Exhibits, galleries, theater and more: Seacoast arts and culture news

October at the Franklin Gallery

ROCHESTER — The Franklin Gallery at RiverStones Custom Framing, 33 North Main St., in Rochester, will host an exhibit during the month of October entitled “Towards Abstraction: Then and Now.”  The exhibit will feature the work of the Artists of Roger’s Point.

The Artists of Roger’s Point are a group of artists who are interested in and love all forms of abstract art. They work in many mediums to express and explore abstract ideas. The group has been meeting monthly for abstract critiques with mentor Tom Glover, a well-known local seacoast artist, for nearly two years. The work exhibited here, “Towards Abstraction: Then and Now” represents individual movement from earlier representational works towards abstraction. Members of the group include Julie Serrano, Pamela Traver, Tracy Matheson, Inger Gregory, Susan Fried, Barbara Adams, Betsy Schulthess and Deborah Cartright.

For information about this exhibit and other RiverStones events and services, call 603-812-1488, or send an e-mail to riverstonescustomframing@gmail.com.

Brick Store Museum hosts art exhibition by Painted Ladies

KENNEBUNK, Maine – The Brick Store Museum’s Patsy Bauman Gallery, its contemporary art space, is now hosting an art show by “The Painted Ladies,” a group of Maine women artists who came together during the pandemic – via Zoom – to create and be inspired. The show runs until Dec. 22.

Who are the Painted Ladies? Historically, they hail from the Victorian era in reference to vibrant, colorful, architecturally sophisticated houses, painted with verve, gusto and style. However, the Pained Ladies from Maine, can relate to those bold adjectives, as they gather to share their passion for painting, not houses but works of art.

Six of the Painted Ladies Group will exhibit some of their paintings at the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, Maine this fall. Showing their work are Emily Johansen, Portland; Diana Coit, South Portland; Carol Macleod, Kennebunkport; Martha Lamarche, Portland; Sandra Long, Naples; and Ann Clark, Denmark.

Learn more about the Museum and its mission to collect and share the stories of our community by visiting www.brickstoremuseum.org.

Ukulele group makes singing in the rain count

The Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group (SNHUG) performed through Friday’s rain showers at this year’s Deerfield Fair - and made it count.  The group raised enough funds to become a “Rock Star” sponsor for Dartmouth Health Children’s Hospital via the Ukulele Kids Club (UKC). The UKC’s Rock Star program (https://theukc.org/rockstar/) ensures that sponsor funds will go directly to their facility of choice to provide music therapy and instruments to children hospitalized there.

The UKC is affiliated with hospitals throughout the world including several here in New England.  To date, the UKC has provided over 15,000 ukuleles as well as music therapy sessions to children in need of a smile, as well as their families and caregivers. Studies have shown that the therapeutic power of music is an effective clinical tool for physical, cognitive and emotional rehabilitation in children.

SNHUG musician Janet Mayo said it best - “Playing music feeds the soul, playing with friends is even better, playing to contribute is the best!

Jerry Short returns to the Seacoast Artist Association Oct. 13

EXETER — The Seacoast Artist Association in downtown Exeter welcomes back Maine singer-songwriter Jerry Short to their Second Friday artist reception series on Oct. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.  Jerry will be performing original compositions, old favorites and a few new tunes on guitar, harmonica, dobro and vocals.  He has been a mainstay in the New England folk music scene for 30 plus years.

Before settling in New England, Short played his folk, country, and blues around the US and internationally, including a three-year stint performing in the USO. His love of bluegrass comes from his native state of Kentucky, and the rockin' blues from Gary, Indiana where his family moved when he was 10 years old.  He has produced three albums and he will have CD’s available at the show. Admission is free and donations are appreciated.

The Seacoast Artist Association gallery is located at 130 Water St., in Exeter, N.H. Parking is free. See more at seacoastartist.org and follow them on Facebook.

The 2023 Seacoast Moderns Group Show, 'Ideas and Inspirations' opens at the Kittery Art Association

KITTERY, Maine — The 2023 Seacoast Moderns Group Show, Ideas and Inspirations opens at the Kittery Art Association this week with an Opening Reception on Sunday, Oct. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. The Seacoast Moderns are a subgroup of artists within the KAA membership who focus on art that is non-traditional. The artwork of the Moderns is experimental in subject, form, medium, and reflects and expresses contemporary visions of the world.

Ideas and Inspirations will be on view at the KAA from Oct. 5 through Oct. 29, and features work from Seacoast Moderns Members: Steffanie Antonio, Matt Brock, Karen Camlin, Kirk Carter, Susan Egerton Griggs, Ellen Kingsbury, Marcia MacCormack, Lennie Mullaney, Maryse Newton, Julia O’Connell, Linda Payne-Sylvester, Patricia Sevigny-Higgins, Jeff Vinciguerra, and Christina White.

For more information visit www.kitteryartassociation.org or contact KAA at info@kitteryartassociation.org / 207-451-9384.

Garrison Players Arts Center presents ‘And Then There Were None’

ROLLINSFORD — Performances: Oct. 13 through Oct. 22. Show times: Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets: www.garrisonplayers.org;  $22 (Adult); $18 (Senior); $15 (Student). Garrison Players Arts Center is located at the Corner of Roberts Road and Portland Ave (Route 4), Rollinsford.  Directed by Carol MacDonald.

Seven guests, a newly hired secretary and two staff are gathered at a manor house on an isolated island by an unknown absentee host and are killed off one-by-one. They work together to determine who the killer is before it's too late. Each guest brought to the island is accused of an unprovable murder. As the body count rises, guests grapple with their personal feelings of guilt in different ways.

For more information about auditions, shows, volunteering, sponsorship, or GPAC, visit the website at www.garrisonplayers.org.

Fall Open Studio

KITTERY, Maine — Artist Anita Loomis announces her Fall Open Studio event. All are welcome to visit her studio, view her current paintings in process, and see completed works. Chat with Anita and grab a lite bite or non-alcoholic beverage. Hours are 12 to 5 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8.

Painters at Work: a playful collaboration of art and music

PORTSMOUTH — In this playful collaboration, four painters are inspired in real time by a live jazz combo, and the jazz musicians are inspired by the painters. On Friday, Oct. 13, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Portsmouth Music and Arts Center's Haas Gallery, the four artists behind the current “Jazzscapes II” exhibit--Tom Glover, Barbara Adams, Dustan Knight and Peter Cady--will paint in turn on the same canvas, inspired by each other and by the live jazz--featuring Eric Klaxton (saxophone), Nate Therrien (bass), and Jonny Peiffer (percussion). The resulting painting will be placed up for silent auction. Come feel the live magic of creation and collaboration. Reception to follow.

In “Jazzscapes II,” Abstract 4 portray their appreciation of, and response to, jazz music in shape, gesture, and color. "Jazzscapes II" is on display through Oct. 27 at PMAC. For gallery hours, contact PMAC at 603-431-4278 or info@pmaconline.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exhibits, galleries, theater and more: Seacoast arts and culture news