Year: 2024

On The Job – Christian Macdonald

Owner of Macdaddy Guitars

Christian Macdonald, owner of Macdaddy Guitars in Weare, thinks of guitars as “beautiful three-dimensional sculptures.” His guitars can be found on his MacDaddy Guitars Facebook page as well as at select local dealers.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My job now is building guitars full-time, basically working in my home shop. I build acoustic-electric hollow-body designed guitars that I’ve designed. I use all solid woods, mostly from the area, locally sourced if I can.

How long have you had this job?

Well, that’s a long story but officially I started in 2003, working part-time at my business-slash-hobby at the time, and then it wasn’t until 2019 that I decided to leave the office world behind and just jump into this full-time.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

I’ve always, since I was a young kid, dabbled with my brother’s guitar and banjo … I built my first guitar back in 1981 I think it was. A solid body, kind of like a Fender Strat kit, and I really loved it…. I wanted to get more adventurous and build a hollow-body guitar … Just sort of evolved from there and I just fell in love with the whole process, the making of them, and it kind of became an obsession.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I went to college and got a B.A. in communications and one in fine arts. I was trained as a two-dimensional artist, a painter … I had to really be self-taught, the guitar-making part of it. I never had formal training as a guitar-maker.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

It depends on what time of year it is, but right now it’s a T-shirt and shorts. I like my Crocs with socks. I also wear my Macdaddy work apron to keep stuff off of my clothes and there’s a lot of things like earmuffs and dust masks and goggles on top of what I wear.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

I think for me the most challenging thing is to be a self-motivator and -promoter. I mean the most challenging aspect of making a product and selling it is the marketing.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I wish they knew how much work is actually entailed. It’s such a multi-step job … From cutting raw wood to putting all the pieces together and then doing all the finishing and the setting up.

What was your first job?

My first job was at a little Italian restaurant in Connecticut…. I was a dishwasher and a food prepper and I made $1.25 an hour.

What is the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

I was at a conference for business and a person, I don’t think this is an actual quote, but I wrote it down, [said,] ‘When you find that passion that drives you, work it for all it’s worth knowing what you don’t want to do.’

—Zachary Lewis

Five favorites
Favorite book: Night Fall by Nelson DeMille
Favorite movie: Definitely Jaws
Favorite music: Lately I really love Amos Lee.
Favorite food: All things cheesy. Cheese of any kind.
Favorite thing about NH: I guess, metaphorically speaking, I can breathe easier here in New Hampshire, it just always feels like home.

Featured photo: Christian Macdonald. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 24/08/15

Family fun for whenever

Fairs and fests

• Don’t miss Londonderry’s 125th annual Old Home Days, which started Wednesday, Aug. 14, and go through Saturday, Aug. 17. There are concerts, fireworks, a parade, a 5K road race, a baby contest and children’s games. See the article in last week’s Hippo for details or visit londonderrynh.gov.

• The 125th Gilmanton Old Home Day is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Smith Meeting House (Meeting House and Governor roads, Gilmanton). Previous events have included live entertainment, a puppet show, a silent auction, an antique auto parade and an art show. Visit gilmantonnh.org/organizations/gilmanton-old-home-day for details.

• The Sunflower Bloom Festival at fields in Concord will run daily until Sunday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, according to sunfoxfarm.org. The festival features live music, food vendors and more. See the article on the festival from last week’s issue of the Hippo. Admission costs $10; kids 10 and under get in free; cut your own flowers for $2 per stem.

History & machines

• Hillsborough’s History Alive event will be held Saturday, Aug. 17, and Sunday, Aug. 18, at Jones Road in Hillsborough. It will focus on historical reenactments of famous battles and daily village life from times past, and will include activities, crafts and musicians. Tickets are $10 per adult and $8 for seniors. The event is free for children 16 and under when accompanied by an adult. You can purchase a bracelet on the day of the event and it will cover both days. Cash only; credit cards are not accepted in person. Visit historyalivenh.org.

• The New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton) is hosting its annual Truck and Tractor Day on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trucks, wagons, antique cars and tractors dating back to the mid 1900s will be on display, and the event will feature demonstrations on things like the two-man saw and the butter churn treadmill. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older, $6 for children ages 4 to 17, and free for children under 4. A family pass is available for $30. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) hosts Planefest! Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with outdoor aviation-related activities and games, planes on display, pilots and other aviation-related professionals on hand to discuss their careers and, at 1 p.m., a cake to celebrate the Aug. 19, 1871, birthday of Orville Wright, according to a press release. The free outdoor activities are geared toward elementary school and middle school aged kids. The museum will be open (with regular admission prices) during the event.

The museum is also extending its hours as we enter the final week of summer vacation. In addition to its regular hours of Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., the museum will also be open Wednesday, Aug. 21, and Thursday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the museum’s Elite Flight Simulator open from 1 to 4 p.m. on those days, according to a press release. The flight simulator is open first come, first served for ages 12 and up, the release said. Admission to the museum is free for children ages 5 and under, $5 for ages 6 to 12 and $10 for ages 13 and above, the release said.

Plays and movies

​• The Palace Youth Theatre Summer Camp presents The Wizard of Oz, Youth Edition on Friday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 17, at 11 a.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• Also at the Palace, catch the next few shows in the 2024 Bank of NH Children’s Summer Series. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. is on stage through Aug. 16, and Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr. runs Aug. 20 to Aug. 23. according to the theater’s website. Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday at 10 a.m. Tickets to each show cost $10 per person.

• Fathom Events has kid-friendly movies on its schedule (see fathomevents.com for local theaters). Coraline (PG, 2009) will be screening from Thursday, Aug. 15, through Thursday, Aug. 22, at select theaters, including Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack; AMC Classic in Londonderry; Cinemark in Salem, and O’neil Cinemas in Epping.

Treasure Hunt 24/08/15

Dear Donna,

I got this flower ceiling light at a local consignment store. I have a question about whether it should be re-wired. Also can you give me an idea if I got a deal on it or not?

Thank you, Donna.

Phil

Dear Phil,

Your chandelier looks to be in good clean condition.

Let’s address the wiring first. I always say if there is any wear on the cord or where it makes an electrical contact, then definitively yes, it should be re-wired. Better safe than sorry, right? If it’s clean and still not hard but a pliable cord then maybe just leave it.

If your chandelier is an older one from the 1940s-1970s and in working order I would say the value is in the range of $250.

It could also be a reproduction of an older one. You could tell by the electrical cord, screws, paint or if there is any maker’s name on it.

So, Phil, depending on what you paid for it, I would say you got a little treasure. Nice piece. Thanks for sharing with us and I hope you get to use it with minimal or no repairs.

The Art Roundup 24/08/15

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

• Creative communities: Twiggs Gallery, in partnership with Concord Makerspace, will be hosting a discussion with members of the New Hampshire Potters’ Guild (NHPG) for their “Third Thursday Discussion Series: Building Creative Communities” on Thursday, Aug. 15, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). In a statement, Twiggs Gallery director Laura Morrison said Twiggs is “looking forward to talking with NHPG about how they are successfully building a rich and vibrant community of artists and craftsmen. The series is an open-style panel discussion engaging the local creative community in conversations about how we can all work together to help each other grow, not only as creative beings but as a thriving creative community that benefits everybody.” Local artists, crafters, musicians, performers, makers, creatives, writers, collectors, and anyone interested in living and working in a thriving arts community are encouraged to join the discussion, according to the release. Visit twiggsgallery.org, concordmakerspace.org, and nhpottersguild.org.

• Music and glass: On Friday, Aug. 16, Laura Belanger, along with Dennis Akerman, will present “The Colors of Sanbornton Congregational Church – A Mosaic of Organ Music and Stained Glass”at Sanbornton Congregational Church (21 Meeting House Hill Road, Sanbornton) at 5 p.m. Ears will be treated to some unexpected sounds produced through an artfully chosen blend of organ stops, chimes and bells, coming together to present a sound representing each unique and colorful window. In one part of the program, as a special treat, audience members will witness the playing of the pump organ that was brought to the church in 1890, according to the release. Admission is free. A stair-less entry is accessible through the parking lot at the rear of the church and assistive hearing devices are also available. Call 286-3018 or visit uccsanbornton.org.

NEW EXHIBIT
Glimpse Gallery (Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord), owned by Miriam Exum and curated by Christina Landry-Boullion, will hold multiple receptions for its newest exhibit, which features the work of Kristin Selesnick, Corey Garland, Leslie Ossoff, Ashley Audet, Sandy Sereno, Marisol-von-Hardenberg and Christina Landry-Boullion, on Saturday, Aug. 17, and Saturday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. They ask that you RSVP if possible. Visit theglimpsegallery.com or call 892-8307.

• Romance Day: On Saturday, Aug. 17, at 2p.m. Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) celebrates the sixth annual Bookstore Romance Day by having a mocktail party with New England romance novel authors where attendees can meet some authors, mingle and chat, talk tropes, debate who is the best book boyfriend/girlfriend, and enjoy some delicious drinks from Gibson’s Cafe, according to the press release. Authors in attendance will be Jilly Gagnon, author of Love You, Mean It; Sarina Bowen, author of the True North series and the Brooklyn Hockey series and co-author of the W.A.G.S series with Elle Kennedy; and Margaret Porter, author of A Change of Location and more than a dozen historical romance novels, according to the same release. Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction (its books, readers, and writers) and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community, according to the same release. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com

• Summer improv: Join Stranger Than Fiction at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) for one last summer night of unscripted comedy where anything can happen on the cozy, intimate stage on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m. Participants will be asked for summer-themed suggestions and will watch them transformed into hilarious scenes, characters and stories. Participants are encouraged to have a picnic in the back lawn before the show and they do have air conditioning. Tickets are $15. Visit playersring.org/shows/stfsplash.

CULTURE FEST
Positive Street Art, Manchester Central Little League and MYTURN welcome everyone to The Manchester Multicultural Festival and Mural Unveiling on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sheehan-Basquil Park in Manchester’s Center City, celebrating a new colorful Central Little League mural, according to their website. There will be live performances from New Hampshire’s own premiere rock band Cozy Throne as well as music and hoop performers from Akwesasne, as well as other activities like an art vendor market and mobile gallery sale, giveaways and photography by the talented Esmeldy, according to the website. See positivestreetart.org.

—Zachary Lewis

A little weird

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld on stage

Beginning with The Colour of Magic in 1983, Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series spanned 41 novels. The fantasy writer drew from mythology, folklore and the classics for stories that happened on a flat planet that balanced on the backs of four elephants, who in turn stood upon a giant turtle.

1988’s The Wyrd Sisters is a loose retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and director Jeannie LeGrow thought it would be great if there were a stage version; she’s a big fan of the Discworld books. Turns out that British writer Stephen Briggs has adapted more than 20 Pratchett novels into plays, including the one starring three witches, a Duke, his striving wife and a ghost.

“I just decided to re-read them,” she said by phone recently. “I find that I get something new depending on where I am in life each time I do, and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t this make a great play?” Then I was like, ‘Do you think it is one?’ ‘I Googled it, and there it was.”

In another bit of kismet, the publishing house with the rights to The Wyrd Sisters lets theatrical companies have the play in exchange for a donation to the Orangutan Foundation, a favorite charity of Pratchett’s. In The Colour of Magic there’s a character who is magically turned into a great ape and decides he likes it.

“He finds it easier to climb the shelves and somehow everyone understands him,” LeGrow said. “I imagine the donation was probably the brainchild of Sir Pratchett or his family and estate. He really seems to want his legacy to be positive … to have left behind something good and fun.”

In his writing, LeGrow likes the way Pratchett blended the medieval and magical with modernism. “In Guards! Guards!, another fabulous one that I’d like to do, this cult does a big thing and then they’re waiting, and one of them goes, ‘Should we get a pizza?’ He just loves to add that little touch of reality, which is not only humorous, but more relatable.”

Another thing she enjoys is that Pratchett’s worldview was very female forward. The Duke of Felmet, played by Village regular Bob Tuttle, is both wicked and hapless as Lady Felmet (Magner Peruto) guides him. The Wyrd Sisters’ men come off as mostly beholden to the women in the play — that is, when they’re not simply trying to keep up.

“My favorite Terry Pratchett book is Equal Rites, in which a woman becomes a wizard,” she said. “He says in the book, ‘Women are not allowed to become wizards because the wizards have realized they’d be rather better at it,’ He very much writes his women that way and I’ve always loved that about him … and yes, the women definitely let the men think they’re running things in the Discworld.”

The three witches in the play are Nanny Ogg (Jayson Andrews) — “very pragmatic, but a bit … well, she’s not very tactful, and that’s something I really like about her … you always know where you stand,” LeGrow said — and the outsized Granny Weatherwax, “in her opinion, and probably everyone else’s, the greatest witch in all of Discworld.”

Magrat Garlick, a character who’s often portrayed as dumb, is updated by Emily Marsh. “She’s more aware of the modern world, but also is very naive in other ways; not dumb, she just doesn’t know yet,” LeGrow said. “She makes it sweet and very funny.” LeGrow, who joined Village a few years ago, feels Marsh exemplifies something important about the theater.

“She grew up in this theater, it’s a second family to her, and that speaks to me so much,” she said. “These kids go off to college and they come back. It matters to them to come to this theater, and that speaks volumes of how welcoming they are. I’ve had such a good time with the group.”

The Wyrd Sisters
When: Fridays and Saturdays, Aug. 16 through Aug. 24, at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, Aug. 18 and Aug. 25, at 2 p.m.
Where: The Village Players Theater, 51 Glendon St., Wolfeboro
Tickets: $20 at village-players.com

Featured image: Wyrd Sisters. Courtesy photo.

Art for everyone

Greeley Park Art Show features artists working in a variety of media

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

The time is now for the 71st Greeley Park Art Show in Nashua on Saturday, Aug. 17, and Sunday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day put on by the Nashua Area Artists’ Association. Lauren Boss, co-director of the Greeley Park Art Show, is excited for the two days filled with art along with co-director Jacqueline Barry.

“We’ve been co-directors for, oh goodness, several, several years,” Boss said.

If there is a style of art, it will be represented at Greeley Park.

“All the artists, it’s all different mediums and all different styles. We have artists that work in pastels and colored pencils, oils, and we have potters and woodworkers, people that work with glass. All different mediums, all different styles. It’s great because everybody’s different…. There’s something for everyone because it’s so diverse…. There’s going to be 50 artists displayed.”

There is a silent auction but the artists will be happy to talk with attendees about their craft. “Everybody loves to talk about how they do it. You can ask them everything and they are very willing to talk to you about it.”

The attendees are just as impressive as the art itself.

“One artist several years ago had said, ‘This is a great show and people know a lot and you can tell the people come back year after year because of the questions they’re asking and how knowledgeable they are.’”

Everyone is invited, even the furriest Granite Staters.

“Whatever pet you happen to have, whatever pets are well-behaved are welcome. Come on out and have a great time…. The park’s huge. You get people walking and biking. People with their kids. A lot of people plan vacations around the art show.”

An art competition takes place both days.

“Saturday there’s an adult art competition for the people in the show. It’s broken down by medium; pastels, oils, mixed-media, whatever their medium is, so there’s a first, second, and third in the medium and then the best in show. We give away a lot of cash prizes that way.”

Sunday’s competition is for kids.

“It’s 6 to 18 and they bring their artwork so their artwork’s hung and that’s judged and they get prizes also, art related prizes to encourage the kids to keep on going.”

Some speciality booths will be popped up around the park as well.

“We give away two scholarships every year and those artists are also displaying at the park, they have a tent set up and they’re there with some of their artwork…. The raffle tent has local people. Local businesses donate gift certificates or gift bags, some of the artists donate paintings, or whatever they do, and that’s raffled off.”

As mentioned before, the silent auction is an aspect of the Art Show that has a great selection of art.

“There’s a silent auction that we do for higher-priced items, so that’s really cool to do also and that goes to the educational fund, so that could be scholarships, community outreach, demonstrations that we do throughout the year, and stuff like that.”

Certain years there is music in the park, and this year is one of those years.

“There will be a musician both Saturday and Sunday. George Parker plays acoustic guitar and stops and plays at various spots at the park. He is really a nice addition to the show. …There’s a lot that goes on with the Art Show, just a lot that goes on.”

Hot dog and ice cream vendors may be on the street.

“Sometimes there’s an ice cream truck. There are the hot dog people that are there, but they’re not ours.”

Boss was not able to pick a favorite medium or artist and when asked said, “Honestly, all of them. They are amazing, it’s like a museum. We have artists that have won awards from all over the world…. It’s amazing, they really are. I love our artists. They’re really nice, they’re funny, they’re great, they really are.”

“They’re very personable when you go into their booth. Some of the people are actually there painting and drawing…. There’s one woman who does colored pencils and she’s amazing and I think when you ask her, it’s an inch an hour is what it takes her to do her drawings and when you look at them they’re just incredible.”

Whether it’s community, art, or a pleasant day at the park, the Greeley Park Art Show has been the place to be for over 70 years.

“Through the years I’ve seen families grow up and it’s cool…. You see them grow through the years…. It’s just a great event for everybody,” Boss said.

Nashua Area Artists’ Association
71st Greeley Park Art Show
100 Concord St., Nashua
Saturday, Aug. 17, and Sunday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free admission
nashuaarts.org/greeleyparkartshow

Featured image: Artwork by David Bower. Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!