DESTINATION: NEW ENGLAND
Prior to 2020, Art New England focused on one Destination at a time each issue. When the magazine relaunched nearly a year later, it took a while for destinations to re-open and we decided that we’d welcome anyone and everyone across the region and wait out an organic return to the previous approach. Destination: New England allows for more flexibility, through every season.
Summer—the season of carpe diem—is almost upon us. Travelers are planning—and realizing all they need for that special summer getaway is right here in New England: relaxation, invigoration, and fascination. And always a little education. Have fun and pack lightly as you embark on an adventure of art and intrigue.
Lyman Allyn Art Museum
New London, CT
Lyman Allyn Art Museum offers new and innovative exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Exhibitions of note are Small Wonders: Insects in Focus, through July 23, and Barkley L. Hendricks in New London, opening May 27. Insects inhabit every domain of our daily lives, performing essential functions that balance our fragile ecosystem on earth. By using cutting-edge technology and custom methods, artist Bob Sober created Small Wonders: Insects in Focus, an exhibition of breathtaking beauty that allows viewers to see this hidden world. The internationally celebrated Hendricks (1945–2017) is best known for his expressive, large-scale portraits, many from the 1970s, which present a powerful vision of modern Black identity. Barkley L. Hendricks in New London considers the work of this artist from a regional standpoint, exploring the role of place, community, and teaching in Hendricks’ career. With 35 works of art on view, including a number of photographs, this exhibition explores and honors the range and breadth of Hendricks’ artistic production.
North River Arts Society
46th Annual Festival of the Arts
Marshfield Hills, MA
The North River Arts Society (NRAS) 46th Annual Festival of the Arts is a two-day celebration held in historic Marshfield Hills Village
during Memorial Day weekend, May 27 and 28, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Festival includes works from over 200 artists, artisan vendors and crafters, live musical performances, and more. Enjoy local food trucks, shopping, a children’s tent, plein air painters, and poetry readings. A ticketed opening reception party, Festival Preview Party Fundraiser, kicks off the weekend on Friday, May 26 at 7 p.m. NRAS’s Festival of the Arts is the non-profit’s largest fundraising event, with all proceeds going directly towards funding the mission of fostering participation and appreciation of the arts at the community level. Founded in 1968 and less than an hour from Boston, NRAS is
committed to offering affordable art classes, workshops and events for adults and youth of all art levels.
Art for the Soul Springfield, MA
Art for the Soul is a community-based gallery located in downtown Springfield, MA, dedicated to uplifting marginalized voices and shining a light on artists whose work is underrepresented. The exhibition Bigger Than Me, which focuses on mental health among Black men and others, is on view until the end of May. Opening June 21, on National Skateboard Day, ALL DECKED OUT, will feature skateboard art from interna-
tional and local artists, including artists from a community paint party. This exhibition aims to dispel the myth that skateboarding is destructive or detrimental to a community, and instead highlight the joy and art of the sport. When you are next in Springfield, stop by this gallery and support a vibrant community of diverse art makers and art lovers. (See Review, page 76).
Hammond Castle Museum Gloucester, MA
Hammond Castle Museum was built in the late 1920s by scientist, inventor, and art connoisseur
John Hays Hammond, Jr. and has been enjoyed as a museum and popular event venue for fortyeight years. Recently, the museum has undergone a major and ongoing transformation. The Invention Room, which focuses on the scientific achievements of Hammond, has been redesigned with a modular approach offering more
frequent exhibit changes and a variety of interactive activities for guests to explore. In April 2023, the Museum hosted works by American painter, illustrator, and Hammond family friend Eric Pape in the exhibition Eric Pape at Hammond Castle Museum. With multiple restoration projects in the works, completely revamped tour programming, and a lovely indoor courtyard inspired by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Hammond Castle Museum has become a must-see part of the Cape Ann community, located just 45 minutes north of Boston.
Currier Museum of Art Manchester, NH
Located in Manchester, NH, the Currier Museum of Art is a central part of the New Hampshire art scene. If you plan to visit during the weekend, stop by the Winter Garden for brunch, every Sunday starting at 10 am, for live
music and food and drink specials. Call ahead to reserve a tour of the only two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in New England available for public tours, the Kalil House and the Zimmerman House, or, for a more casual visit, drop in on Art After Work: Free Thursday Nights weekly from 5 to 8 pm for free admission, live music and refreshments. Memoirs of a Ghost Girlhood: a Black Girl’s Window, an immersive multi-media installation from artist Alexandria Smith featuring a site-specific composition // windowed // by Liz Gre, is on view through May. The Currier offers a wide variety of tours and educational programming for all ages, including programs specific to veterans, the disabled community and immigrant and refugee children in the Manchester community. Whenever and however you choose to visit, you are sure to have a full day of art and beauty at the Currier.
The Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin Laconia, NH
Located in a restored 1780s farmhouse and surrounded by Japanese gardens, the Lakes Gallery provides a historic, homey setting in which to view art and take a rest. In the summer, the Lakes Gallery exhibits two shows, featuring two process artists that taking viewers from conception to execution. In the fall and winter, the gallery transitions into a more traditional mixed gallery, offering visitors a range of work and introducing them to new artists from New England and Asia. When visiting the Lakes Gallery, don’t expect a traditional gallery experience. Artwork is hung in the historic hallways, stairwells, and rooms upstairs in the farmhouse and is presented asis, without the standard cluttered labels. There are many exhibitions to look forward to, including Trees, Stones & Conversations featuring
