Category: Visual Arts

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

• Holiday art shopping: The newly formed Two Villages Art Society has partnered with the Hopkinton Historical Society to present “Home for the Holidays: an Art Show & Sale” from Nov. 21 through Dec. 20 in Contoocook and online. The show will feature all kinds of art, including oil and watercolor paintings, ceramics, tapestry, woodworking, wearable art, book making and more, created by local artists and artisans from Hopkinton, Bradford, Warner, New London and other surrounding towns. “We are excited to partner with Two Villages Art Society for this new show that includes … an impressive variety of art forms,” Heather Mitchell, executive director of Hopkinton Historical Society, said in a press release. “It is a wonderful way to support local artists and to shop local.” The show will be held in person at the Bates Building (846 Main St.; masks required) on a drop-in and by-appointment basis and virtually at shop.twovillagesart.org. Show hours at the Bates Building are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with extended hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 21, Friday, Nov. 27, and Saturday, Nov. 28. Visit twovillagesart.org.

• Virtual solo play: Manchester-based theater company Theatre Kapow presents A Tempest Prayer, third and final production in a series of three virtual one-person plays, Nov. 20 through Nov. 22, with livestream showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. The play by Peter Josephson is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest for today’s times. The performances are being shot in a small studio space in Manchester and are full theater productions with sets, costumes, props, lighting design and sound effects. “It’s still theater, not film,” Theatre Kapow artistic director Matt Cahoon told the Hippo in September. “If people were here watching [in the studio], it would look like a regular live theater performance.” Tickets cost $10 per streaming device. Ticket holders will be sent the link to watch the show. Visit tkapow.com.

• Manchester maps: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) presents a new special exhibit, “Critical Cartography: Larissa Fassler in Manchester,” on view now through spring 2021. The exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings created by Berlin-based artist Larissa Fassler, who was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. Stylistically inspired by maps and cartography, the drawings reflect Fassler’s observations of downtown Manchester and explore civic issues like the use of public spaces, the role of community organizations in supporting the needs of citizens, and the effects of poverty on the physical and emotional health of a community. “Larissa’s drawings complicate our expectations of what a map can do,” Samantha Cataldo, curator of contemporary art, said in a press release. “As an artist, her role is to ask questions, rather than offer answers, and she inspires us to think critically about our own perspectives on the concepts present in her work.” Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13. Reserve in advance online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• Now playing at the Hatbox: Mary and Me, presented by Glass Dove Productions, continuesat the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) through Nov. 22, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. The original play by Irene Kelleher, inspired by a true story, follows a pregnant 15-year-old girl and her search for understanding while growing up in 1986 Ireland. The production marks the beginning of the play’s premier tour in the U.S. The theater has limited its capacity to 40 percent, and masks are required. Tickets cost $22 for adults and $19 for seniors and students and should be reserved in advance. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.

• An evening of classics: The Garrison Players Arts Center’s Readers’ Theater presents a virtual show, “Classics We’d Love To Do (But May Never Get The Chance),” on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature scenes from various works, including Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet, Moliere’s Tartuffe and Sheridan’s The Way of the World. Tickets are free, but registration is required. Visit garrisonplayers.org/showsandevents.

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

• Decades of art: The New Hampshire Art Association is celebrating its 80th year with a virtual silent art auction fundraiser and anniversary celebration on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 7 p.m. The event will include a short presentation highlighting the history of NHAA and some of its most prominent members over the years. Nearly 100 pieces of art from NHAA’s archives and current members will be up for auction, with bidding open through Friday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. The artwork will be viewable online and in person at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) during gallery hours. “[The event] is more than a fundraiser,” NHAA gallery manager MaryAnn DePolo said in a press release. “It is an extensive showcase of artwork … within an organization dedicated to the idea of supporting the visual arts.” NHAA was founded in 1940 to provide opportunities for New England artists to exhibit and sell their artwork locally throughout the year. The oldest statewide artist association in the state, it has grown from 50 members in its first year to 275 members today, representing a variety of media, including painting, photography, printmaking, sculpting and more. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• The Nutcracker is here: It’s officially Nutcracker season as Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater presents the holiday classic at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) with showtimes on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 22, at noon and 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

• Quilted stories: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) has extended its exhibition “Richard Haynes: Whispering Quilts,” which was originally scheduled to close this month, through Jan. 4. The exhibit features a series of drawings by Portsmouth artist Richard Haynes, inspired by traditional quilting patterns that tells the story of an enslaved family’s dangerous journey along the Underground Railroad from a southern plantation to freedom in Canada. “This enslaved family has traveled to many states and communities in the past seven years, seeking freedom and a place to call home,” Haynes said in a press release from the museum. “I am so pleased and proud that this family can call New Hampshire and the Currier Museum their official home. Free at last.” Haynes will be at the museum on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., to sign copies of a portfolio edition based on the exhibit (available for purchase in the museum gift shop). Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13. Reserve in advance online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

•​ Mathematical drama: The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) presents Proof Nov. 13 through Nov. 22, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play by David Auburn follows 25-year-old Catherine, the daughter of a brilliant but mentally unstable mathematician and professor who has undoubtedly inherited her father’s mathematical genius but fears that she has also inherited his mental illness. In the wake of his death she must deal with the arrival of her estranged sister and one of her father’s former students, who discovers a groundbreaking mathematical proof in her father’s office. Catherine must prove the proof’s authenticity and authorship while battling her own personal demons. Tickets cost $24 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123. — Angie Sykeny

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

•​ ​Virtual student performances: North Main Music School in Nashua will hold its 19th semi-annual student concert virtually as high-quality, full-resolution concert videos on Sunday, Nov. 8. Students will perform in the school’s studio space with professional video, sound and lighting. “Our student concerts … are a pivotal piece of the music school experience for so many of our students,” Mike McAdam, the school’s director and founder, said in a press release, also noting that proper safety and distancing protocols are in place. Recorded performances will have delayed release times on the school’s Facebook and Instagram throughout the day. The concert videos will also be available for download shortly after the concert weekend. Call 505-4282 or visit northmainmusic.com.

•​ ​A rockin’ musical: The British Rock Experience continues at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) now through Nov. 14, with showtimes on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. The two-act musical pays tribute to British rock ’n’ roll from the ’60s through today, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, David Bowie, Queen, The Police, Adele and The Kinks. It features an original story, written by Palace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte, with elements of fantasy and steampunk. Tickets are free “so that people could have a chance to come out and have that firsthand experience to feel safe here,” Palace Theatre marketing coordinator Caroline Eby told the Hippo earlier this month. According to a press release, the theater is operating at half capacity to ensure adequate social distancing. Patrons are required to wear face coverings when entering and exiting the facility, waiting in lines, and transiting to and from the theater and restrooms, and are encouraged to wear them while seated watching the performance. Plexiglass barriers have been placed between staff and patrons at bars and the box office, and hand sanitizer stations are provided throughout the facility. Reserve tickets in advance. Visit palacetheatre.org or call the box office at 668-5588.

•​ ​Live organ music: The First Church (1 Concord St., Nashua) presents a concert, “Pops for Pipes IX,”on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. as part of The First Music Concert Series’ 13th season, “Music Alive!” Organist Brink Bush will perform works by Mulet, Middelschulte, Walton and others. Admission is free. Masks are required, and seating will be socially distanced. Visit first-music.org or call 882-4861.

• Exhibit in person, reception online: The New Hampshire Art Association presents its 21st annual Joan L. Dunfey Exhibition now through Nov. 29 at NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth), with a virtual opening reception and award ceremony on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. The exhibit features juried artwork in a variety of media by regional NHAA members and non-members following the theme “Intrinsic Moments.” One of the NHAA’s most prestigious exhibits of the year, according to the NHAA website, it is held in honor of Joan L. Dunfey, who was a resident of the New Hampshire seacoast and a steadfast patron of the arts. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• A U.S. theater premiere: Glass Dove Productions presents Mary and Me at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) Nov. 13 through Nov. 22, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. The original play by Irene Kelleher, inspired by a true story, follows a pregnant 15-year-old girl and her search for understanding while growing up in 1986 Ireland. The production marks the beginning of the play’s premier tour in the U.S. The theater has limited its capacity to 40 percent, and masks are required. Tickets cost $22 for adults and $19 for seniors and students and should be reserved in advance. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.

• Virtual author events: Gibson’s Bookstore of Concord has two virtual events coming up. On Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m., author Terry Brooks will present The Last Druid, the fourth and final book in his post-apocalyptic fantasy series Shannara. He will be joined in conversation by fantasy author Robert V.S. Redick. Then, on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m., poets Janet Sylvester and Olga Livshin will present their newest volumes of verse, And Not to Break (Sylvester) and A Life Replaced: Poems with Translations from Anna Akhmatova and Vladimir Gandelsman (Livshin). The events will be held on Zoom, and registration is required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• Change of plans for The Phil: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra announced in a press release that it has suspended all live events, normally held at the Seifert Performing Arts Center in Salem, until next year. The decision comes a month after the orchestra announced that it would be resuming live events in December. There may, however, be some livestream events in the nearer future. “We look forward to connecting with our audience again and sharing our passion with the community, whether it be livestreamed or in person come 2021,” the press release said. Updates will be posted at nhphil.org.

New tour highlights Concord-area arts organizations and artists

Explore the arts in and around Concord on the Route 3 Art Trail, a new self-guided driving tour featuring arts destinations along the Route 3 corridor. The tour kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 7, with art exhibits, open studios, artist demonstrations, historic tours, family-friendly activities, refreshments and more at five different locations.

Adele Sanborn, owner of Twiggs Gallery in Boscawen, came up with the idea for the Route 3 Art Trail after NH Open Doors, a statewide self-guided arts tour held annually the first weekend in November, was canceled this year.

“I wanted to create a new tradition in our area,” Sanborn said, “and one of Twiggs’ missions is to create opportunities for our local community to visit and participate in the arts.”

Twiggs will be one of the stops on the tour, along with Making Matters NH, a shared workspace for makers and artists, in Penacook; Kimball Jenkins, an art school and gallery in Concord; and two artist studios in Penacook.

“Each venue will have its own twist, and it will be worth visiting all venues,” Kimball Jenkins executive director Julianne Gadoury said.

During the tour, Twiggs will celebrate the opening of its Sleighbell Studio, a holiday exhibit with a variety of locally made fine art and crafts for sale. Visitors can also pick up a free make-your-own holiday card kit.

Making Matters NH will give tours of its 8,500-square-foot facility, which includes a wood shop, metal shop, prototyping and electronics lab, fiber arts studio, photography studio and private offices and open studios for rent. Resident artists will have their studios open with some of their handmade items for sale.

Kimball Jenkins will have artist demonstrations, art and craft vendors, cookies and hot chocolate and self-guided tours of its historic buildings.

Also on the tour will be artist Jo Shields’ Penacook studio. Shields creates mixed-metal jewelry that incorporates recycled objects. She will be joined by two other artists: Keira Chin of Kickin’ Glass Designs in Concord, presenting handcrafted whimsical scenes made from man-made and natural beach glass, and Lizz Van Saun of Kast Hill Studio in Hopkinton, presenting mosaic work made with recycled china, stained glass and found objects.

Robin Hoyt will have her studio, Hoytie Toytie Baskets in Penacook, open with a wide selection of her handwoven baskets and will be joined by 18 other local artisans displaying and selling baskets, pottery, jewelry, quilts, knitting, cards, soaps, food products and more.

Sanborn said all locations on the tour will be “following the rules of Covid safety with masks and alcohol wipes available.”

With the arts being “especially vulnerable right now,” Sanborn said, collaborative ventures like the Route 3 Art Trail are one way for artists and arts organizations to survive and thrive.

“Galleries and retail stores that sell [artists’] work are pretty much closed, or their visiting traffic is hugely off,” she said. “We are [launching the Art Trail] in hopes of creating another way that the public can safely shop, learn and support the arts.”

“When Adele suggested this project we jumped at the chance to be involved,” Making Matters NH president Laura Miller added. “These days, when we are so limited by Covid, we need to work together to leverage our resources and talent.”

Sanborn said she plans to make the Route 3 Art Trail an annual event held in November and possibly in the spring, and to grow the number of arts destinations on the tour.

“Route 3 extends quite a distance that we have not tapped yet,” she said. “We would love to create lots more spots [and] more artist studios.”

Route 3 Art Trail
Where: Various locations in Concord, Boscawen and Penacook.
When: Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
More info: twiggsgallery.wordpress.com/route-3-art-trail
Tour stops
• Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen, 975-0015, twiggsexhibits.wordpress.com
• Kimball Jenkins, 266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com
• Making Matters NH, 88 Village St., Penacook, 565-5443, makingmattersnh.org
• Jo Shields Studio, 5 Steeple View, Penacook, jo-shields.com
• Hoytie Toytie Baskets, 56 Washington St., Penacook

Exhibits

• “RICHARD HAYNES: WHISPERING QUILTS” Exhibit features a series of drawings inspired by traditional quilting patterns that tells the story of an enslaved family’s dangerous journey along the Underground Railroad, from a southern plantation to freedom in Canada. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. On view now through Nov. 29. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Monday through Wednesday. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13. Reserve in advance online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “MOMENTS IN NATURE” The New Hampshire Art Association presents oil paintings by BJ Eckardt. Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. Now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “UNSEEN LIGHT” The New Hampshire Art Association presents infrared photography by Mark Giuliucci. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. Now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “AN EXTRAPOLATION OF CLOSE OBSERVATION” The New Hampshire Art Association presents prints and paintings by Kate Higley. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. Now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “SMALL WORKS – BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery’s annual holiday exhibit featuring small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Virtual. Now through Dec. 31. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.

Special events
• NHAA 80TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY New Hampshire Art Association hosts a silent art auction fundraiser and anniversary celebration. Virtual, via Zoom. Reception and auction opening on Fri., Nov. 19, 6 to 7 p.m. Bidding runs through Dec. 11. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org.

Theater

Shows
• NUNSENSE The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Oct. 25 through Nov. 8, with showtimes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $48. Visit seacoastrep.org.
• THE BRITISH ROCK EXPERIENCE The Palace Theatre presents. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Now through Nov. 14, with showtimes on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon and 5 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults, $30 for seniors age 60 and up and veterans and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

Books

Poetry
• JANET SYLVESTER AND OLGA LIVSHIN Poets present their newest volumes of verse, And Not to Break (Sylvester) and A Life Replaced: Poems with Translations from Anna Akhmatova and Vladimir Gandelsman (Livshin). Hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore of Concord. Thurs., Nov. 12, 7 p.m. Virtual, via Zoom. Registration required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.
Writing
• CALL FOR BLACK WRITERS New Hampshire-based theater company and playwright collective New World Theatre announces an open call to Black writers to submit monologues that reflect their personal experience of living while black, to be published in an anthology titled “08:46.” The deadline for submissions is Jan. 1, 2021. Visit newworldtheatre.org/08m46s.

Featured photo: “Sleighbell Studio” exhibit opens at Twiggs Gallery. Courtesy photo.

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

• Creative possessions: Don’t miss the art exhibit “Possessed,” on view now through Nov. 1 at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). Six artists tell stories of their own relationships with possessions — both physical and conceptual — through calligraphy, painting, photography, fiber art and mixed media. “We all have possessions, and it’s interesting to look around and think about what’s important to us and what isn’t,” said gallery owner Adele Sanborn, who is also one of the featured artists. “It turned out to be a fun idea for a show.” As a calligrapher, Sanborn said she is “possessed by words” and decided to make words the focus of her work in the exhibit. Graphic designer Donna Catanzaro of South Sutton gives meaning to a collection of old objects through digital art and collage. Using stencils and acrylic spray paint, Elaine Caikauskas of Manchester made images representing sentimental items from her past. Fiber artist Suzanne Pretty of Farmington created works inspired by possessions passed down to her by her grandmother. Painter and drawer Susan Huppi of Penacook said her work looks at items she owns that “tell stories of different time periods and personalities.” Gail Smuda of Concord, who does fiber art and sculptural art books, also chose to focus on items with connections to the people and pets in her life. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.

• Wimpy Kid author visits: Jeff Kinney, bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, will make two stops in New Hampshire during his book tour for the series’ 15th title, The Deep End. On Thursday, Nov. 12, at Lincoln Street Elementary School (25 Lincoln St., Exeter) and Friday, Nov. 13, at Rundlett Middle School (144 South St., Concord), from 5 to 7 p.m., Kinney will host Drive-Thru Pool Parties with pool party-themed activities like a lifeguard dunk tank, a tiki hut and an underwater venture. He will also personally deliver signed copies of the book to fans using a 6-foot pool skimmer. Tickets cost $14.99. Visit waterstreetbooks.com/event/jeff-kinney-drive-thru-event and gibsonsbookstore.com/event/deep-end.

• Floral pandemic art: Local artist Kevin Kintner’s pop-up exhibit of floral-themed paintings he has done during the pandemic will remain on view at 814 Elm St. in Manchester at least through the end of October on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. “The world had become full of anxiety and fear, and my first instinct was to paint those stressed-out emotions on canvas,” Kintner said in an email, “but it turned out what I needed to paint was escape. I wanted bright color and energetic light and joyous movement and something alive.” Call 682-0797.

• Combining art and medicine: New Hampshire Artist Laureate and dancer Amanda Whitworth, theater artist Robin Marcotte and family and preventive medicine physician Bobby Kelly have co-founded a new non-profit called Articine, which “connects artists and medical professionals to create and implement collaborative wellness experiences for people across New Hampshire,” according to a press release. Using arts-based learning objectives and evidence-based medicine, Articine will create original performances based on public health challenges; a variety of workshop series and customized educational experiences for medical training facilities; innovative care solutions and standardized patient work in medical settings. “As master storytellers, artists are uniquely positioned to apply crucial conversations to medicine,” Whitworth said in the press release. “Bringing the lives of patients to the forefront of care will help lead New Hampshire to better overall wellness.” Articine has already received a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, in partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts, to create material targeting health inequities for queer patients. Visit articine.org.

• Virtual holiday shopping: Creative Ventures Gallery in Milford presents its annual holiday exhibit, “Small Works — Big Impact,” virtually from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. The exhibit features small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.