FOCUS ON: Portsmouth, NH
Special Advertising Section
P
ortsmouth, New Hampshire, consid-
ered the third oldest city in the
nation, is a colonial era treasure,
recently named a “Distinctive
Destination” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.” Anchoring a
Seacoast region that includes Hampton,
Exeter, and Rye, New Hampshire, as well as Kittery, Ogunquit, Kennebunk, and York,
Maine, Portsmouth has attracted and nurtured
a range of creative minds and prominent
artists since it was founded in 1623. Today, the city offers a number of world-class galleries,
attractions, and arts institutions.
One of New Hampshire’s most expansive
George Marshall Store Gallery
and impressive galleries is located just south
of Portsmouth in the beautiful, seaside town
of Rye. With two stories of serene, nature-
inspired works by renowned artist Soo Rye
Yoo, the Soo Rye Gallery is the perfect, first stop for any art enthusiast setting out to
explore the region. Oils, mixed media, drawings, and sketches dominate this dazzling
space, which features a newly revivified
“artshop,” offering a wide range of handmade
gifts. The artist and her colleague, David
Christopher, also teach classes tailored to the specific needs of their students in sculpture,
mixed media, and painting. On June 24, the
gallery will present its Realism and Abstraction
show, for which there will be an opening
reception on June 9, 5–8 p.m.
Next, just follow the cry of seagulls up the
coast into greater Portsmouth and make your
way toward bustling Hancock Street. Here
you’ll find the Strawbery Banke Museum,
A short walk north, by Washington Street’s
sprawling fields and overflowing gardens,
takes you to the charming Plainspoke
Gallery. One of Portsmouth’s most eclectic
and active cultural meeting places, the
Plainspoke gallery was established in 1997 by
Diane and Matt Ralph. On the gallery’s mez-
zanine level can be found the Parlor at
Plainspoke, an open space devoted to hosting exhibitions, publication release parties, and
other arts related events. On show in the
Parlor June 15–July 6 will be Lauren Gillette:
Wish/Regret, an ongoing series of the artist’s
mug shot-inspired portraits. Boasting a roster
of talented graphic designers, Plainspoke also
produces a number of catalogs and limited edition portfolios. As such, the gallery is
quickly becoming the top location in the
Portsmouth area for independently produced
art and photography books.
toric gardens, featured exhibits, and interpre-
north of Sheafe Street, you’ll come upon the
tive programs offered by this world-class
museum. Strawbery Banke’s ten-acre plot also
features period shops, as well as costumed
role players presenting the activities of citi-
April 21 - May 27, 2012
tion in eight separate historical buildings.
where the area’s first settlers are brought back
to vivid life through the restored homes, his-
Susan MacDougall - Notations
um’s exceptional costume and textile collec-
zens from Colonial times through World War
II. The exhibition, Thread: Stories of Fashion at
Strawbery Banke, 1740–2012, displays the muse-
TRANSFORMATIONS May 5–June 30, 2012 Mixed Media Photographs by Suzie Goodwin
Continuing on foot, just a few minutes
handsome Moffat-Ladd House and Garden.
First built in 1763, the house is one of the
country’s finest examples of Georgian archi-
tecture and has been welcoming the public as
a historic site since 1912. Today, the Moffatt-
Ladd House and Garden conducts tours of its
finely decorated period interior, complete with
French scenic wallpaper from the nineteenth
century, copperplate hunting prints, and a
wealth of original furniture, including seven
Chinese Chippendale pieces. Aside from these exceptional tours, which begin on June 3 and
run 1–5 p.m. on Sunday and 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Monday through Saturday, the museum also
offers garden and warehouse rentals for those
planning events that call for unsurpassed sur-
roundings.
Nearby, art lovers can visit one of the
Michael Stasiuk - On and Off the Wall June 2 - July 8, 2012
140 Lindsay Road, York, Maine 207-351-1083 www.georgemarshallstoregallery.com
22
ART NEW ENGLAND
May/June 2012
Affordably unique original art, gifts, Fair Trade items Offering Victorian Tea-Time Art Events
HALEY ART GALLERY 178 Haley Rd., Kittery, ME • Thurs–Sat 12–6 pm 207-439-7612 • www.haleygallery.com
region’s most notable art impresarios, Don
Gorvett, the award winning woodcut artist
and proprietor of a number of top-notch art
galleries. Gorvett’s Piscataqua Fine Arts is
one of downtown Portsmouth’s true creative
Portsmouth, NH and Seacoast Special Advertising Section
gems, displaying both the artist’s celebrated
landscape prints as well as a breathtaking collection of fine art by a roster of talented New England artists, including Sidney Hurwitz,
Penelope Jenks, Alex deCronsant, Sean Hurley, and Ralph Gorvett. Prints by a variety of mod-
Just north of Kittery, the town of York,
view through May 27.
lished and rising artists are shown at the
Gloria Gustafson, runs the acclaimed Village
built in 1867 that was later transformed into a
won numerous awards and boasts affiliation
exhibition spaces and galleries. Both estab-
George Marshall Gallery, a country store first
ern and contemporary masters can also be
gallery by curator Mary P. Harding. Harding,
and inviting gallery located in the very heart
wealth of fascinating and insightful shows
purchased, or simply enjoyed, at this intimate
a graduate of Brown University, organizes a
of downtown Portsmouth.
here, including Momentum X, an exhibition
nearly endless diversions, visitors should con-
Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Artist
Leaving downtown Portsmouth and its
tinue north into Maine and its celebrated sea-
side villages. Widely known for its abundant
lobster and unmatched ocean views, the
Maine seacoast is also home to the Haley
have works appearing in Momentum X, on
Maine, is home to one of the state’s finest
celebrating the tenth anniversary of the New
Advancement Grant. This year’s winner, Kim
Bernard, as well as the finalists Lauren
Gillette, Lisa Grey, and Rose Umerlik, will all
Gallery. Located on Haley Road in the beauti-
Another of the region’s artistic beacons,
Gallery on York Street. Gustafson, who has
with several New England Galleries, is
renowned both for her vibrant oils and mas-
terful watercolor paintings. Bright, elegantly
composed ocean scenes and sensitive floral
meditations comprise Gustafson’s superb col-
lection, which have recently been displayed in
a number of area shows. An artist for over
forty years, Gustafson also accepts commis-
sions. On August 11 and 12 Gustafson’s work
¡ ¡®
ful town of Kittery, the Haley Gallery features
affordable, original artworks, artful gifts, and
Fair Trade items to suit any personal or corporate space. The 800 square-foot gallery, situat-
¡¥ ª ¤ န န န
ed in a renovated, turn-of-the-century dairy farm, can be rented for small gatherings,
retreats, or meetings. The Haley Gallery’s
Victorian Teatime Art Affair—by reservation
only—allows groups of adults or children to experience a classic Victorian high tea, sur-
rounded by the gallery’s outstanding collec-
tion. During the Victorian teatime all art pur-
Karole Moe, Surf
chases include a fifteen percent discount.
Barn Gallery THE
pAR lor an exhibition and event space
Francine Schrock, Macworth Island fine art furniture
AT P L A I NSPOK E
Join us for the “Fine Art Furniture” Artists Opening Reception, Saturday, May 26, 2012 from 5–7pm and official opening of the season.
an exhibition and event space 18 SHEAFE STREET PORTSMOUTH NH
Visit our website for current exhibition information and gallery hours www.plainspoke.com /parlor or call 603.433.5969
Shore Road & Bourne Lane Ogunquit, Maine 207.646.8400
7
www.barngallery.org
Exhibition Artists: Paul Leddy, Karole Moe, and Francine Schrock 21 WESTERN AVENUE • LOWER VILLAGE PO BOX 3004 • KENNEBUNK, ME 04043 207-967-6331 • WWW.THESHARPEGALLERY.COM
May/June 2012
ART NEW ENGLAND 23
Portsmouth, NH and Seacoast Special Advertising Section
will be on show in South West Harbor,
September 15 in York Harbor, and on October
12 and 13 in York, Maine.
Traveling northward, visitors will be hard
pressed to find a more scenic township than
Ogunquit, Maine. Featuring the beloved Barn
Gallery, Ogunquit is a delightful mishmash of
country stores, bed and breakfasts, beaches,
and boutiques. Featuring fascinating exhibitions, panel discussions, gallery talks, and
workshops, the Barn Gallery is an award-win-
ning nonprofit arts organization whose exhibi-
tions are free to the public. The Barn Gallery also works closely with Ogunquit Art
Association, a group founded in 1928 to
encourage exhibition and education among
area artists. The Barn Gallery will hold a stu-
dent show on May 23, and a juried show open
to regional artists during the month of July. Like Ogunquit, Kennebunk is a town
admired by tourists and locals alike for its
ocean views, superb seafood, and eclectic sea-
side community. Kennebunk is also home to
the Heartwood College of Art, truly one of
Design and Crafts (ceramics, jewelry, weaving,
metal), Fine Arts (painting, drawing, and
printmaking), and Photography. Situated just
a half hour from Portland and an hour and a
half from Boston, Heartwood also features
intimate classes in history, psychology, mathe-
matics, writing, and sociology as they relate to
the arts, and is licensed by the state of Maine
to grant Associate, Bachelor of Fine Art, and
the state’s best educational arts institutions.
Master of Fine Art degrees.
ness community, Heartwood College of Art
a visit to the Sharpe Gallery. Displaying a
Located just a mile from the downtown busi-
offers an integrated curriculum of liberal edu-
cation, art foundation, and art studio courses
encompassing three fields of concentration:
No stay in Kennebunk is complete without
superb collection of emerging and established
artists, the Sharpe Gallery was recently
opened by Tracy Sharpe in the chic Lower
Village. The gallery primarily shows abstract
and impressionist works in oil, acrylic, water-
color, pastel, and gouache. Currently on view
0-):<?77, +744-/- 7. ):< 3-66-*=63 5)16-
/ZIL]I\M 5.) =VLMZOZIL]I\M *.) ;]UUMZ ?WZS[PWX[ WV \PM KWI[\ WN 5IQVM PKI(0MIZ\_WWL+WTTMOMWN)Z\ WZO
-5624; %33)1)( )4)
:3)4-)1') (%-/; /-*) %'4255 *274 ')1674-)5 -1 5 2/()56 9%6)4*4216 1)-+,&24,22(
pieces from throughout the season will be
available for purchase at the furniture show,
where collectors can also opt for a custom
piece designed by the artist Karole Moe.
Charmingly scenic, yet utterly cosmopoli-
tan, Portsmouth and the Seacoast region boast
an enduring maritime history, impressive arts
scene and a promising future.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Paul Adler
MOFFATT-LADD HOUSE & GARDEN 1763 154 Market St. â&#x20AC;˘ Portsmouth, NH 03801 (603) 436-8221 â&#x20AC;˘ June 3 thru October 21
â&#x20AC;˘ Visit this National Historic Landmark open to the public since 1912 in the heart of Portsmouth, just steps from the harbor, shopping, and restaurants.
999 564%9&)4;&%1.) 24+ %1'2'. 64))6 24650276, %// *24 024) -1*2
Celebrating 100 years as a museum! www.moffattladd.org for hours & events
6WLU +HPS` 4H` 6J[ -LH[\YLK ,_OPIP[ ! 7KUHDG 6WRULHV RI )DVKLRQ DW 6WUDZEHU\ %DQNH 3)1 (%-/; %0 30 %; '62&)4 ;OYLHK! :[VYPLZ VM -HZOPVU H[ :[YH^ILY` )HURL 28 )' 23)1 *24 +7-()( 62745 %1( 53)'-%/ )8)165 28 )' 23)1 *24 +7-()( 62745 %1( 53)'-%/ )8)165 /)%5) 8-5-6 274 9)&5-6) *24 024) -1*240%6-21 /)%5) 8-5-6 274 9)&5-6) *24 024) -1*240%6-21
ART NEW ENGLAND
Karole Moe, and Francine Schrock. Select
â&#x20AC;˘ Join us for the OUR Old House Festival Saturday, June 2, 2012, 12:30-4:30 for demonstrations, tours, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, and our annual heirloom plant sale.
# $ $ $ 2SHQ 'DLO\ 0D\ 2FW )HDWXUHG ([KLELW ! "
24
is Fine Art Furniture, an exhibition of furniture
inspired by the paintings of Paul Leddy,
May/June 2012