Celebrating the state’s natural beauty
TheSocietyfortheProtectionofNewHampshire ForestsishostingForthe LoveofMyAncestralHome,a soloartexhibitbyWakefield,Mass.,artistLeslie Scott-Lysan.Theexhibit featurespaintingsinspired byNewHampshire’snatural beautyandisopentothe publicforfreethroughJan. andFeb.attheForestSociety’sConservation Center,54PortsmouthSt., Concord.Viewinghoursare weekdaysfrom8:30a.m.to 5p.m.,butvisitorsareencouragedtocall603-2249945beforearriving,asthe exhibitspacemaybe bookedformeetingsor events.
Theshowhighlights Scott-Lysan’sdeeppersonal andancestralconnectionto NewHampshire,whereher familyrootstracebackto the1800s.Aportionofproceedsfromartsaleswill benefittheForestSociety,a nonprofitorganizationdedicatedtolandconservation andsustainableforestryin NewHampshire.
Scott-Lysan’sartworkreflectsherlifelongexperiencesintheGraniteState, whereshehasspenttime fishing,hiking,canoeing, andskiing.Manypiecesin theexhibitwerecreated duringhercampingtripsin theWhiteMountainsand GreatNorthWoods.“I’ve beentravelingtoNew HampshiresinceIwasa newborn,”shesaid.“My emotionalbondtothestate comesthroughinmypaintings.SupportingtheForest Societyalignswithmylove fortheforestsandlandscapesthatinspiremy work.”
Workinginoils,acrylics, coldwax,andmixedmedia, Scott-Lysanisknownfor herimpressionistpleinair paintingsandtexturedabstracts.Herrecentexplorationsincludecoldwaxand oilpainttechniques, blendingherloveforcolor
andtexturewiththemesof natureandspirituality.
Herpaintingshavebeen featuredinjuriedshows acrossNewEngland,includingexhibitswiththe NorthShoreArtsAssociation,RockportArtAssociationandMuseum,andCambridgeArtAssociation.
Herawardsandnational recognitionsinclude:
■ NorthShoreArtsAssociationJaniceTurner MemorialAwardforExcellenceinOilPainting, “BridgingtheMerrimac,” 2022ExhibitNewEngland, inGloucester,MA
■ “FortPointChannel Landmark:BostonWharf Company”oilpaintingjuriedintothenational20th FrancesN.RoddyOpen
LESLIE SCOTT-LYSAN Courtesy
“Fall Vista: Mount Lafayette” (Route 42, Bethlehem, NH), 30 x 15 inches, oil on stretched canvas.
CompetitionatConcordArt (MA)
■ RockportArtAssociationandMuseum(MA), 2023NationalJuriedShow, mixedmediapainting
“WinterWoods:First Snow”
Scott-Lysan’sworkhasappearedinpublicationssuch asNorthshoreMagazineand WCVB-TVBoston’sChronicle.Herpaintingshavebeen displayedatNewHampshire venuesliketheWolfeboro PublicLibraryandresortsin BartlettandNorthConway.
Adefiningmomentin Scott-Lysan’sartistic journeycameduringa2006 triptoMonheganIsland, Maine,wheresherekindled herpassionforpainting aftera30-yearhiatus.Inspiredbytheisland’sartists, shebegansketchingwith watercolorpencilsandlater studiedwithprominent NewEnglandartists,includingMaryTaggart,Aline Ordman,andDebraClaffey.
Scott-Lysan’sworkre-
flectsherconnectiontocreationandgratitudeforthe naturalworld.Herpaintings capturetheinterplayof light,color,andtexture,celebratingthebeautyofNew Hampshire’slandscapes.
TheForestSociety, foundedin1901,isanonprofitorganizationthatprotectsover190,000acresof NewHampshirelandscapes. Itownsmorethan190forest reservations,managesconservationeasements statewide,andpromotes sustainableforestryand landconservation.
ToviewScott-Lysan’s workonlineorinquireabout commissions,visitlesliescott-lysan.com.Formore informationaboutthe ForestSocietyanditsmission,visitforestsociety.org.
Theexhibitoffersa chancetoexperienceScottLysan’svividinterpretation ofNewHampshire’snatural beautywhilesupportingthe preservationofitsforests andlandscapes.
Lift Chairs in Stock & Ready For Delivery
LESLIE SCOTT-LYSAN Courtesy
“WinterIs Coming:Little Haystack(Franconia Notch,State Park, NH), oil en plein air, 12 x 9 inches on birch panel.
Authors discuss new book ‘Cleavage’
Gibson’sBookstore willhostbestselling authorJennifer FinneyBoylanforanevent featuringhernewbook, Cleavage:Men,Women,and theSpaceBetweenUs Boylanwillbejoinedincon-
versationbyfellowauthor andcollaboratorJodiPicoult.Theeventwilltake placeonThursday,Feb.6,at 7p.m.attheGrapponeConferenceCenter,70ConstitutionAvenue,Concord.
Ticketsareavailableon-
linethroughEventbriteand includeadmissionforone personandacopyof Cleavage.Asigninglinewill followthediscussion.
Cleavageexploresthedivisionsandsharedexperiencesbetween genders,blending Boylan’spersonal reflectionsasa transgender womanwith broaderinsights intoidentity,relationships,andsocietalchange.The bookreflectson Boylan’sjourney, comparingherexperiencesofcomingoutas transin2000 whenresponseswereoftencharacterizedbyloveandsupport withthecurrentculturalclimate,whichhas seenincreasedfearand backlash.
Boylanexamineshow gendershapesself-perception,bodyimage,andinterpersonalconnections.She reflectsonherwomanhood, herrelationshipswithmen, andherevolvingidentityas awriter,parent, activist,and spouse.Combininghumorand poignancy,Boylan providesanhonest lookatthecomplexitiesofnavigatinglifeintwo genderswhileofferinghopefora worldwhereeveryonecanliveauthentically.
JenniferFinneyBoylanis theauthorof19books,includingthegroundbreaking memoirShe’sNotThere,the firstbestsellingworkbya transgenderAmerican.She co-authoredthenovelMad
HoneywithJodiPicoult. BoylanholdstheAnna QuindlenWriterinResidencepositionatBarnard Collegeandhasservedin leadershiprolesatPEN AmericaandGLAAD.Her workhasappearedinThe NewYorkTimes,TheNew Yorker,TheWashington Post,andmore.
JodiPicoult,aprolificauthorof28novelsincluding MadHoneyandMySister’s Keeper,willjoinBoylanfor thisspecialevent.Picoult’s worksareknownforaddressingcontemporarysocialissueswithdepthand empathy.
Thiseventoffersanopportunitytohearfromtwo acclaimedauthorsasthey discusstheintersectionsof identity,storytelling,and societalchange.Fortickets andadditionalinformation, visitEventbrite
Film screening
Theacclaimedfilm“Black Dog”willbeshownon Friday,Jan.24,at7p.m.inthe SweeneyHallAuditorium(S122)onthecampusofNHTI, 31CollegeDrive.
Winnerofthe2024Cannes FilmFestival“UnCertainRegard”Award,“BlackDog”isa noir-inspiredmysteryabout redemptionandchange.The filmfollowsLang,playedby internationallyrenowned actorEddiePeng,ashereturnstohishometownin NorthwestChinaafterbeing releasedfromjail.Facinghis troubledpast,Langtakes workroundingupstraydogs inpreparationforthe2008 Olympicsashistownundergoesdemolitionforurbanre-
newal.Heformsanunexpectedbondwithastray blackdog,creatingapoignant narrativeoftwosolitary soulsfindingredemption.
Thefilm,directedbyan emergingvoiceinChinese cinema,featuresextraordinarycinematographythat capturesthestarkbeautyof theGobiDesertandtheemotionaldepthofitsstory.Itis inChinesewithEnglishsubtitlesandruns116minutes.
AdmissionisfreeforNHTI studentswithavalidID.Generaladmissionis$10,payable bycashorcheckatthedoor. Parkingisfreeoncampus.
Formoreinformation,contactSteveAmbraatsambra@ ccsnh.edu.
have single loaders, double loaders, triple loaders, four load, five load and
Winter Fest returns with food trucks
Concord’sWinterFestreturnsnextweekend,Friday, Jan24-Saturday,Jan.25,and it’sbiggerthanever.
Initsseventhyear,the event,putonbyInTown Concord,willincludeits stapleevents,liketheicecarvingcompetition,but willnowincludeafoodtruck festivalandahotcocoatour.
Icecarvingbeginswith demonstrationsonFriday withachancetomeetsome
ofthemosttalentedsculptorsintheregion.
Thecompetitionissetfor between11a.m.and4p.m. onSaturday.
Thisisanoutdoorevent, soInTownConcordreminds attendeestodressfor winter.
Here’salookattheevent schedule:
Friday,Jan.24
3-9p.m.– sponsoredice carvings–StateHouse
Lawn
Saturday,Jan.25
11a.m.–IcecarvingcompetitionstartsontheState HouseLawn.
■ FoodtrucksonCapitol Street,11a.m.-4p.m.
3p.m.–Icecarvingcompetitionends
3:30p.m.–Awardsannouncement
4p.m.–Festivalends Hotcocoatour:
Abunchoflocalbusinessesaretakingpartina hotcocoatour,newthis year.Itwillrunbetween11 a.m.and2p.m.onSaturday. There’salimitof75mugs,so earlyregistrationisencouraged.Mugsandpassports canbepickedupatthe s’moresstationatCityPlaza duringtheeventtime.A$35 ticketincludes:
■ Alimited-edition reusablecoffeemugwiththe WinterFestlogo
■ Uptofour8ozhot chocolatesfrompartici-
patingbusiness,including RevelstokeCoffee,Brothers’ Cortado,Teatotaller,Gison’s Cafe,andTheBean& Bakery
■ A“cocoapassport”to collectstampsateachstop andwritedownthoughtson eachcup.Oncefourstamps arecollected,participants cansubmittheirpassports forentryintoaraffle.
RegistrationisonInTown’swebsite,orthedayof theevent.
book of the week
“Orange World and Other Stories,” by
Karen Russell
(2019,271pages,Genre: ShortStories)
KarenRussell’simaginative storiesinthiscollection grabbedmefromthefirstpage andkeptmeentrancedtothe end.Ineightfantasticalstories youwillfindghosts, possessionbyaplant spirit,adrowned Florida,MadameBovary’sgreyhound,a boyinlovewithaperfectlypreservedbog body,awomanwhobelievesshemustnurse thedeviltokeepherownchild alive,adoctorwhosetaskisto ensurethatthedeadstaythat way,andtornadoranchers. Yes,thesepeoplebuy,selland raisetornadostofullstrength.
landintheMediterranean,ordinarypeoplestrugglewith supernaturaleventsandbeings.Mostoftheprotagonists arerelatableormaybelike someoneyou’veknown.You canseehowtheygotintothese terriblesituationsbuthowwill theyevergetoutofthem?
FromthepeatbogsofIrelandtoJoshuaTreeNational ParkinCalifornia,from Oregontotheremainsof Miami,fromprovincialFrance totheNebraskaplains,toanis-
Russell’swritingdrawsyou inandmakesyoucareabout theoutcomesineach andeverystory.It’snot easytofitsuchcompleteadventuresinthe shortstoryformbut sherisestothechallengeadmirably.Itis fascinatingtoexplore thesedisparateworlds andmeetallthesecharacters. I’mdelightedtofindthatshe hasseveralmorestorycollectionsaswellasanovelsothatI cancontinuetomeetnew charactersandnewworldsfor sometime.
VisitConcordPublicLibrary atwww.concordpubliclibrary.net
Julia Miller
Janelle Drake spreads inclusivity across region cypn
ConcordYoungProfessionalsNetwork(CYPN)introducesyoutothe“Young ProfessionaloftheMonth,” JanelleDrake.Eachmonth, theCYPNSteeringCommitteerecommendsanindividualinthecommunityit thinksreaderswouldenjoy gettingtoknowbetter.
Howoldareyou?35
Wheredoyoulive?Fitchburg,Massachusetts
Tellusalittlebitabout yourself.IworkasaSenior MechanicalEngineerat SetraSystems,designing systemsthatmeasureair pressure.Thesesensorsand systemsareusedinhospital
care,buildingHVACautomation,semiconductor manufacturing,andother applications.
Wheredidyougoto school?IwasintheMachineShopprogramat NashobaValleyTechnical HighSchoolinWestford, Massachusetts.Thecombi-
Magnify Voices Art Contest open for submissions
TheNewHampshireChildren’sSystemofCare (CSoC)isacceptingsubmissionsfortheseventhannual MagnifyVoicesExpressive ArtContest.Opentostudentsingradesfivethrough 12,thecontestinvitesyouth tosharecreativeworksre-
flectingtheirexperiences withandconnectionsto mentalhealth.Submissions willbeacceptedthrough April20.
Thecontest,partofCSoC’s efforttoraiseawarenessand reducestigmaaroundyouth mentalhealth,encourages
artisticentriesinvarious forms,includingshort videos,songs,performances, interpretivedances(two minutesorless),essaysor poems(1,000wordsorless), andvisualdesignssuchas sculptures,photographs, paintings,ordioramas.
“TheMagnifyVoicescontestprovidesaforumfor youthtosharetheirstories andraiseawarenessabout mentalhealth,”saidDebJurkoic,committeemember andNAMINewHampshire FamilyNetworkCoordinator.“Theseworkscontinuetomakeanimpactas theyaresharedstatewide,allowingtheartiststoengage withtheircommunities.”
Anexhibitfeaturingall
submissionswilltakeplaceat acelebrationeventonMay 21,where12finalistswillbe announced.Eachfinalistwill receivea$250cashprize,and theirworkwillbefeaturedin anacademicplanner.The eventwillalsoincludea People’sChoiceAward,selectedbyaudiencevote.
Youthsubmissionshelp bringattentiontothe growingmentalhealthcrisis. AccordingtotheCDC,the percentageofhighschool studentsreportingfeelings ofsadnessandhopelessness hasrisensignificantlyover thepastdecade,andNAMI reportsthatoneinsixU.S. youthexperiencesamental healthdisorderannually.
Morgan,ahighschoolju-
nior,wasawarded thePeople’sChoice Awardinthe2024Magnify Voicescontestforapowerful essayabouthermental healthjourney.“Itseemed liketheperfectwaytotake mydarknessandturnitinto lightthatcouldhelpguide othersthroughtheirdarkest times,”shewroteinheressay titled“Whenwillitstop?” Sheaddedthat“TheMagnify VoicesArtContestisan eventthatnotonlycelebratesthecreativityofyouth artistsbutalsodemonstrates thehealingpowerthatart brings.Iamsogratefulto havebeenapartofMagnify Voices.Ithaschangedmy life.”
Formoreinformationon thecontestortoviewpast submissions,visit NHCSoC.org/magnifyvoices
AbouttheNewHampshire Children’sSystemofCare CSoCworkstotransform children’sbehavioralhealth servicesinNewHampshire intoanintegratedsystemof care.EstablishedbytheDepartmentofHealthand HumanServicesandtheDepartmentofEducation,the initiativeinvolvesover50organizationsfocusedonimprovingmentalhealthand addressingsubstanceusedisordersforchildrenandfamiliesstatewide.
Publisher to speak
DeidreRandall,CEOof PeterE.RandallPublisher, willpresentatalkonpublishingoptionsandstrategiesatGibson’sBookstore, 45SouthMainSt., on Thursday,Jan.16,at6:30 p.m.Theeventisfree,and noregistrationisrequired.
Randallwilldiscussthe essentialstepsinvolvedin publishingabook,viableoptionsforauthorsintoday’s publishinglandscape,and bestpracticesforcollaboratingwithpublishers.She willalsooutlinethekeyelementsofbuildingastrong marketingfoundationfora book.Attendeesareencour-
agedtoaskquestionsand sharecommentsthroughout thepresentation.
Randall,whoholdsan M.Ed.inBusinessAdministrationfromAntiochNew EnglandGraduateSchool, hasextensiveexperiencein literacyprogramsandpublishing.Shejoinedthefamily businessin1998,working alongsideherfather,Peter Randall,andbecameCEOin 2008.Inadditiontoherpublishingcareer,Randallisan award-winningsongwriter, poet,andavidreader.
Formoreinformation, visitGibson’sBookstore website.
history
Jan.16,2000:Thenumber ofcardiacsurgeriesatthe NewEnglandHeartInstitute inManchesterhasdropped by17%sincetheopeningof rivalcentersinConcordand Portsmouth.TheManchesterhospitalhasfoughtto preventConcordand Portsmouthfromperformingheartsurgeriessince 1995,whentheyfirstasked thestateforpermission.
Jan.16,1944:Allflying andgroundschoolaviation trainingissuddenlycalledto haltatConcordAirport.A privateflyingschoolunder contractwiththegovernmenthadturnedoutmore than650pilotsfortheWar TrainingService.
Jan.16,1991:NewHampshire,alongwiththerestof theworld,watchesthestart ofthetelevisionwarasU.S. missilesrainonIraq.
Jan.17,2003:Acommittee reviewingtheDioceseof Manchester’ssexualabuse policycallsforgreaterlaity involvementintheCatholic Church’sinternalaffairs, morethoroughscreeningof
priestsandthecreationofa centraldatabaseofchurch personnelrecords.Therecommendationsfollownearly fourmonthsofinvestigationsbythe12-personpanel, appointedbyBishopJohn McCormack,intothediocese’shandlingofallegations ofsexualmisconductby priests.
Jan.17,2001:NewHampshirePublicRadioannouncesplanstoscrapits classicalandjazzprogramminginfavorofnewsand arts-orientedfeatures.The changeinformatwillprompt alotofangryletterstothe
editor,butNHPRwillgoon toenjoyarecordfundraisingcampaign.
Jan.17,2000:NewHampshirecelebratesitsfirstofficialMartinLutherKingDay, joiningtheother49statesin sohonoringtheslaincivil rightsleader.Capping20 yearsofpoliticalbattles,the LegislatureapprovedtheholidaythepreviousMayand Gov.JeanneShaheensigned itintolawinJune.
Jan17,1726:Massachusettsgrantspermission tosettletheareathatwillbecomeConcord.Asupervisingcommitteescreens
would-besettlers.Itwants just100families.
Jan.18,1742:JohnMcColleyisborninHillsboro, thatsettlement’sfirst-born child.Yearslater,thesettlement’sproprietorandnamesake,Col.JohnHill,willoffer McColleyandElizabeth Gibson,Hillsboro’sfirstbornfemale,100acresifthey agreetomarryandsettlein thetown.Theywillaccept
theoffer.
Jan.18,1982:NewHampshireisrattledbytheworst earthquakein42years.In Concord,acitycouncil meetinghasjustgotten underway.AsMayorDavid Coeymangavelsthemeeting toorder,thewindowsbegin shakingandpapersbegin shuffling.“Iwillalwaysrememberthis,”Coeyman says.
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