Exhibits, galleries, theater and more: Seacoast arts and culture news
'Thin Places,' a soul-stirring journey by Barrington artist Michelle Meister
PORTSMOUTH – The New Hampshire Art Association announced the opening of “Thin Places,” a transcendent exhibition that invites visitors to connect to spiritual dimensions beyond the physical world. The exhibit, running from Aug. 3 to Aug. 27, will take viewers on a visually stunning voyage to the places in the landscape where spirituality touches downs and connects to us.
“I have loved doing this new body of work because it is abstract, but intuitively it still reads as landscape,” says Meister. “I played with that thin line.”
Meister has a long and accomplished career displaying her works in numerous juried exhibitions throughout the northeast. Most notably, Meister has had her artwork incorporated into the permanent collection of the Boston Public Library and the Monotype Guild of New England portfolio juried by Joanne Moser, curator of the print collection of the Smithsonian Museum. Her work was also featured in The Major Motion Picture “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock.
The NHAA is hosting a reception on Friday, Aug. 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the Art Around Town First Friday art walk in Portsmouth, N.H. Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery at 136 State St., in Portsmouth, N.H. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. Visit www.nhartassociation.org or call 603-431-4230 for more information.
The Seacoast LGBT History Project is gearing up for their seventh annual exhibit at RiverStones Custom Framing and The Franklin Gallery
ROCHESTER — How did the University of New Hampshire make national news in the 1970's? When was the UNH Gay Students Organization started and how did it evolve over the years? This spring, UNH celebrated 30 years hosting a pancake breakfast to celebrate what? Come find out at the “Uncovering LGBTQ+ History at UNH” exhibit at RiverStones Custom Framing and Franklin Gallery at 33 North Main St., in Rochester.
“We are so excited to bring the story of UNH's gay student organization to Rochester for pride month” Tom Kaufhold, founder of the Seacoast LGBT History project, said. "We will be able to share with you original archival research work carried out this spring and summer by Women's and Gender Studies students and a student intern funded by the College of Liberal Arts' Global Racial and Social Inequality Lab" Holly Cashman, Professor of Spanish and Women's and Gender Studies at UNH, said.
Students involved in the research project were moved and inspired by what they learned in the archive. “Learning about the GSO helped me recognize that the people we learn about when researching history are not so different from the people we can become if we are bold enough to challenge the status quo” said Anna Rhoda '25, who worked with Dr. Cashman in a teaching practicum during the spring semester, helping to guide a class full of students to carry out original research in the Milne Archives and Special Collections at UNH with the help of Public Services Coordinator Morgan Wilson and University Archivist Elizabeth Slomba at UNH's Douglas and Helena Milne Special Collections & Archives. GRSIL intern Arin Henderson '25 agreed, sharing that “once I understood what the GSO had gone through, I wanted to use that knowledge in ensuring the safety of LGBTQ+ students who may look to UNH as an accepting environment. With the state of our world today, we’re going to need it.”
“I welcome the Seacoast LGBT History Project back again this year and look forward to an exciting exhibit” said Kris Ebbeson of RiverStones Custom Framing.
Opening night will be Thursday Aug. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. with light refreshments served.
The exhibit runs through Aug. 31 and the public is welcome to view the exhibit during regular business hours. RiverStones Custom Framing and The Franklin Gallery are open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be extended hours until 3 p.m. during the Rochester Pride event on Saturday, Aug. 26.
For more information, visit the Seacoast NH LGBT History Project Facebook page, email seacoastnhlgbthistory@gmail.com or contact RiverStones Custom Framing at 603-812-1488 or email at riverstonescustomframing@gmail.com.
The Art Center presents a special exhibition showcasing Dover artists
DOVER — The Art Center announced a momentous occasion in the city's history with the unveiling of an exhibition,"Dover Artists: Celebrating 400 Years." This exhibition, hosted in the new Backstage Gallery, will pay tribute to artists residing or working in Dover, N.H. As the city commemorates its 400th anniversary, this showcase will serve as a testament to the artistic legacy within our community.
Organized in collaboration with the Dover Arts Commission, the exhibition will feature artwork created by some of Dover's finest artists.
The Dover Arts Commission, distinguished as the recipient of the 2022 NH State Council on the Arts Governor's Award in the Arts, takes great pride in supporting and promoting the arts within the community. Their partnership with The Art Center for this exhibition underscores their commitment to fostering a vibrant arts scene in Dover.
The exhibition will be open to the public through Aug. 31.
The Art Center and the Dover Arts Commission invite the public to a Artists' Reception on Aug. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m.
For more information contact The Art Center, 1 Washington St., Suite 1177, Dover, N.H. www.theartcenteronlinegallery.com.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exhibits, galleries, theater and more: Seacoast arts and culture news
