The Seacoast Artist Association is a group of artists and people interested in art, based in the seacoast area of New Hampshire. Our gallery, located at 130 Water Street in downtown Exeter, is open:
Wednesday-Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 10am – 2pm
We offer new body of work and theme show exhibitions every month by local artists, public art receptions every second Friday evening, classes and demonstrations, and scholarship programs.
See About to learn more about our all-volunteer non-profit organization.
June/July Events
David Random began his art career as an Art Director in Boston and New York-based advertising agencies. During that time he began collecting various antiques. As his collection grew he noticed how some pieces seemed to “fit together” in unique but seemingly smoothly ways, as if they were made to go together. It was at this point that his rocket ship art sculptures just took off (slipped that pun in there!). Antique fire extinguishers, old flashlights, kitchen utensils, automobile parts, and decorative Victorian hardware began to take on a new life as they fashioned themselves into aerodynamic rocket-shaped sculptures.
David currently has a studio at The Art Center in downtown Dover, NH. His pieces are featured in galleries and museums as well as on TV and in movies! The award-winning short titled “Rocketship” was inspired by his creations. This short was screened in film festivals across the country and was featured on Virgin Airways in-flight moves for about a year. This is a “must see” for all you Exeter (and beyond) UFO Festival fans. But don’t let this rocket artist fool you, he is also a photographer, and an award winning author with four published books. So, come aboard the SAA Gallery and fly with us as David shares a visual presentation of the elements, process and final results of his Steampunk Rock Sculptures: using repurposed vintage artifacts and antiques. While you wait for this ship to sail, be sure to look for David at an antique store near you!
(Left: Star Spangled Waters)
Cheryl Shanahan is a native New Englander who lives and paints in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. She has been painting boldly-colored New England-inspired scenes and animals for collectors, corporate clients, commissions, and galleries since 2020. She works with acrylic paints, and her work is recognizable by her loose brushwork and use of vibrant hues. Cheryl’s art is a vivid interpretation of the inspiration she notices in the world around her. A third-generation Granite Stater, she is surrounded by pristine lakes, vintage boats, and robust wildlife. These touchstones inform her current body of work. “Summer in New England” is an exploration of iconic scenes and motifs found throughout the Northeast. Cheryl exhibits in galleries, group and solo exhibitions, and juried shows in New Hampshire and Virginia. She is a graduate of the University of Richmond, Virginia. You may find more of her art and contact her through cherylshanahan.com or Instagram @artbycherylshanahan “My paintings reconnect people with the feeling of being somewhere expansive and alive. Whether the memory is a lake you grew up visiting, a summer you never forgot, or simply the deep human need to step away from the noise of modern life, the work brings that feeling back into the room.”
(Left: Great Head Trail, Acadia)
“I’m a New England native, and I paint where I live. My family has been here since 1632, and after almost 400 years I haven’t moved very far from the wet sand and coastal grasses that met the soles of their shoes. No matter what other subjects I explore, there is almost always a painting of coastal Northern New England in progress. I’m not interested in copying and pasting reality. For me, a successful painting is one that makes the viewer feel like they’re actually standing there — the feel of the kaleidoscopic light, the smell of the salty wind, the sound of the tide clawing its way up the beach and slapping against the rocks. Working in acrylic, I build layers of light while maintaining immediacy and energy. The medium gives me softness in the sky and atmosphere, or sharp, broken movement. My goal is to shift beyond realism and paint full immersion: spark in the collector a memory, mood, or an emotional resonance that feels familiar.” Shawne is also a graphic designer, marketing copywriter, published poet, and a pastor’s wife. More of her work can be seen online at her online gallery and art blog, You Might Like This and on Instagram at @shawnemorrillrandlettart .
“At the beach- time you enjoyed wasting, is not wasted.”
– T.S. Eliot
We are lucky to live amidst the nature that surrounds us here on the Seacoast. What is your favorite place or favorite wildlife?
Monthly theme shows are open to all artists – see our SAA 2026 Theme Show brochure (PDF) and entry form (PDF).
This month’s reception at the SAA Gallery is from 5-7pm featuring music by Nice and Naughty.
Nice and Naughty, Band members Peg Chaffee and Cheryl Sager have been performing music for many years in various genres and bands. Their repertoire is eclectic; from touching and sentimental (nice) to saucy and suggestive (naughty). Audiences praise them as “very talented and entertaining” and “great songwriters” with “wonderful harmonies”.
Receptions for our monthly body of work and theme shows are FREE and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Meet your local artists!
Classes and Workshops
Watercolor Series: The Ways of Water- #1 June 16th 10-2 $100
Water in the landscape wears many faces. Everchanging in form, color, and its relationship with light. Still water offers reflections in tidepools, ponds, marshes and lakes. Rivers provide moving water that breaks against whatever is in its path. And of course, the grand ocean gives us water patterns, crashing waves, and dramatic shorelines. This workshop will begin a series that focuses on one form of water at a time, beginning with still water and reflections. Images that convey water reflections can have strong visual impact, as they add an additional layer of light and illusion. An overview of techniques and brushwork will be demonstrated. Color options and different ways of saving white areas will be discussed. There will be samples and references on hand to work from, but feel free to bring in your own. Is there a familiar view of water that you’ve been wanting to paint?
Watercolor Series: The Ways of Water #2 June 23rd 10-2 $100
This week will also feature reflections as they can appear in marshes and ponds in dramatic lighting. Moody skies only add to the glowing effects of water reflections. Taking the previous workshop is not a requirement for taking this one. If you did take the previous workshop, feel free to work on paintings you have started and add new elements as you are ready.
Contact Margaret for more info or to register: dwyerdavis@gmail.com
Or visit MargaretDwyerArtist.com
(discount given if you sign up for both workshops)
Each week features a new subject designed to teach both technique and topic – open to all levels. Visit DorisRice.com, where you can also sign up for her newsletter for updates on classes and workshops. Cost is $35/class or $168 for a 6-class card.
See Doris’ instructor profile on our Classes page.
Are you a plein air painter? Or is creating art en plein air something you’d like to try? SAA member Carol Poitras organizes several plein air meet-ups in various locations around the seacoast for artists who enjoy painting outdoors.
View our Plein Air Schedule for the dates, locations, and contact information for this summer’s offerings.