Watching iron melt and flowers bloom

Take in the natural and artistic beauty at Andres Institute

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline) sits on the site of a former ski lodge and granite quarry and consists of 140 acres, 12 miles of trail, and countless opportunities to encounter the sublime on a hike through art and nature. It’s “a beautiful setting, it’s gorgeous,” said Kristi St. Laurent, President of the Institute.

Andres was founded in 1998 by engineer philanthropist Paul Andres and Master Sculptor John Weidman. In 1999 they held the first International Annual Bridges and Connections Sculpture Symposium, which is where typically around three sculptors from all over the world are invited to Brookline for a few weeks to create magnificent sculpture.

Andres Institute of Art also hosts an art gallery and performance space for a myriad styles of music, from bluegrass to jazz to classical, a decision made to reflect the wide array of artistic styles represented here.

“The former ski lodge is now our welcome center,” St. Laurent said.

One hundred sculptures are on permanent display, made by artists hailing from 50 different countries. The trails where the sculptures are placed are open for free to the public any day of the year.

“You can just park your car and walk the trails,” St. Laurent said. “You don’t have to come here planning on doing 12 miles. There really is too much to see in one day, definitely.” On the Institutes’s website is a link to the app and website Trailforks, which contains a detailed map of the trails. Maps can be downloaded, or can be picked up on location.

The studio is set up for metal and stone work.

“It’s just John that’s working in the studio except for during the symposium; then the visiting artists are there,” St. Laurent said. In 2023, Weidman received the New Hampshire Governor’s Arts Award for Distinguished Leadership.

Weidman has lately been building a cupola, a furnace that can melt iron, for the 2024 Spring Iron Melt, set to take place on Saturday, June 1. Another Melt takes place in the fall.

For the Melt, essentially, participants purchase a mold, which is a 12- by 12-inch “brick” that has a 6- by 6-inch square inset that designs can be carved into with a “nail” provided by the Institute or with their own tools. On the day of the pour, each mold is coated in graphite to ease the eventual iron release, “which is like spraying a cooking pan … so that your brownies come out of the pan,” St. Laurent said. Once the iron is poured, what’s left is a half-inch-thick, 6-inch by 6-inch iron tile. “It has their design cast into it…. Some people bought them as Christmas presents.”

Details on how to sign up for future Iron Melts are on the Andres website.

The trails at Andres transform with the arrival of spring and summer.

“The change in the park in just the last week with all the leaves coming out and the flowers, it’s so beautiful,” St. Laurent said. “Even when the parking lot is full you still might not run into anybody. … It’s nice and quiet and peaceful. It’s a great place to take kids.”

More field trips are heading to Andres as well.

“I ask the kids, ‘What are the normal rules at a museum?’ and they’re like, ‘No running, we have to be quiet, don’t touch anything.’ and I said, ‘All those rules are out the window!’ and they love it. You can run, you can be loud, you can touch the art, you can take a selfie with it, you can climb on it, it’s great,” St. Laurent said. This rule applies no matter which direction or trail is taken, and apart from the art, the world around it can be considered an installation piece.

“The money view is up at the summit with the sculpture called the Phoenix, and that was from the very first symposium…. You can look out and see Mt. Monadnock and some of the other mountains in the distance and it’s absolutely gorgeous,” she said. Dogs on-leash are welcome to sniff and zoom with their owners here too.

St. Laurent’s favorite sculpture sits on the quarry trail near the quarry pond: “A human figure made out of rebar and other types of metal. I just love that one. That one’s called ‘Monument [II].’ It’s actually by a woman artist, Alexandra Limpert from New York…. Although there are many, many close runner-ups.”

In an artist statement about that piece, Limbert said she aimed to “translate the human form into metal lines, grids and compartments. This random vocabulary defines the entity beneath the façade. The exposed construction of each piece also reveals my process. Much like architecture under construction, my sculptures are anonymous monuments in states of transition.”

Encountering all the beauty, man-made and from nature, is what the Andres Institute of Art wants for their visitors.

“Part of the mission of the Andres is to get people in contact with art,” St. Laurent said. “That’s what we’re trying to do on a daily basis: art and nature.”

Spring Iron Melt 2024
Where: 106 Route 13, Brookline
When: Saturday, June 1, approximately from noon to 1 p.m.
More: andresinstitute.org, 673-7441

This Week 24/05/30

Friday, May 31

The curtain rises tonight at 7:30 p.m. on 42nd Street at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). The musical runs through Sunday, June 23, with shows Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and Thursday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. The play celebrates Broadway and the magic of showbiz with wit, humor and pizzazz and takes place at the height of the Great Depression, following aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer to the big city as she lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway” and “Forty-Second Street,” according to the press release. Tickets cost $28 to $49.

Saturday, June 1

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (7 N. Mast Road, Goffstown, 497-2003, stmattsepiscopal.org) will hold its annual Spring Yard Sale today from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Church.

Saturday, June 1

In honor of Black Birders Week, NH Audubon (nhaudubon.org/event) and the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (blackheritagetrailnh.org) are partnering for a guided tour in Portsmouth, at 222 Court St. in Portsmouth, today from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Learn about the rich and often forgotten African-American history of New Hampshire while keeping an eye out for birds and other local wildlife. Participants should arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the trail tour. Free parking is available at the Parrott Ave. Parking Lot and along streets nearby. All ages are welcome. Tickets are $20; space is limited and registration is required.

Saturday, June 1

See the results of the three artists participating in this year’s Nashua International Sculpture Symposium at 1 p.m. as the pieces, which will become part of Nashua’s townwide exhibit of sculptures, will be unveiled in their installation locations. This will involve participants driving from Picker Studios over to where the pieces are to be installed, according to nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

Saturday, June 1

The Goffstown Rotary Club’s (Parsons Drive) Car Show is returning for its 11th year today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include goodie bags for the first 50 registrants, along with food trucks, raffles and trophies given in 16 classes. Admission is free, and the cost to participate as a registrant is $20 per car, with all proceeds benefiting local charities. Visit goffstownrotary.org.

Saturday, June 1

Milford’s third annual Pride Festival will take place today from noon to 4 p.m. at Keyes Park (45 Elm St., Milford) and will feature live music, food and more. “See Milford NH PRIDE” on Facebook.

Save the Date! Tuesday, June 11
Red River Theaters (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) will host the first annual Creative Guts Short Film Festival on Tuesday, June 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. The Festival will present short films by independent filmmakers from New Hampshire and beyond. The spirit of this festival is to celebrate the creativity, voice and collaboration of filmmakers. These films are not rated. Some films contain adult themes, language and violence, and may not be suitable for children. All films will be open captioned. Tickets are $12 and available through Red River’s website.

Featured photo: 42nd Street at the Palace Theater.

Quality of Life 24/05/30

Check is in the mail

In a recent study by WalletHub (wallethub.com), an online financial services website, New Hampshire home-owners were the least likely in the United States to be delinquent (a month or more behind) on their mortgage payments. New Hampshire residents ranked 50th out of 50 states in delinquency; just 5.21 percent of home loans in the state had late payments.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Neighboring state Vermont, on the other hand, the nation’s delinquency leader, has a delinquency rate of 7.1 percent.

Falcons with accessories

Last Thursday, Whit and Thor, the peregrine falcon chick residents of a nestbox at the top of the Brady Sullivan Building in downtown Manchester, were banded. According to the Center for Conservation Biology (ccbbirds.org), raptors like peregrines are fitted with metal leg bands “to provide researchers with data on peregrine survival rates, dispersal distances, and population growth rates.” The chicks got bands on each leg. Typically, one band has a unique nine-digit code to identify the falcon in the future. The second band, on the opposite leg, is a two-color band that is easily read from a distance.

QOL score: +1

Comment: To watch the adorably grumpy chicks being banded, visit YouTube and search for 2024 Peregrine Falcon Banding.

Put the phone down

Data from the State Police show an increase in dangerous driving on New Hampshire’s highways over the past year. According to an online article by WMUR on May 22, state troopers have given out an alarming number of tickets over the past 12 months. According to WMUR’s report, cell phones continue to be one of the largest contributing factors to inattentive driving. Between May 2023 and April 2024, for example, 272 tickets were given out in Bedford alone for hands-free, distracted driving. “State troopers are seeing more egregious violations on the road, especially speeding,” the article said. “Within the past year, state police have issued about 1,600 tickets for driving 25 mph or more over the 65 mph limit, including to one person who was caught going 128 mph.”

QOL score: -2

Comment: In a separate online article last month, WMUR reported that 129 people were killed in car crashes on New Hampshire roads in 2023.

Last week’s QOL score: 69

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 69

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at [email protected].

History on paper

Find antique books, out-of-print gems and more

The 47th Northern New England Book Fair will be held at the Everett Arena in Concord on Sunday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Collections of books include fantasy and science fiction, classic fiction, modern novels, historical books, leather-bound books and ephemera from the 1600s to the 21st century. Organizer Richard Mori discusses the fair. See moribooks.com.

What led you to believe that young people are still into books?

Kids are 60 percent of my business today. Under 30, 60 percent of my business. I’m constantly being told by old people, which I’m one of, that kids don’t read anymore, kids don’t like books, and I’ve always said that that’s not true. Young people are into books…. Not so much a discovery, it’s an observation. I do 40 shows a year around the country. …Kids are buying books. When I say kids, I mean under 30.

Where do you find all of your books?

My general answer to that is I find books wherever I go. I’ve been buying books since I was 12. The obvious places are library sales, at bookstores, flea markets. They’re everyplace. Certainly you’ll find books at thrift stores, yard sales. I’ve found books in restaurants, to be honest. There are restaurants with book themes or library themes. Every once in a while in those kinds of places you can find a good book that’s accidentally been put in the collection. But I don’t buy just any book. I’m looking for books of interest, books that people want for their collection.

What makes a book technically an antique?

In general, an antique is something that’s 100 years old. In the book world, it’s not so much about age as subject matter and collectability. To give you the very obvious example: Harry Potter. Harry Potter was first published in 1997 or 1998, so that’s a fairly recent phenomenon. I would love to find the very first printing of the London edition of the first book because there are only 500 copies and that book today is worth over $50,000.

What is the oldest book you have to sell?

I have books from the 1600s. Generally those tend to be religious in nature. But actually there are many books published in the 1600s that were not religious in nature. The earliest books often are religious in nature and I have probably one or two of those sitting around. It’s very common to find books from the 1700s, 1800s, early 1800s. I bought in Akron, Ohio, Thomas Jefferson’s book published in 1813 … Parliamentary Procedure for the United States Senate. … I bought it in Akron in April and just sold it in May.

Why do older books get that special, unique smell that only older books have?

It’s the paper. What most people don’t understand, early paper, and that’s where people have this love for the odor of books, is handmade. Paper before 1830, for the most part, is made from old rag, actually. Rag was pulverized and liquified and then made into paper. That, I think, is where that odor comes from.

Is there a book that you’ve been looking for that you have not come across yet?

Actually, there is. I’ve been a collector of Boy Scout history, specifically books, since I was 12 years old. I actually sold my Boy Scout handbook collection to a gentleman in California and I was missing one key element to that collection which was called the ‘fortnightlies.’ Those are the original six-part pamphlets that were … by Baden-Powell in England back in 1907. Two years after I sold that collection, I found the ‘fortnightlies,’ the originals, but I had only found five. So I’m still looking for the sixth issue, or one of the six issues … to complete that collection. It’s not so rare that I’ll never find it, but they were published in England so very few of them came to the United States, so they’re very very hard to find here in this country.

What drives you to hold all these different book fairs and events?

Part of it is the love of books. Two, is to continue the opportunity for the public and people to find the books they’re looking for. The nice thing about a book show is that booksellers from all over come together to show what they have and to offer it for sale to the public. In the book community, we have this wonderful social activity. Books bring people together from all different walks of life. — Zachary Lewis

Featured image: Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 24/05/30

Electric rates up less

According to a recent press release, data from the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) “Electric Power Monthly” report shows that residential electric rates in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island have increased at a substantially greater rate than those in New Hampshire from 2017 to 2024.

Based on a cents-per kilowatt-hour basis for residential customers, Rhode Island rates have increased 127 percent more than New Hampshire’s, Connecticut rates have increased 94 percent more than New Hampshire’s, Massachusetts rates have increased 83 percent more than New Hampshire’s and Maine rates have increased 70 percent more than New Hampshire’s.

At the moment, Eversource residential customers in Boston pay a per kilowatt-hour rate 77 percent higher than Granite Staters, while Connecticut Eversource residential customers pay a rate 45 percent higher, which translates to an average household in New Hampshire using 625 kilowatt hours a month paying $50 to $90 less per month than those in Connecticut or Massachusetts. Visit eia.gov to view the report.

Mont Vernon house named Historic Place

In a recent press release, the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources announced that the U.S. Secretary of the Interior has listed Mont Vernon’s Old Meetinghouse in the National Register of Historic Places due to its architecture and service to the community as a center for town functions and as a place of worship.

Mont Vernon’s Old Meetinghouse was built in 1781-82 to serve that dual purpose and is located in the center of one of the few hilltop villages in New Hampshire, according to the same release. Most residents refer to it as the Mont Vernon Town Hall.

In 1837, the Meetinghouse was moved across the street to where it resides today. Renovations were made that included the clear delineation of the church sanctuary and the town office areas to comply with New Hampshire’s Toleration Act of 1819, which required a separation of church and state, according to the release.

It was built as a Georgian-era twin-porch meetinghouse, but with the renovations in 1837, aspects of Greek Revival style, popular in New England at the time, were added, including a broad gable front with closed pediment, a bell tower, and simple door and window surrounds, according to the press release.

In 1915 a mechanical clock was installed inside the two-stage bell tower’s square base and was topped by an octagonal belfry and a dome copper roof with a decorative weathervane, according to the release.

Mont Vernon’s Old Meetinghouse has kept many of its interior historic features from its 19th-century renovations, including plaster walls, wood floors, triple beadboard wainscotting and beadboard ceilings, according to the same release. Today, town offices make their homes on the first floor and the Mont Vernon Historical Society Museum on the second, according to the release.

More information on the National Register program in New Hampshire can be found at nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov.

More visitors to NH

In a recent press release the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, Division of Travel and Tourism (DTTD), announced it is anticipating an estimated 4.8 million people will visit New Hampshire this summer and expecting those visitors to spend around $2.6 billion.

This would be a 3 percent growth in the number of people visiting the Granite State from last year.

In a statement, NH Travel and Tourism Director Lori Harnois said that “while this past year marked a return to normal levels for leisure travel, nationally growth in that area is expected to be about 2.5%, and according to our research New Hampshire should follow that trend. … New Hampshire should see an added boost resulting from accelerated visitation from Canada. Canada is New Hampshire’s top international market, so this is very positive news for us, and we are anticipating a robust summer tourism season.” For more information, go to visitnh.gov.

Scholarship for nurses

In a recent press release, FedPoint, a benefits marketplace operator and third-party administrator, announced the four recipients of the $5,000 2024 FedPoint Nursing Scholarship, chosen from a field of more than 150 applicants. All are graduating high school students who will enter an accredited nursing program this fall.

The 2024 FedPoint Nursing Scholarship recipients are Callie Rocheleau, from Farmington High School; Annabelle Shumway, from Epping High School; Lauren Varney, from Sanborn Regional High School, and Anna Windisch, from Londonderry Senior High School, according to the release.

An award ceremony at FedPoint’s headquarters was held in Portsmouth on Tuesday, May 7, during National Nurses Week, according to the release.

On Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friends of Goffstown Public Library will host a book sale on the Library lawn (2 High St., Goffstown), according to their website. A $10 bag sale (bring your own reusable shopping bag) takes place from 1 to 2 p.m. Books are sorted and categorized, according to the website. Visit goffstownlibrary.com.

Join Special Olympics New Hampshire for its 2024 State Summer Games on Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. The games include competition in athletics, bocce, equestrian, powerlifting, unified sprint triathlons and swimming. Visit sonh.org.

Celebrate National Trails Day with Beaver Brook (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, beaverbrook.org) on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will help with the annual tradition of trail work, with a focus on cutting back branches encroaching on a trail, according to the website. Participants can park on Iron Works Lane by the Hollis-Jeff Smith Trailhead. Beaver Brook will provide necessary tools and snacks and will have extra work gloves just in case.

The Palace Theatres’ Kitchen Tour (Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) will take place Sunday, June 2, with a self-guided tour featuring beautiful kitchens in Bedford, Goffstown and Hooksett. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at Granite State Cabinetry (384 Route 101, Bedford, 472-4080, gscabinetry.com). Tickets cost $55 in advance, $65 on the day of the event.

Summer guide 2024 — 5/23/2024

It’s summer! Or, you know, close enough! Memorial Day weekend kicks off that summertime frame of mind and to celebrate we’re presenting our annual guide to summer events — get your concerts, ball games, art festivals, food festivals and other flavors of summertime fun.

Also on the cover, Michael Witthaus talks with the frontman for the BoDeans (page 44). Get ready for the NH Bacon & Beer Festival (page 36). Take your game of Clue to the streets of Concord (page 30).

Read the e-edition

A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
And I would walk 0.68 miles According to a press release, the City of Manchester has updated its plans to ...
young woman in white evening gown holding flower bouquet and waving, on stage after being crowned in beauty pageant
A talk with the reigning Miss New Hampshire Miss New Hampshire 2024, Emily Spencer, talks about what the role entails ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – Celtics Start Round 3: So much for our first real New York–Boston playoff series since 1984 ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
New Hampshire is a good place for military retirees According to a recent study by WalletHub (Wallethub.com), an online financial ...
Old baseball, glove, and bat on field with base and outfield in background.
Thursday, May 23 The Nashua Public Library will conduct an Adult Field Trip to Mine Falls Gatehouse and Hydroelectric Dam ...
Family enjoying hot dogs in a sunny park, casual outdoor picnic,
Load up your season with fun Finally, it’s summer! OK, maybe not in an official calendar sense but Memorial Day ...
black man with beard holding an open box in one hand and a pipe in the other, dressed in evening wear, outside at night on sidewalk
Clue comes to life in Concord Who killed Mr. Boddy, with what weapon, and where? Was it Miss Peacock wielding ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Art of the cupcake: Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 ...
melodean that looks lie a small piano, made of wood, decorative sheet music stand attached to top
Hi, Donna, Wondering if you could give me some information on this melodeon. I purchased it from a coworker who ...
Family fun for whenever Outdoors is open Want to celebrate unofficial summer by the water? Here are some state parks ...
man wearing sunglasses, hoodie, and had, holding fish, on boat, lake in background
Owner of Tight Bite Tackle Hunter Glass handcrafts unique fishing lures in Concord at his business Tight Bite Tackle (tightbitetackle.com) ...
Red round icon that reads Weekly Dish
News from the local food scene • Charcuterie workshop: Learn how to assemble an elegant or artfully rustic meat and ...
woman handing festival goer a sample on sunny day at outdoor food festival
Also beer and barbecue at annual fest Jeremy Garrett has a four-word mantra that would stop almost anybody in their ...
man standing half turned toward camera, holding glass of beer, one hand in pocket, wearing blazer, dusk with string lights above
Andy Day, Chef and owner of Cask & Vine (1 E. Broadway in Derry, 965-3454, caskandvine.com) Andy Day is the ...
tall glass of orange colored drink, with orange wheel and ice, sitting on table, row of bicycles behind
The first time I had my bicycle stolen was in the Army, when a platoonmate of mine with a drug ...
2 album covers
The Treatment, Wake Up The Neighbourhood (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) Yep, it’s been a little while since we checked in at ...
Local music news & events • All inclusive: Million Dollar Quartet star and piano prodigy Nat Zegree’s The History of ...
men on stage playing guitars and drums, weird blue lighting, images of them on large screen at back of stage
BoDeans play Nashua Center In the middle of the 1980s, a contingent of bands emerged from a swamp of big ...

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!