Category: Visual Arts

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

• The Hatbox reopens: Several performance series return to The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) this month, including Queen City Improv on Fridays, April 23, May 7, May 21 and June 4, and Thursday, June 17; Comedy Out of the ’Box on Saturdays, April 24, May 8, May 22 and June 5, and Thursday, June 24; and Discovering Magic with Andrew Pinard on Wednesdays, May 19 and June 16. Mainstage theater productions will return in June with Holmes & Watson, presented by Phylloxera Productions, running June 11 through June 27. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.

• A modern take on retablos: Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) presents a new art exhibit, “Retablos Reconsidered,” on view April 24 through June 6. The exhibit features works by 12 artists inspired by retablos, the honorific art form of devotional paintings that relate to miraculous events. “[The works] reveal themes that personally, socially and politically affect [the artists’] lives,” the gallery stated in a press release. “Some reflect traditional religious themes within a contemporary context. Others are non-religious but are created to draw awareness to broad issues in our times and some reveal deeply personal stories.” Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.

• Virtual poetry events: National Poetry Month in New Hampshire continues with virtual poetry writing workshops on Sunday, April 25, at 3 p.m., and Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m., led by graduate students interning with New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary; and a virtual poetry reading and conversation with Peary and Margot Douaihy on Monday, April 26, at 7 p.m. “[Participating in] one of these events might give you ideas for your own writing,” Peary told the Hippo earlier this month. “I think it could also give you a sense that, with so many opportunities for engagement with the creative writing [community] in the state, it could become a really rich part of your life and social life.” All events are free, and registration is required. Visit newhampshirepoetlaureate.blogspot.com and hobblebush.com/national-poetry-month for a complete schedule and list of National Poetry Month activities.

• Shaker Village seeks artists: Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury) is accepting applications for its Summer Artist-in-Residence Program now through May 1. The two-week residency is open to visual artists of all media who are interested in creating art inspired by the architecture, landscape, traditional crafts, furniture, artistic endeavors and culture of the Shakers. Resident artists will live and work onsite at the village and talk with visitors about their creative process. To apply, email [email protected] with a bio or resume, an artist’s statement, a paragraph about why you’re interested in the residency and what you hope to accomplish, and five images of your most recent artwork. Call 783-9511 or visit shakers.org.

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

• Big news at the Capitol Center: Nicolette Clarke, executive director of the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, announced at a board meeting last week her plans to retire, according to a press release from the Center. The second executive director in the CCA’s 25-year history, Clarke significantly expanded the venue’s programs and facilities during her 14-year tenure. Her accomplishments include establishing the Spotlight Cafe, a Salon Series and MET Live in HD broadcasts and spearheading the CCA’s adoption of its second venue, the Bank of NH Stage, which opened in 2019. In response to the pandemic, she instituted numerous organizational development and safety projects, such as new analytic and marketing tools, HVAC filters and hands-free restroom equipment, and maintained the CCA’s programming through outdoor performances and a virtual series of livestreamed and recorded shows. “It has been an honor to lead an organization that provides such rich and diverse arts experiences,” Clarke said in the press release. “I am very proud of the number of lives we have touched and the service to the community we continue to provide despite the limitations of the pandemic.” She will officially step down at the end of July. Call 225-1111 or visit ccanh.com.

• Classical diversity: The Walker Lecture Series will conclude with a virtual screening of “Common Ground: Weaving Nepali & American Musical Traditions,” a concert by Concord Community Music School faculty, airing on Concord TV (Channel 22 and yourconcordtv.org) on Wednesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. Recorded in May 2019 as part of the School’s Bach’s Lunch Concert Series, it features jazz, folk and South Asian classical music performed by a group of five faculty members with diverse backgrounds: Harimaya Adhikari, vocals and harmonium; Prem Sagar Khatiwada, tabla; Scott Kiefner, bass; Matt Langley, saxophone; and David Surette, guitar and mandolin. The screening will include a conversation among the performers as they reflect on the concert and the experience of learning about each other’s musical traditions. All previously aired programs from this year’s Walker Lecture Series are still available to watch on YouTube, including a performance and discussion of traditional New England tavern music, hymns, sailor songs and more; travelogues about Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska and the deserts, coastline and safari parks of Namibia; an art history lecture on Frank Lloyd Wright and Norman Rockwell and more. Call 333-0035 or visit walkerlecture.org.

• Art tour for Spanish-speakers: The self-guided audio tour of public art in downtown Nashua, launched last May by Great American Downtown, is now available in Spanish. Offered through the Distrx app (accessible on Android and iOS), the tour uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provide audio descriptions as tourists approach the tour’s 14 murals and sculptures. The original audio was translated into Spanish by Oscar Villacis and read by Jasmine Torres Allen, both of WSMN’s “First Gen American,” a radio talk show aimed at people who are the first in their families to be born U.S. citizens. “This art tour is a great way to explore our vibrant art scene on and around Main Street … [and] has been an especially valuable option [for] social distancing as it is an outdoor activity [users can] experience at their own pace while following health guidelines,” Paul Shea, Great American Downtown executive director, said in a press release. Search “Nashua Public Art Tour” on Facebook.

• Virtual reception: The New Hampshire Art Association hosts a virtual opening reception and awards ceremony for its 35th annual Omer T. Lassonde exhibition on Thursday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. The exhibit honors Omer T. Lassonde, who helped found NHAA in 1940, and features works in a variety of media by NHAA members and non-members centered around this year’s theme, “Beyond the Boundaries.” It’s viewable online and at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth; open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday by appointment) now through May 30. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

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

• Thirty days of poetry: April is National Poetry Month, and New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary, New Hampshire Magazine, Concord-based publisher Hobblebush Books and others have organized all kinds of opportunities for poets and poetry lovers in the state to celebrate. One is a series of poetry writing prompts, created by Peary, with one prompt posted each day in April on New Hampshire Magazine’s Facebook page. The prompts are meant to be “a reflection of the past year,” Peary said, particularly in regard to the pandemic, and cover a wide variety of poetry styles. “They’re just something to get people started,” she told the Hippo earlier this month. “You could look at the prompts and just see what comes to mind and do a free-write every day, or you could pick just one or two [prompts] and try to write a whole poem — whatever works for you.” Now through May 15, original poems by state residents can be submitted for review and possible publication in an anthology of poetry about the pandemic experience in New Hampshire — a follow-up to COVID Spring: Granite State Pandemic Poems, an anthology edited by Peary and published by Hobblebush Books in September 2020. Virtual poetry workshops and readings and conversations with Granite State poets are also being held throughout the month. Visit newhampshirepoetlaureate.blogspot.com and hobblebush.com/national-poetry-month for a complete schedule and list of activities.

• Emerging artist from Nashua: Nashua native Tayla Cormier has been making a name for herself in the regional arts scene, according to an email from Clark University in Worcester, Mass., where she is currently pursuing a graduate degree in biology. “I am a 23-year-old artist specializing in portraiture,” Cormier states on her artist Facebook page. “My art is often inspired by music. I sell art prints, but I am always open to commissions.” Cormier’s art, which she originally started selling on the online marketplace Etsy, is now displayed around Clark’s campus and has been featured in ClarkNow and Worcester Magazine. She recently won top prize at the 17th annual Arts Worcester College Show. Visit facebook.com/taylacormierart to connect with Cormier and see her art.

• Nature reimagined: The New Hampshire Art Association has an exhibition, “Transformations: Nature and Beyond,” featuring the work of digital artist William Townsend, on view at the gallery in the Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St.) now through June 17. Townsend uses digital tools and techniques to alter line, form and color in photographs of natural objects, such as trees in a forest or seaweed on a beach. In some pieces, Townsend duplicated and inverted parts of the photograph and merged the parts into a symmetrical form, or converted the scene into an oval shape. “These effects transform the original photographed objects into images beyond nature,” an NHAA press release said about the exhibit. “His goal is to reveal the mystery and wonder that live within the realm of the mystical imagination.” All works are for sale. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• We have a winner: The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts has named Newmarket High School student Lilla Bozek the winner of the 2021 New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud High School Championship. The national poetry recitation program invites students to memorize and recite poems chosen by the National Poetry Foundation. Competition begins at the classroom level, then advances to school championships, a series of semifinals, and finally the state championship. Students are judged on their recitations by their physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness and evidence of understanding and accuracy. Bozek received a $200 prize as well as a $500 stipend for her high school to purchase poetry books. She will represent New Hampshire at the national finals, which will be held as a video submission-based competition this year. Rachel Budd from Bow High School has been selected as the alternate winner and received $100, plus a $200 stipend for Bow High School’s poetry book collection. Visit nh.gov/nharts.

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

• Currier reopens: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) is reopening to the public on Thursday, April 1, with several new exhibitions on display. “The Body in Art: From the Spiritual to the Sensual” provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression; The Tomie dePaola exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings; and “Critical Cartography: Larissa Fassler in Manchester,” features immersive large-scale drawings that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. Tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Museum hours are Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free after 5 p.m.); and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the hour of 10 to 11 a.m. currently reserved for seniors and museum members. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• Growing up wild: The Walker Lecture Series continues with a virtual author event featuring Michael Tougias (michaeltougias.com) on Wednesday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. Tougias will discuss his new bestselling memoir The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature, which chronicles his experience growing up and exploring nature in the 1960s and ’70s. “I was a wild kid by nature and choice who sought out wild places,” Tougias said in a press release. “I feel lucky to have grown up in a time when a kid could spend the entire day on their own in the great outdoors with no parental interference.” The memoir also looks at his complex relationship with his father, Tougias said. A recording of the event will be available to watch starting the following day. The Walker Lecture Series will continue every Wednesday through April 21, with a travelogue about the deserts, coastline and safari parks of Namibia presented by Rick Ray on April 14 and a faculty concert by Concord Community Music School on April 21. Events are free and open to the public. Call 333-0035 or visit walkerlecture.org.

• Virtual screenings: The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord presents a series of virtual screenings for a variety of performances. “Double Take,” a dance concert by Repertory Dance Theatre and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Co., will screen on Thursday, April 1, and Friday, April 2, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, April 3, at 4 p.m., for $25 per ticket. War Horse, a National Theatre Live Encore Presentation, is available on demand through Tuesday, April 6, for $15. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, filmed live in London, is available on demand now through Sunday, April 11, for $25. Finally, “The Art of Circus” will be screened on Thursday, April 8, at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 10, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 11, at 2 p.m., for $25 per ticket. Call 225-1111 or visit ccanh.com.

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

• Three days of virtual literature: The Exeter LitFest will be held virtually over Zoom from Thursday, April 1, through Saturday, April 3. This year’s featured guest is Victoria Arlen, an Exeter native, television personality for ESPN and author of Locked In: The Will to Survive and the Resolve to Live, which tells her story of recovery after inexplicably falling into a vegetative state at age 11. The festival kicks off Thursday at 7 p.m. with a live conversation between Arlen and local journalist, author and podcaster Lara Bricker. Friday’s events will include a discussion about publishing with Exeter authors Alex Myers (Continental Divide, The Story of Silence and Revolutionary) and Lisa Bunker (Felix Yz and Zenobia July); and “Crime: Fact vs. Fiction,” a discussion with Renay Allen, author of a mystery trilogy set in Exeter, and Bricker, author of the true crime book Lie After Lie. On Saturday there will be a pre-recorded children’s story time presented by the Exeter Public Library and a discussion with Exeter native and author Susan Cole Ross (Sliding Home: Two Teachers Head for the Mountains to Teach Our Kids for a Year). All events are free and open to the public. Visit exeterlitfest.com.

• Kids speak out about mental illness: New Hampshire youth in grades 5 through 12 are invited to submit artwork for the Magnify Voices Expressive Arts Contest to raise awareness of and destigmatize mental illness and promote social and emotional health for children in the state. “Art lets children express themselves in a way that they may not be able to do in a conversation,” said Michele Watson, New Hampshire Family Network Coordinator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and one of the organizers of the contest. “Instead of just talking about it, they can show it and demonstrate it. It’s good not only for them to be able to share their voice, but also because it gives [adults] a better understanding of what they are feeling.” Submit an original short film (two minutes or less), essay or poem (1,000 words or less), song or two- or three-dimensional art piece that expresses your experience with or observations of mental health in New Hampshire. The submission deadline is Wednesday, March 31. A showcase of the finalists’ pieces will be held during Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month in May. Prize money will be awarded for winning pieces. Visit tinyurl.com/magnifyvoices2021 or email [email protected].

• Concord needs sculptors: The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce are seeking professional sculptors for the fourth annual Art on Main, a year-round outdoor public art exhibit set up in Concord’s downtown. Sculptors age 18 and older are invited to submit up to two original sculptures for consideration. The deadline for submissions is March 31, and sculptors will be notified of their acceptance by April 30. Installation will begin on May 21, with the exhibit opening in June. The selected sculptors will receive a $500 stipend, and their sculptures will be for sale. To apply, visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email [email protected].

• Art without boundaries: The New Hampshire Art Association presents its 35th annual Omer T. Lassonde exhibition March 31 through May 30 at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) and online. The juried exhibit honors Omer T. Lassonde, who helped found NHAA in 1940 to exhibit the work of contemporary artists throughout the state. It will feature works in a variety of media by NHAA members and non-members centered around this year’s theme, “Beyond the Boundaries.” Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. A virtual opening reception and awards ceremony is planned for Thursday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Featured photo: “Peace Conference Assisi,” watercolor by Claudia Michael, NHAA Omer T. Lassonde exhibit 2020 Honorable Mention winner. Courtesy photo.

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

“45,000 Quilt Project” exhibit. Courtesy photo. Peter Josephson in NH Theatre Project’s production of A Tempest Prayer. Photo by Dan Derby.

• A quilted collaboration: Two Villages Art Society has an exhibit, “45,000 Quilt Project,” on display at the Hopkinton Town Hall (330 Main St., Hopkinton) now through March 24. The exhibit was created by Concord artist Glen Ring, who was inspired to speak out about U.S. immigrant detainment practices after learning that there were, on average, 45,000 men, women and children in detainment each day in 2019. “I needed people to see the enormity of the injustice being perpetrated on traumatized people seeking welcome and comfort in our country,” Ring said in a press release. More than 60 artists and activists from 12 states and Mexico contributed to the exhibit, which features six 9-by-9-foot quilted panels comprising 45 squares, each square with 1,000 marks to represent the on-average 45,000 individuals detained in the U.S. each day in 2019. “I imagined the impact of seeing 45,000 marks on a huge quilt would remain in viewers’ minds,” Ring said. At a virtual event on Thursday, March 18, at 7 p.m., Ring will discuss the exhibit and the role of art in social justice and activism. Registration is required. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

• SoloStage series concludes: New Hampshire Theatre Project’s new play development program SoloStage presents its third and final production, A Tempest Prayer, March 19 through March 21, in person (theater at 959 Islington St., Portsmouth) and online, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The new play, written and performed by Peter Josephson, is an original adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest for today’s times. Told through text, movement and music, The Tempest Prayer explores the social and political pressures of the last year and examines what it means to be a white male in America. Tickets cost $30 for in-person shows and $20 for virtual shows. A Tempest Prayer as well as the SoloStage program’s two previous productions, The Adventures of Sleepyhead by Gemma Soldati and Where Do I Begin? Stephanie Lazenby, will be available to watch on demand during SoloStage Encore from Thursday, March 25, at 10 a.m. through Sunday, March 28 at 10 p.m. “These artists, and their collaborators, have delved into three uniquely magical worlds that represent our dreams, our memories and our hopes for the future,” NHTP artistic director Catherine Stewart said in a press release. “It has been a true gift to witness this work come to our stage, and that’s why we wanted to give the audience one more chance to view these vitally important works.” Tickets to watch the shows on demand cost $10 per show. Additionally, there will be an event held over Zoom on Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. featuring Stewart in conversation with the SoloStage playwrights. “We’ve met monthly since October to discuss making theater, both the joys and the challenges. We wanted to open the door on that conversation, for our final gathering,” Stewart said. “We hope artists and audiences alike will join us to explore the process of making, and the unique insights of that work which occured in the somewhat solitary world we find ourselves in.” The Zoom event is free, but registration is required. Call 431-6644 or visit nhtheatreproject.org.

• Big, happy art: The New Hampshire Art Association has two group art exhibits on view now through March 28, in person at NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) and online. “On the Bright Side” features art in a variety of media, with a bright and cheerful theme. “After a challenging year for everyone, what better way to look forward to a better year ahead than to focus on the positive,” NHAA board president Renee Giffroy said in a press release. “Art can heal and be uplifting to both the artist and the viewer.” “LargeWorks” features more than 30 works of art in a variety of media measuring 48 inches or larger. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Featured photo: “45,000 Quilt Project” exhibit. Courtesy photo. Peter Josephson in NH Theatre Project’s production of A Tempest Prayer. Photo by Dan Derby.