comfort that my well-lit home studio provides. I utilize warm and cool lighting with which I am still experimenting.

As I learn and grow, my still life paintings will become more complex. I have 5 shelves in my studio with interesting objects I’ve collected including colorful glass, pitchers, plates and mugs. I strive for the greatness of Sargent and Hopper and am influenced by contemporaries such as Daniel Keys, Kathleen Dunphy, Alex Kelly and Kathy Anderson.

Carol Powley                                 

Trees, A Sense of Wonder

I am thrilled that the Seacoast Artist Association Gallery, in Exeter, N.H., has presented me with the opportunity to show my 2023 Body of Work: Trees, A Sense of Wonder.

Trees are unique drawings of nature. Each individual branch maintains its own shape, color and design. By machine drawing with silk thread on my painted cotton fabric I am able to express that trees are a harbinger of spring, their buds bursting open with lovely greens and glorious pastels. During the summer you can hear the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. You are rewarded with blazing color in autumn. In winter the trees lift their limbs up to God to pray. “Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.” Kahil Gibran

My free motion machine embroidery on cotton is a spontaneous response to the color, texture, and design of the trees that thrive in our natural environment here in New Hampshire and Maine. I hand paint the surface of white cotton panels with transparent water color paint made specifically to be used on cotton and silk fabrics. My sewing machine is placed in front of my second floor studio window which overlooks a forest of Pine, Oak and Birch trees. The seacoast shore and Great Bay area serve as a background for my tree drawings. I have discovered an art form that I love and am able to apply my education as an artist in order to create beautiful landscapes.

Carol Powley has a degree in Fine Art from Rowan University SuMa Cum Laude, 1977. The artist learned to quilt during the 90’s and found that her knowledge of color, design and painting could be adapted to the fiber medium. Carol relocated to Kittery, Maine, in 2007, from New Jersey, where she had exhibited her paintings and Fiber Art throughout New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. She maintains a studio in her home in Kittery, Maine.

A listing of Carol Powley’s recent local shows include: Ayers Loft Gallery, Lowell, Ma. August 2022; Connecting Threads Invitational, Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, N.H. Spring 2022; Project Stitch: BJ Glanville & Carol Powley, Morgan Gallery, Kittery, Me. 2018; Wonderful Women Painters: Kittery Art Association Gallery, Kittery, Me. 2016.

Carol Powley is a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association. Also Kittery Art Association Seacoast Art Association, SAFA Seacoast Area Fine Artists.

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Body of Work Exhibits in August

  Martin Lamont 

Vicarious Dreams 

As a person who has struggled on and off throughout my life with Agoraphobia and Anxiety, the idea of traveling to other countries again is reduced to hopes and wishes. To see again those places and those birds within my paintings that are only seen in the UK and Europe, is just a dream now. My paintings are a vicarious endeavor to “experience” them again, escapism from my disabling reality while “jailed” in my home, and therefore, the theme of my show is “Vicarious Dreams”.

I’m a self-taught artist inspired mainly by the works of the Impressionists.  All my life, I was a follower of the visual arts, admiring the great works in museums and galleries around the world, during personal and business travels.  As a retired Mechanical Engineer from England, the career long pursuit of perfection and accuracy within my Engineering work seems so ingrained that I find myself trying too hard in my painting to achieve a sense of realism. I therefore would describe myself as either a realist impressionist or an impressionist realist. 

Until I retired, I had always wanted to give oil painting a try but was always too busy with life. Now, since attempting my first oil painting in July 2021, I haven’t looked back and find myself addicted to the creative process, spending many hours every week at my easels.

Angela Branon                                 

Coastal Memories

My family immigrated to the US when I was five years old. I became intrigued with
exploring family history through my art while looking at old family photos.
One of my fondest memories was the long drive from my central Massachusetts home
to the coast of New Hampshire to spend a day at the beach.
The draw of the beach continues to be one of life’s pleasures to this day. I have
explored coasts from the US, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa with family
and close friends. There is just something about the tidal rhythms and the sound of
lapping waves that never fails to calm and relax. It’s no surprise I chose to retire to the
New Hampshire coast.
These paintings represent memories of family, friends and moments of serenity that is
unique to time spent on the beach. But the ocean can also represent a powerful force
of nature as seen after a nor’easter crashes through in all her majesty.

“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”

TS Eliot

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Body of Work Exhibits in July

 Natasha Dikarena    

Wishing You Blue Sky

As I submerge in the stories and struggles currently unfolding from my motherland Ukraine, I feel determined to create sculptures that serve as symbols of hope, resilience, and unity. Each piece embodies a longing for a peaceful scene, where the clouds of war disperse, revealing a serene and boundless blue sky. Hands serve as symbols of healing from the wounds of war, both physical and emotional. Birds remind us that even in the face of disaster, there is always the possibility of renewal and the arrival of good tidings. The all-seeing eyes incorporated into hands and birds watch over us, representing wisdom and protection. These eyes remind us that we are never alone in our pursuit of healing, as they guide us towards a brighter future. This exhibition is an homage to the incredible resilience of my fellow Ukrainians and a tribute to the power of compassion during difficult times. Through my art, I hope to not only shed light on the ongoing war in Ukraine but also to highlight the strength and beauty that persist amidst the turmoil. I hope that one day, our collective dreams for a peaceful future will be realized, and we will bask under the embrace of a radiant blue sky.

Janice Leahy                                  

In Somnis Veritas:  In Dreams There is Truth

I wanted to be different, a bit of a non-conformist.  I like edgy art; I’m not attached to any one
particular theme. Therefore, my work is a mixed bag of this and that. I’m attracted to bold
colors, working with profiles or abandoned buildings; interior and exterior. There is something
that makes one look deeper at those images.  I consider this my darker contemporary phase. 
I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a child.  I studied business in college for economic
purposes (though I was accepted at two art colleges).  I did take the one-off class for art in
addition to business class but never completed any art degree.
​My work has been shown at NE Galleries.  I am a member of the Seacoast Art Association in
Exeter, NH, the Nashua Art Association in Nashua, NH and the Salem Art Association in Salem,
MA.  My work was published in the Apero Fine Art Catalogue (Oct. 2018).
Grief took over when I lost my spouse in 2019 and son in 2020.  I switched my primary medium
from Oil to Acrylic. Both losses have been difficult but also inspirational to me through my faith.
I am thankful for every day I breathe.  I believe my works reflect that.

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Body of Work Exhibits in June

Dave Turbide     

Capturing the Dunes: An Everchanging Vista

“I love to walk on the beach early in the morning and late in the afternoon when erosion control fences (we used to call them snow fences), dunes and plant life create an ever-changing vista and unique visual images to photograph and later paint.

“I’ve painted enough sand dunes and erosion control fences to run out of clever names, so now I merely number them. I have long been intrigued by the movement of sand along the beach over time as wind and waves conspire to create infinitely varied patterns and configurations. The fences contribute to that evolution by interrupting the smooth wind currents creating more swirls and hills (dunes). Then the sea grass takes root, providing more swirls and capturing individual grains into micro-dunes. Finally, in early morning and late afternoon the sun provides the lighting that brings all this motion into view. And it is always changing. One can visit the same spot, day after day and at various times of day, and enjoy natures continually changing artwork.” 

Dave started painting with watercolors when he was about 60 and learned much about painting from Doris Rice workshops here at SAA.   A week-long “intensive” class with Todd Bonita in 2019 added oils to Dave’s repertoire. The transition to acrylics occurred naturally from there.

Linn Stilwell                                  

Naturally Curious:  The Character of Wildlife

When I was photographing wildlife, my goal was to get a really well-composed photo with enough detail that you really felt you were viewing the special attributes of a particular animal or bird.  As I began to paint wildlife, I became much more interested in providing a view into their character, so moved from wanting to record a particular animal or bird to delving into their character on another level. See them toss their heads, preen feathers, curl their furry tails right around and over a cold nose, and you will know that is what life is like for them.

As a painter I have an ability to entice the viewer to look at a painting on another level, to gaze into the eyes of a bird, to detect the shift of feathers, the vapor coming off the back of a sheep in the morning air, to note that an owl stands firm in a storm torn landscape despite being threatened.

These things are important to us as we humans try to do what we can for the environment and for one another despite being threatened by storms. These images were chosen especially for this show to bring out your curiosity, just as mine has been enlivened, and look deeper into the natural world.

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Body of Work Exhibits in April

Marcia Trahan
Taking the Long View

For as long as I have been painting, landscapes and big skies have drawn me in. I may set out to create a scene with a closer horizon, but inevitably the question of what’s beyond that hill, field, or tree intrigues both me and my paintbrush and off we go to find out.

As a native New Englander and recent transplant to New Hampshire my heart and mind are full of beautiful images and lovely palettes with which to experiment. Many of my paintings begin with a reference photo or sketch of a scene and then morph into something imagined or intuited. My preference is to work in oil as I love the richness, depth of color and versatility I find in this medium.  I’m mostly self-taught, but have taken classes with Amy Brnger, Kathleen Robbins, and Erin Spencer of late. Having such an inspiring arts community on the Seacoast has brightened many a day and helped me meet the challenges of these last several years with a sense of purpose and optimism.

Whether I’m painting in my home studio space or attempting to capture a moment in plein air, for me, the unique characteristics of each brush stroke and mix of color present both challenges and satisfactions in equal measure.

Ellen Kingsbury
Nothing But Blue Skies

I am a life-long hiker, skier and tennis player who loves being outside in all kinds of weather. As I have learned and enjoyed making art, I have especially enjoyed painting and collaging skies, clouds and the light. This show highlights my recent work here I have spent time in Plein Air as well as working with cut paper and collage.

I have been drawing and painting for 15 years and have studied with many teachers over the years. I don’t make any one kind of art. I have loved drawing the figure and have been in figure drawing groups for 10+ years. 
I love working in encaustic and once set up my garage with all the equipment needed to make encaustic paintings.  I have enjoyed collage and have bags of printed papers in boxes with scissors and glue. There are some times when I paint sharp edges with acrylics and other times when I use loose washes of watercolor for an abstract piece. I love printing with Gelli plates and creating funky designs for collage or a get-well card for a friend.
I’m not sure if the journey will end with expertise in representational art or whether I’ll make a big name for myself in abstract expressionism, but I know that along the way I’m having a ball!

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Body of Work Exhibits in March

RSBense
Isolation and Inspiration

These hauntingly familiar, otherworldly pieces were born out of the isolation experienced from the recent pandemic. The stay-at-home guidelines gave me lots of time to create. While I was cleaning and organizing my studio, I stumbled across some strangely sized ultra-high quality watercolor paper. In keeping with my New England roots, I just had to find a way to use it. Thus, this series of long and skinny landscapes was born. 

As usual, I am engaged in the process and not really doing any deep thinking. I am just playing around. I taped off a section of the paper for the “real” art and used the sides to test my colors. I was being particular about the testing, making deliberate areas of color. I was taking a class with Doris Rice, and she saw it and said, “Those look like remarques.” I quipped “What is a remarque?” It turns out that artists will sometimes paint in the margins of the print, thereby creating a remarque. “Cool,” I thought, and I kept doing my color studies on the sides of the pieces.  I then took the body of work to the framer, and I have to thank Rob at The Gilded Edge Frame Shop for telling me to keep these remarques in the framed piece. I am sure I would have covered them up! 

Judy Arnold
For Granted

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. So Joni Mitchell told us, and as I age, those words ring even truer. Change is constant and inevitable. But what once progressed at a sluggish creep, now assaults us at an epic pace. The cost and availability of goods. The state of our union. Restaurant survival. Ease of travel. Sustainability of our planet. Shifting politics. The past few years have raised the curtain on so much that I once took for granted. It makes my head spin.

When a building and business that I loved and depended on was suddenly lost to fire, personal change was thrust upon me, leading to a new appreciation of the every day places in my world. I began to look at everything around me with fresh eyes, and questioned my assumptions that familiar sights would be everlasting. They won’t.

Basements of some Strawbery Banke Museum buildings are sustaining water damage from the rising sea and crumbling. Almost thirty 80-year old trees in a Portsmouth neighborhood are being removed to install new sidewalks. Large residential developments are rising like mushrooms all over Southern New Hampshire.

Each day I pass by pastoral scenes, antique barns, quirky shops and centuries old homes. I practice appreciation of those sights which bring me joy — and I take nothing for granted.

Judy Arnold is a proud lifelong NH resident and UNH graduate. Retired from an engineering career, she now pursues buying and selling antiques. Her photography journey began with some blurry B&W Instamatic snapshots in the 1960s.

During the 2020 Lockdown, Judy found the time and inspiration to begin more serious study and practice of photography. She enjoys capturing New England scenes, details of the nautical lifestyle and new takes on the mundane.

Combining her passions for antiques and photography has led to a growing collection of vintage camera lenses. Her favorite is a 1930s Russian collapsible Fed 50mm lens with a red star on the lens cap. The timeless images from Polaroid-style film are a growing area of interest.  One of Judy’s images can be found in the Portsmouth 400th Anniversary 2023 calendar.

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Body of Work Exhibits in February

Skip Berrien
Mainely Maine

My approach to painting continually evolves and is often experimental. Here I present essentially two bodies of work…one largely blue and crisp while the other is dominated by the red underpainting using a softer brush. Each evokes a different atmosphere…at least for me and maybe for you as well.

About 20 years ago while out on Monhegan, I contemplated painting as I approached retirement from medicine. I have never regretted that inspiration which has permitted me to experiment with color, composition, texture and modes of expression.

These particular paintings reflect our summers in Downeast Maine where my wife and I enjoy the vigor and solitude of the coast as well as the character of the region. The adventure with paint continues as I explore the “still lives” of nature and find expression for the spaces we pass through and inhabit.

Kathy Statires
Fresh of the Boat: Painting Along the New England Coast

After retiring from teaching art for many years, I had the desire to focus on my own artwork. Since I enjoy the outdoors, painting as a plein air artist made sense. I’ve been painting outdoors for the past six years.

My husband always had a boat at the ocean, so I’ve been in love with painting from his boat. Then, of course, looking at other subjects close to the ocean. Most of my paintings have water in some part of my works of art.

I paint with oils but also enjoy working with pastels and watercolors. When I’m outside, planning my composition, I usually start with some thumbnail sketches before drawing on my canvas. Then I visualize and paint an underpainting showing the different values. Adding color is my last step, and if I don’t have time to finish it, I’ll take notes on mixing my colors for completion. Most often I finish my paintings in my home studio.

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