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Have A Bright New Year!

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Have A Bright New Year is a WCA/NH members’ exhibition on view at Dos Amigos in Concord, NH, until January 31, 2018. I wanted to know more about how the idea for the show came together, so I asked Coordinator Heather Lord a few questions.

What gave you the theme idea? 

Thinking up theme ideas is not my strong point, so I asked for help at an exhibitions committee meeting last spring.  My initial thought was to request brightly colored art, because it would be more cheerful in winter. The committee expanded on my rudimentary idea by suggesting a theme about the New Year, because the exhibit was to be in January. “Have A Bright New Year!” was the consensus, and I loved it.

Is this your first chance to organize a WCA/NH exhibit? 

This is the third exhibit that I have coordinated for WCA/NH, and I learned loads by doing each of them over the past three years that I have been on the Exhibitions Committee.

Who was on the team with you? 

I began this project last spring and received plenty of backing along the way. Beverly Runyan and Paulette Brace sent out emails to all the membership calling for artwork, several times. Kimberly J. B. Smith handled the publicity, sending out press releases and following up with emails. You taught me how to use software to check the applications coming in online, and you kept the website updated as needed. Lastly, three members of the Exhibitions Committee gave up their New Year’s morning to help me hang the show. They are: Carole Groenke, Jodi Scaltreto, and Paulette Brace. The team was responsive to my needs and I always felt supported.

What is the best, or most surprising aspect of organizing an exhibit? 

The quality of the artwork coming in just delighted me. I am impressed by the talent of the artists in WCA/NH! It is always fun to hang a show when you have really good work to display!

What was your biggest challenge? 

Artists not communicating their needs to me about changes they wanted to make, after applying, was the biggest challenge. I don’t mind making changes for titles, prices, or even substituting another painting, as long as the artist tells me. But when they don’t tell me, and then drop off their paintings with a different title, etc., that makes more work.

Would you recommend that other WCA/NH members jump in and organize an exhibit? 

Definitely!  Being an artist can be a very solitary experience, and the camaraderie on the Exhibitions Committee is enjoyable. Plus, arranging other people’s artwork in an attractive manner is an art form in itself! An added benefit for me is that I am much more likely to finish my own artwork, frame, and exhibit it! Therefore, working on exhibits creates more opportunities for me, and for other artists. How cool is that?

Stop by and check out the show!

 

Dos Amigos Restaurant,  26 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301, (603) 410-4161

Barbara Zimmer, Amanda’s Tulips, watercolor, 14 x 21 inches
Adele Sanborn, Change, mixed media, 6 x 6 inches
Brenda Wilbert, Sudden Glory, mixed media, 12 x 6 inches
Heather Lord, Almost Home, pastel, 11 x 14 inches
Feature image: Paulette Brace, Carol Groenke, Heather Lord, and Jodi Scaltreto

A Call for Art: Her Water, Her Future

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Here is a unique opportunity to express your own passion regarding the importance of water as a life sustaining necessity on a global, national, personal, or environmental level through your art.

It is not accidental that this exhibit will be taking place during the month of March. Since 1993, World Water Day has been an annual event celebrated on March 22, 2018. In addition to the exhibition reception on March 8, we will have a special event on World Water Day, March 22. Lisa McAllister, Director of Communications and Reporting for the Concord, NH based non-profit, ‘The Water Project,’ and fellow WCA/NH member Christine Destrempes, Artist and Executive Director of ‘Art and Dialogue- Pathways for Engagement’, will be our guest speakers for this event.

To learn more about World Water Day go to www.unwater.org. To learn more about ‘The Water Project” go to thewaterproject.org. To learn more about ‘Art and dialogue go to artanddialogue.org.

On behalf of ‘Mother Earth’ and all her living subjects, I invite you to check out some of the following inspirational articles listed below as well- but most of all, submit some art for this exhibition.

I invite you to follow your passion!

Carole Groenke, Exhibition Coordinator

“The Human Right to Water and Sanitation (HRWS) was recognized as a human right by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 28 July 2010. …The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948 and International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of 1966 implicitly recognized the HRWS.”

WIKI

Human right to water and sanitation

“Clean water: A Right, Not a Privilege”

Sarah Ferguson

author, from her July 13, 2017 article for UNICEF/USA.

“Access to safe water is foundational to the development of any community.”

Peter Chasse

President and Founder of ‘The Water Project’, from Lisa McAllister’s July 8, 2017 article for the Concord Chamber of Commerce

“It is such a necessary fight. It’s clean water, you know? I couldn’t just give up and go home and take a bath and not think about where that water came from.”

Eryn Wise

from her Dec. 9, 2016 interview by Abby Haglage, ‘Water is Life: Four Months at Standing Rock for ‘Lenny’.

“Dying is a continuum. If you don’t get fed for seven, eight days, and you’re a child, you are dying. If you have 11 people- like we took out of a nursing home- severely dehydrated, you are dying.’

Breanna Edwards

quoting Carmen Yulin Cruz, mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, explaining how dying works to Geraldo Rivera in her Oct. 2, 2017 article for “The Root’.

“The Water Project’s mission is to provide clean water to communities in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Sarah Cahalan

July 18, 2017, on-line article for New Hampshire magazine ‘Good Cause of the Month: The Water Project’

See Prospectus  under Exhibitions Calls For Entry, for details, instructions, and a link to the entry form.

A Collaboration and a Call for Art–Glass Ceiling and Limitless View

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In partnership with the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art, 3S Artspace announces an open call to artists from Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire for a juried exhibition. The exhibition, titled Glass Ceiling: Limitless View will be shown at the Gallery @ 3S Artspace from March 30 through April 22, 2018.

“The term “glass ceiling” is representative of intangible barriers within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions, but this exhibit relates to much more than women’s experience in the workplace.”, says Dayna Talbot of WCA/NH.  “WCA celebrates the successes of its women artists not only in New Hampshire but also on a national level. We are part of a national organization that promotes the advancement of women in the visual arts through educational programs, networking, and exhibition opportunities.”

“As 3S Artspace was curating our 2018 season, we wanted to provide a platform for artists to bring forward work related to women’s identity and experience.  WCA/NH had also proposed an exhibition, so we decided to reach out and propose working together to engage artists throughout Northern New England, raise the profile of their organization dedicated to supporting women artists, and invite submissions to a juried exhibition”, said Beth Falconer, Executive Director at 3S Artspace.

Glass Ceiling: Limitless View will be curated by Bethany Engstrom, a curator, artist, and educator living in Belfast, Maine. She is associate curator at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland, Maine, and was previously at the Farnsworth Art Museum.  She has taught as an adjunct instructor at Unity College and the Intermedia MFA program at University of Maine. Bethany received a BA in Art History, her MFA in Intermedia, and an Interdisciplinary PhD in Intermedial Collaborative Practices, all from the University of Maine. She is currently an artist-in-residence at the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation, and she was a 2013 fellow at Mildred’s Lane.

The Gallery @ 3S Artspace is an incubator of ideas, facilitator of original content, and advocate for contemporary artists. Each year the gallery presents exhibitions that highlight unprecedented innovation across disciplines, celebrate artistic excellence, encourage lively discourse, and foster an unwavering appreciation for the vital role that art plays in our community.  www.3sarts.org

Glass Ceiling: Limitless View invites artists from all mediums to submit a proposal at www.3sarts.org.  The Proposal deadline is February 9, 2018. 

Meet the President!

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I have been living in New Hampshire for four years now. We moved here from Maine where we lived for almost 20 years on and off. I have been married to Jim Runyan for almost 49 years. We have two boys. Joshua, married to Emily Runyan has  a daughter, our granddaughter, Addie who is 3 ½, in Dover, NH. Ben Runyan and his life partner, Teresa, are expecting our second grandchild in June in Burlington, VT.

I grew up in Norristown, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. Still some family there and although it hasn’t been home for many years, it still holds a dear familiarity.

As a child I had an active imagination that took me on adventures and stories because I had few close friends and depended on myself for entertainment. We had a chalkboard that I liked to draw on and one day I asked my dad to draw me a horse. He did. I copied it over and over until I could master the lines. His rudimentary drawing was the foundation for my exploration into the world of art.  I was rarely without pencil and paper after that.

In 1965, art school wasn’t something parents encouraged after high school, and mine were no exception. As a result I ended up in “business” school to learn typing, shorthand and “charm” with a little accounting and business law thrown in. I worked for many years as a secretary but decided in my late 30s to go back to school. When I turned 40 I earned my Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Montana. I was fortunate to find a job as a graphic artist with a company who was willing to train me on desktop publishing programs which were just becoming available. That job launched a fun career in the graphic arts for quite a few years. Eventually I found my way back to the fine arts and a Masters of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Art from Goddard College in Vermont.

Art Practice

Paint is my favorite medium. It keeps sneaking back into my studio. Study took me into printmaking, in particular wood block prints which aren’t favored these days, too much work I think, but I love working large with tools and my Dremel.

Britta, massage therapist, living off the grid

After I finished graduate school in 2013, my life focus became making a geographic change to be close to family, thus the move to New Hampshire from remote Washington County, Maine. Since then my artistic practice has been limited. However, I have been journaling and sketching.

For several years I created and sold hundreds of floorcloths at shows and fairs in Maine. It was probably the first of the “themes” I worked in, mostly folk art, animals, garden themes, and occasionally custom orders which were mostly for quilt designs, suggesting the correlation between the hand-made quilt and hand-painted floorcloth as features in the home. I very much enjoyed creating designs for home décor.

The basis of my graduate portfolio and thesis was the challenges of life for the rural woman. This was so personal to me living in remote, rural Maine. I met and interviewed many women to get some sense of what specific difficulties women face in rural communities. Research narrowed this down to four health challenges that women face and how the rural woman meets these challenges: Obesity/Body Image, Mental Health, Domestic Violence, and Substance Abuse. I identified four women who worked within the community to help others meet these challenges, interviewed and photographed them, then developed “portraits” to tell their story.

Women’s Caucus for Art/New Hampshire

I found that the graduate school experience changed the way I create and view works of art and I began searching for new path. When we decided that the Lakes Region in New Hampshire would be the area we would search for a home, I researched online for artistic communities in the State to find a group (preferably women) to become a part of.

I was drawn by the fact that The Women’s Caucus for Art was an organization of women statewide, and a national organization as well. The web site whetted my appetite just enough to explore the group further. I recall joining in about 2014 at the Spring Members’ meeting. I didn’t know a soul but found the group interesting and committed.

I think the New Hampshire chapter’s greatest strength is the group of dedicated women whose interests go beyond furthering their own artistic endeavors through hard work and encouragement for others.

And its greatest challenge is to reach out in a more personal way to members in far-flung communities. One of the ways this has worked is through the PODs which have formed throughout the state. Expanding this outreach program to include areas such as the northern part of the state may accomplish this. There are lots of artists in the rural communities. I think it would also be helpful to move the geographic location of the two members’ meetings in the fall and spring.

National WCA

Last spring I attended a National Board Meeting and Retreat in California along with two members of WCA/NH who are on that board. It was an eye-opening few days with the women who make up the National workings of this group. It brought a new, more intimate meaning to the idea of a “caucus” rather than just a national club of women. The foundation of the Women’s Caucus for Art is a deep feminist commitment to not just women artists, but the soul and basis for its creation, the “why” of women’s art. There were several women founders at the meeting whose artistic connections at WCA’s inception left my jaw on the floor. This is what I would like to convey to the women in New Hampshire, that they are a part of history, the history of women’s art. And when we create, we do so from this foundation.

I attended a National WCA conference in 2017. The best part, for me, was The Feminist Art Project, which was an innovative and thought provoking full day. I think the word “diverse” may be a bit overused but it’s the best I can come up with. I was surprised by so many different women from so many different backgrounds and geographic locations. The conversations and stories were as diverse as the attendees.

I would recommend all members attend a National Conference. In fact, a large contingent of women from NH attended the conference a year after I did. I would love to see us take a dozen women or more in 2019 when it returns to the east coast. It is a grand and inspiring experience that takes you from the solitude and confines of the studio into the vibrancy of like minds.

To any of our members who would consider serving on the Board or a WCA/NH Committee, I would say:  New board members bring new ideas! Everyone benefits from being part of a larger community. Board participation broadens the scope of its members by understanding better the workings and needs of the membership; but it also helps educate the membership when a new board member sees first-hand the volunteers who make things happen. The women I have worked with up until now are dedicated and outstanding!

Representing Feminisms at Lamont Gallery

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LamontGallery_RepresentingFeminisms_Postcard

I was extremely impressed with the work Lauren O’Neil and her team of Exeter student curators have done to develop a beautiful exhibition that includes detailed artist statements relating each work’s connection to the exhibition’s theme as identified in the show’s title: Representing Feminism(s). The show includes the work of thirty artists in a range of media from traditional painting, sculpting, drawing and photography to video and digital installations. Rather than defining feminism, the exhibition generates a fertile ground for questions and discussion about various historical aspects of feminism and how feminism may or may not apply to the present. I am pleased to be a part of this exhibition and hope it inspires much dialogue/discussion among student viewers and visitors to the gallery during the next few months and beyond.

DAmico_Elizabeth_Walk Softly.jpg

DAmico_Elizabeth, Walk Softly, mixed media collage

While I was visiting the exhibit, Teresa Ascencao was working on her installation Laced Cobblestone on the slate floor of the gallery entrance. It is a design made of flour and water and was first created for the International Azores Fringe Festival on the island of Pico, Azores. Quoting from her artist statement: The work “…is made of impermanent materials to draw attention to the fragility of actual laceworks and the invisibility of women’s domestic work.” As I watched her working on it, I commented that it reminded me of sand mandalas made by Tibetan monks at the Hood Museum a few years ago. The idea of impermanence of one’s work is something that I have been focusing on recently. Perhaps this is why I was most impressed with the “message” it brought to the exhibition.

Teresa Ascencao, Laced Cobblestone, Flour and water paste performative drawing on cobblestone

Teresa Ascencao, Laced Cobblestone, Flour and water paste performative drawing on cobblestone

 

 

Shelby Head, It’s a Girl!,

Shelby Head, It’s a Girl!, 2017, Frame, wallpaper, table vise, pipe insulation, aluminum flashing, pacifier, tutu, vacuum cleaner hose cover

 

Representing Feminism(s)

February 23-April 21, 2018

Representing Feminism(s) was developed by a team of Phillips Exeter Academy student curators to consider how feminism can be represented and, when necessary, reconceived: Gillian Allou ’19, Nicole Blanco ’20, Mai Hoang ’20, Jacob Hunter ’19, Maya Kim ’18, Andrea Liu ’19, Natalie Love ’19, Rose Martin ’19, Olivia Ross ’19, Gabriella Sanders ’18, Alexandra van Dijkum ’19, Luna Vassao ’18, and Wendi Yan ’18.

Lamont Gallery, Frederick R. Mayer Art Center, Phillips Exeter Academy
20 Main Street, Exeter NH, 03833
603-777-3461 / gallery@exeter.edu

The Women of the Lakes Region Pod at the Libby Museum

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The Libby Museum in Wolfeboro will host an exhibit by members of the Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter who live and work around the Lakes Region.  Featuring the work of twelve women artists with a wide range of styles and media, the exhibit will open on August 3, 2018, with a reception that evening from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. which is open to the public.  The exhibit will remain on view through September to Labor Day.

Founded in 1912 by Dr. Henry Forrest Libby, a collector and amateur naturalist, the Libby Museum of Natural History is owned and run by the town of Wolfeboro.  Open seasonally, it shows work by local artists as well as its unusual and eclectic collection of natural artifacts.  It has a boat launch and can be visited by car or boat.

Artists participating in this exhibit include:

  • Carole Groenke is the founding member of the Lakes Region WCA/NH group.  She is a mixed media artist whose works often involves a social message.  This winter she curated a show at NHTI in Concord called “Her Water Her Future,” which included both works of art and speakers on the issue.  She lives in Gilford.
  • Anne McMillan, is the treasurer of WCA/NH, and is a mixed media and fiber artist using book arts, relief printmaking and surface design to convey a story.  In April she exhibited in collaboration with Dayna Talbot in the installation piece “No Mistakes, No Failures” a grouping of 10 panels approximately 9” x 6’ in the Saori style of weaving incorporating strips of failed artwork donated by members of the WCA/NH at the 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, NH.
  • Dayna Talbot‘s more recent work focuses on fiber, printmaking, and sculptural installations. She is particularly interested in methods used to overcome the struggle for balance in today’s world. Recently, Dayna collaborated with 3S Artspace on an exhibition for Women’s Caucus for Art. Included in the exhibit were the 10 woven wall hangings she and Anne McMillan designed from discarded artwork from the members of WCANH.
  • Stephanie Blackstock, a member of WCA/NH, is a painter/multimedia artist who lives in Ossipee.  A graduate of Maine College of Art, she exhibited her work at the Libby Museum in 2014 and is the organizer of this group show.  Her work has been seen a numerous venues around New Hampshire and New England.
  • Lauren Hammond is an instructional support teacher and art teacher at Brewster Academy. Currently her focus is oil painting. She is an active member of the Governor Wentworth Arts Council and the Women’s Caucus on the Arts. On August 11, Hammond will be offering a “pour painting” workshop at the Libby Museum (no artistic experience required). Call the Libby to register.
  • Kimberly J.B. Smith is a mixed media artist and sculptor as well as an art columnist for the Weirs Times. Smith exhibits with the WCA/NH, the New England Sculptor’s Association, and the Newburyport Art Association. In addition to teaching art from Kindergarteners to adults, Smith offers workshops in mixed media and altered book art.
  • Kate Higley, the past president of WCA/NH, is a printmaker and painter who lived and worked in Wolfeboro for many years until moving to the Seacoast last summer.  Her work was featured in ArtScope Magazine last winter during her solo show at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth where she teaches printmaking.  
  • Betty Flournoy Brown‘s exhibited paintings have been in WCA/NH “Force of Nature”, Cambridge Art Association “Blue, More than a Color”, and The Museum of the White Mountain “Taking the Lead, Women and the White Mountains”catalogs.  Last summer, she curated an exhibit, “Beyond the Visible” at the Wolfeboro Azure Gallery, that connected NH landscapes with environmental concerns.
  • Robin Cornwell is a 35-year veteran art teacher and fabric artist. Her inspiration comes from the flowers and leaves she finds during her walks and in her numerous gardens. Her love of printmaking, pattern and color is evident in her art quilts. Robin’s work has shown in numerous galleries and quilt shows around New England.  She teaches at Kingwood Regional Middle School and lives in Wolfeboro.
  • Davida Cook is a printmaker and more recently an installation artist who created a large weaving for the 3S gallery in Portsmouth for the exhibit “ Glass Ceiling Unlimited View” of which she was co-chair.  She has studied printmaking with Annette Mitchell at Plymouth State, and lives in Meredith.  Her work has been shown in numerous exhibits around New England.

 

Image: Collaborative collage by the exhibiting artists.

A Second Look

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Every work of art is a representation of the vision and hard work of the artist. Sometimes the work that is done goes without recognition or appreciation. Whether the piece has been rarely seen or perhaps passed over by a juror, A Second Look is a show created to give these works a chance to shine.

This Members’ Show, with over 100 works of art, opened at Kimball Jenkins on July 19, 2018, to a good crowd. The work will be on view until August 26, so there is plenty of time to get over to Concord.

Kimball Jenkins
266 North Main St
Concord, NH, 03301
www.kimballjenkins.com

Event For A Good Cause

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The Women’s Caucus for Art/NH and the Women’s Club of Concord joined forces this week for good! More than 20 WCA/NH and WCC members created tiny 2.5″ x 3.5″ works of art with inspirational and heartwarming messages. We made more than 90 cards that will be dleivered to the caregivers and patients at the Payson Center for Cancer at Concord Hospital.

WCA/NH member Brenda Wilbert was responsible for organizing and publicizing the night’s event. Our group supplied the food, wine, and all the supplies needed to created the artist cards including glue, scissors, beautiful papers, blank ATC cards, colored pencils, pens and markers. Women’s Club of Concord members provided the venue and the artistic energy to collaborate on this worthwhile project,

Brenda and WCA/NH President Beverly Runyan will be delivering the messages “from the heart” to the folks at the Payson Center in the near future.

The Payson Center for Cancer Care provides the latest cancer treatment options with state-of-the-art technology and clinical trials to area residents. They are committed to provide the best in cancer diagnosis and treatment. We are committed to support their efforts and send our support to all of their patients.

 


Text & Textiles Opens in Nashua

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Our WCA/NH and NH poets collaborative exhibition, Text & Textiles, opens January 6, 2019 at the Nashua Public Library in Nashua, NH. This traveling exhibition represents twelve collaborations between New Hampshire poets, invited by Alice B. Fogel, poet laureate of NH, and artists from the Women’s Caucus for Art, NH Chapter, and is slated for 11 venues in New Hampshire. Nashua is the penultimate installation. The exhibit is curated by WCA/NH members Kate Dean and Kate Higley.

The collaborative partnerships were chosen by the poets from among member artists who volunteered for this series of events in September 2017. The term “textiles” is very loosely applied and the artists involved were free to do work in any medium.

You are invited to a reception, poetry reading, and panel discussion on January 27, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the Library, 2 Court Street, Nashua.

Here are some photos of the installation. Images of the poems and artwork can be seen here, and the catalog for show can be found here.

Stomping Ground: The 72nd Annual Exhibition at the Sharon Arts Center, Peterborough, NH

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It was a lively opening to the current juried show at NHIA’s Sharon Arts Center in Peterborough, NH, Friday, February 1, 2019. Several WCA/NH members’ works were on display. The exhibition was juried by Rachelle Beaudoin. There is always a great turnout for this annual community show with artists, families and art lovers in attendance. The show will be open through February 24, 2019. There is free admission and free parking nearby.

Aline Lotter, “Cape Cod Station”, Oil

 

Linda Graham, “End of the Road”, Oil

 

Rosemary Conroy, “Noble Nanuki”, Acrylic

 

Daryl D. Johnson, “Today Swept By”, Oil

 

Soosen Dunholter, “7 to 8 AM Diptych”, Paint, Antique Paper and Maps

About the Guest Blogger: Daryl D. Johnson is an oil painter maintaining a studio in Amherst, NH. She has been a member of the WCA/NH for two years and looks forward to blogging about art sightings in the region.

Meet Your VP! Donna Catanzaro

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I asked our current Vice-President (and our upcoming President) to answer some questions for any members who have yet to meet her, or who know her as a most energetic and long-serving contributor to WCA/NH, but want to know a bit more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I grew up in Jamestown, RI, an island in Narragansett Bay, surrounded by water and rocky shores. It was a quirky small town, where everyone knew everyone else, but with a large summer population which made it even more interesting. Summer people from Providence and Cranston seemed so cosmopolitan. And there’s a highway sign in Jamestown that points to New York City. How strange it that? New York is two states away. So I was drawn to NYC as well, and lived there for 6 years when I was in my twenties.

I’ve been living in NH since 1988. I was always drawn to the state. One of my earliest memories is of visiting Storyland when I was 5. I still remember how amazed I was by Humpty Dumpty. So it seemed natural to eventually live here. I live in South Sutton, NH, with my wife Bonnie, at the end of a dirt road. I’m surrounded by woods, but it’s a short ¼ mile walk to our little village, which is comprised of the Post Office, an old Meeting House and a handful of houses. It’s such a small town that we have a hard time getting packages delivered. It’s as if our zip code doesn’t exist. We joke that it would be a great place to live if you were in the witness protection program. We have an annual 4th of July parade that is comprised of about a dozen people and goes for one block. It must be the shortest, smallest parade in the country. The marchers dress in weird antique costumes. Last year I dragged a wagon with a plastic penguin on it. My neighbor fires a tiny cannon by the Civil War monument. It’s like Mayberry here, but eccentric.

What is your artist story?

One of my earliest memories of creating art is of drawing a coffee percolator, and my Mom acting so impressed by my skill. It propelled me into a life of art and a love of everyday objects (and coffee). I was incredibly shy as a child, and I have always preferred making things to socializing. I drew constantly and doodled my way through school, and I was always considered the “artistic one” in the class. I started painting in oils around 3rd or 4th grade, and took painting and drawing lessons after school and on Saturdays, till high school. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would grow up to be an artist.

I went to Bennington College in Vermont and majored in Visual Art. Then I got very interested in film-making and moved to NYC where I took film workshops at the Women’s Interart Center in Manhattan. I worked on a few low budget feature films and decided the film industry was not for me, so I took classes in graphic design and found work in that field. When I eventually moved to Massachusetts, I took design classes in the evenings at Mass Art. In 2005 I decided to go back to school and got an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art at Goddard College in Vermont. It is a non-resident program so I was able to continue working and go to school at the same time. It’s a wonderful program.

After many years working as a designer in the printing industry I transitioned to teacher and taught Graphic Design at Hesser College in Manchester, NH for 14 years. I taught just about every subject, from Typography to Color Theory, and History, Drawing, and all the Adobe programs. The skills of graphic design are wonderful tools. I wish more people would study it, especially typography. Artists, small business owners, anyone who decides to make a flyer should study the basics of graphic design. Please. My eyes hurt every time I see a sign with bad kerning. (Don’t you wish you knew what kerning is?)

What is your favorite medium lately?   What other mediums have you worked in or studied?

I’ve worked in watercolor, oils, pastels, sculpture, film and video, animation, mixed media, photography, digital collage. Am I forgetting anything? Right this minute I’ve been grooving on photography. I don’t consider myself very good at it, but I do enjoy taking photos everyday with my phone. Capturing little snippets of nature while on my daily walks is fun. I’m also experimenting with drawing and painting lately, which I haven’t done in years, and my latest pieces utilize mixed media and collage. I like to work in a series. Often, I’ll work on 2-4 pieces at once. I find that ideas and images nurture more ideas and pieces. So I’ll start with one, but then the inspiration will spill over into a second, third or fourth. Four at one time is my maximum. At that point it becomes too difficult for me to concentrate and nothing gets accomplished.

What is your current work about?

I’m drawn to reveal the ironies in daily life, which has taken me down a path to create work that is often political, environmental, feminist, or a critique on consumerism or popular culture. I’m an NPR junkie, a news addict, and I like to read non-fiction books on the history of just about any quirky thing: frozen food, spam, you name it. So data, history, statistics, odd factoids, all perk my interest and often get my creative juices going. I enjoy anything retro, vintage, old, dusty, peculiar and funny. I was into retro before it was hip. I just like the squeaky clean, exuberance that exudes from old magazine ads: women gushing over cleaning products and their appliances. It’s fun fodder for juxtaposing with more serious content. By seducing the viewer with fun retro graphics, I can slip a more serious message in there without alienating anyone. As an example, I took models from a 1970s Sears Catalog and changed the description of the clothing to portray the horrors of water shortages in drought stricken countries. At first glance it looks like a fun collage. You have to read the content to understand the seriousness of the piece. Sometimes I wonder if I’m affecting anyone in a subliminal way, like those split second images of Coke and popcorn shown at the movies in the 1950s!

Donna Catanzaro, If Women Ruled the World

My favorite piece, “If Women Ruled the World”, digital collage. The play between the women using vacuum cleaners and the typography worked quite well visually. It was a complicated piece to work on in Adobe Illustrator, but a simple piece for the viewer to engage with. It has a universal message that seems to resonate years after I made it, and it’s quite popular. I’ve sold many prints, postcards and even a pillow of this piece on redbubble.com to people all over the world.

 

What other themes or artists have interested you?

I’m inspired by all types of art, but my biggest influences have been artists that use graphic design and typography in their work and include social/political messages such as Barbara Kruger and Jenny Holzer.  They made me realize I could use graphic design in my pieces and it would still be art. But mostly I groove on the work of my artist friends and peers here in NH. Our WCA/NH artists are so inspiring. I’m amazed at their breadth of work, their skill, creativity, and messages. There are too many names to list here. Better just to attend one of our exhibits to see for yourself. And when you join a group like WCA and remain in it for many years you have the opportunity to watch the other members’ skills grow, improve, mature, and develop. Observing the evolution of my fellow members’ work has been most inspiring!

How did you hear about the Women’s Caucus for Art?

I joined WCA almost 20 years ago. I can’t remember how I heard about it, maybe a small blurb in a local paper advertising one of our Spring or Fall meetings. At the time I felt a need to meet and network with local artists. I belonged to a group of LGBT artists in Cambridge MA, but it was too long of a drive. I started volunteering soon after I joined. I was the Newsletter editor for many years, back when it was printed on paper and snail mailed. Then I made the transition to emailed PDFs, which made it so much easier. I also made our first web site!  I was on the Exhibition Committee for a long time, but when I became too busy with my job I took on the Scholarship, which was something I could do at home. When I stopped teaching several years ago I started attending Board meetings again and now I’m Vice President. I think I’ve been active with some part of the mechanics of the organization since I’ve joined! I am so impressed by the comradery of the members.  I’ve made so many friends and I know so many amazing, inspiring artists.

Hot Flash Bra by Donna Catanzaro

Hot Flash Bra

What interested you about the organization?

It’s a joy to be a part of an organization that works like a finely tuned machine. No matter who volunteers, or who is on the board, our organization seems to run smoothly. I think it’s because of the organizational skills of past and present volunteers who have created procedures for exhibiting, communicating with our members, and more. I like that anyone can attend board or exhibitions meetings, get involved and contribute ideas.  And we continually strive to improve and change as new technologies appear and as our member’s needs change.

What do you see as WCA/NH’s greatest strength?

Another wonderful feature of WCA/NH is that we allow non-members to participate in many of our activities. We are more interested in the goals of the organization and helping fellow women artists than we are in collecting money and dues. And we are a non-juried organization, so anyone can join. We don’t judge anyone’s work.

What would you say to another woman artist about joining WCA/NH?

If you are interested in making art you can join us. I think that sets us apart from many organizations and it’s what first attracted me to the organization. So If you’ve made it to the end of this article, and you’re not a member yet, consider joining us! Or attend one of our meetings or check out one of our exhibits.

Creative Cultivation

Creative Cultivation

If you want to see more of Donna’s work you can check out her website: www.donnacat.com, or her FaceBook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaCatanzaroArtist/  or Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/donnacatanzaroartist . If you are interested in purchasing work as prints, cards, t-shirts or just about any object that can be printed on, check out her redbubble printing-on-demand page: https://www.redbubble.com/people/donnacat.

Debra Claffey is a Lifetime Member of WCA, and a former President of WCA/NH. She currently contributes by maintaining the WCA/NH website. You can see her work at debraclaffey.com

Member News: Brenda Wilbert presents: Sing the Pain Away

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SCHOOLHOUSE PLAYERS PRESENTS: SING AWAY THE PAIN

Schoolhouse Players, in collaboration with ConcordTV, is presenting an original film at Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main Street in Concord, on Thursday, July 25th at 7 p.m. followed by a panel discussion. The film, Sing Away Pain, is about a woman who suffers chronic pain and discovers the healing power of expressive arts – and in the process saves her marriage.

The first in a series of medical educational films, writer Brenda Wilbert approaches the material in an original new format, rather than as a standard educational documentary. A one-act play is first presented in the film in the form of a professional stage reading performed by actors, followed by a discussion with a health professional in which the writer and the actors examine how people with chronic pain can treat debilitating symptoms through the application of expressive arts.

Member News: Rosemary Conroy and Pamela Tarbell at Ava Gallery

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AVA Galleries Solo Exhibitions

September 6 – October 2, 2019

WCA/NH members Rosemary Conroy and Pamela Tarbell are among the artists with solo exhibitions at AVA Gallery in Lebanon, NH this month along with Mary Adamasian and Robert Hitzig. I visited them at the opening reception last Friday, September 6, 2019. 

Rosemary Conroy will give an Artist’s Talk in the gallery on Thursday, September 19 at 5:30 p.m.

Ava Gallery and Art Center is at 11 Bank Street in Lebanon, NH. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with Thursdays open until 7:00 p.m.

Pamela Tarbell: What Is On Your Balcony

E. N. Wennberg Gallery – Pamela R. Tarbell paints complex compositions with layers of colors in her oil paintings, creating a kaleidoscope affect to dazzle the eyes. “When visiting Spain last year I became fascinated with the beautiful balconies on the old buildings from Barcelona, City of Olot, and medieval villages. The colors, architectural design, wood carvings, and tile work on numerous structures were visually stimulating. I took a multitude of photographs, and when home, rearranged the images into unique balconies with lots of colorful flowers and design patterns.”

Rosemary Conroy : Love At First Sight

Clifford B. West Gallery -“I’ve never put together what each of my encounters with these wild creatures have given me — some of it is just too hard to articulate. So instead, I painted this show. I did my best to capture their beauty and spirit as a way to express my love, respect, and wonder for them and to honor and thank them for being part of my experience, as well.

Each painting here has a paragraph recounting a bit of the story of how we met — which I hope you’ll find interesting. Each painting is literally embedded with my words of gratitude and prayers for each species — marks often obscured but definitely there. And each painting has a love song for a title— because that’s what each one is, really. I hope the show leaves you humming a happy tune and being grateful for all the wonderful encounters you’ve had with wild ones in your life.”

Busting Out: Powerful Women Calendar Released!

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Busting Out Calendar cover

Busting Out Calendars will be available:

  • At the WCA/NH Fall Meeting, Saturday October 26, 1-4pm at the Pease Library, 1 Russell St, Plymouth NH.

  • They will soon be for sale at Twiggs Gallery, 254 King Street, Boscawen, NH.

  • At WCA/NH events.

  • Or you can order them direct from the printing-on-demand site magcloud.

  • Email: sales@wcanh.org for more information.

The price is just $15 for 19 months of Art Bras. (Participating artists in the calendar get their first calendar for only $10.) All WCA/NH profits will go toward the WCA/NH Scholarships.

In 2019 Twiggs Gallery in Boscawen, NH and the Women’s Caucus for Art/New Hampshire (WCA/NH) teamed together to mount an Art Bra exhibition to cap off Women’s History Month. The exhibit “Busting Out: Powerful Women” ran from March 30 to May 5, 2019. The artists used bras, corsets or bustiers as the canvas for their artwork. The Art Bras covered a wide range of topics such as honoring women artists and leaders, feminism, body image, humor, the environment and more. The reaction of the exhibit from the public and from the local media was so positive we decided to extend this exhibit on paper as a calendar for you to enjoy forever, or at least the coming year and a half!

Meredith WCA members host Sculptural Crochet Workshop with Jodi Colella

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WCA/NH member Dayna Talbot had met Massachusetts artist Jodi Colella a few years ago. She wanted to work with her since she admired Colella’s work and Talbot’s own work involves the use of fiber. Dayna and WCA/NH member Anne McMillan went down to Boston Society for Arts and Crafts back in January when Jodi was giving a workshop and they spoke with her about coming up to the Lakes region. They mentioned it at their Plymouth Pod and the AMP pod and it was announced in ArtGenda. The event was also opened to others who worked in sculpture and fiber.

Here are a few photos from the workshop. And you can check oput Jodi Collea’s work here.


The EDIE Scholarship is now accepting applications!

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Edie Weiler was an accomplished photographer and a much loved member of WCA/NH. She was our Exhibitions Coordinator for many years and devoted countless hours volunteering for our group. After many years of taking beautiful photographs using film, and then digital photography, on a whim she took a workshop in tintypes, a 19th century wet plate collodion photographic technique. This workshop took her in a completely new direction. She became passionate about this very complicated, labor intensive process and created countless beautiful, yet haunting photos. We are creating this scholarship in her memory to help motivate our members to study something new, a new technique or medium to inspire and motivate you to explore a new direction in your work.

“I just love it. I love the messiness. It’s so hands-on and I think that’s the big intrigue and that every step of it is my doing.” –Edie Weiler

You can see her work here: https://eyeofthemaker.zenfolio.com/

Featured image: Deerfield Center Gazebo, tintype, by Edith Weiler

Who can apply:

The Edith Weiler Scholarship is for WCA/NH members who wish to expand their expertise in the visual arts through workshops, seminars, or classes. We encourage members to cultivate their artistic practice by exploring new media, new techniques, and experimentation.

How to apply:

Download the application form and instructions HERE.

Deadline:

There is no deadline at this time. We will award money as funds allow on a revolving basis. Please send in your applications well in advance to give us time to decide.

WCA/NH Annual Fall Meeting

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Annual Fall Meeting, was held on Saturday October 26, 2019 at the Pease Public Library in Plymouth, NH. Our guest speaker, Tricia Soule, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts (NHBCA), presented a talk on Connecting Art and Commerce. Tricia owned an art gallery, worked as a design consultant, created and sold her own ceramics, and worked for the Currier Museum. She has a wealth of information on the Creative Economy and how artists can network with businesses. We held our annual business meeting and our annual election for new Board members. If you are interested in joining the Board now is a great time!

NEXT MEETING: SPRING 2020

You don’t have to be a member to enjoy our festivities. And of course, it’s free!

WCANH_President Donna Catanzaro with Speaker Tricia Soule

WCANH_Out going President Beverly Runyan

Kim Calendar

WCANH_Exhibitions Comittee member Jodi Scaltreto

Announcing! WCA/NH Pop-up Show at The Studio in Laconia

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Saturday, November 23, 10am – 2pm

598 Main St., Laconia, NH

http://www.thestudionh.com

We will be at The Studio in Laconia for one day only, selling Busting Out Art Bra Calendars, and 5×7 & 8×10 matted original artworks by WCA/NH members!

All proceeds will benefit the WCA/NH Scholarship.

We will also be signing up new members and accepting renewals. And we’ll have refreshments too and an opportunity to take art bra selfies!

Come on down and say hi, and check out Melissa McCarthy’s store The Studio. Melissa is a past president of WCA/NH and she and her partner Jason have a store chock full of funky, interesting wares you don’t see anywhere else!

WCA announces the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Awardees

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The recipients for the 2020 WCA Lifetime Achievement (LTA) Awards are Joyce Fernandes, Michiko Itatani, Judy Onofrio, Alison Saar and Judith Stein. The recipient for the 2020 President’s Art & Activism Award is Rose B. Simpson.

The award gala takes place on the evening of Saturday, February 15, 2020 at Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash at Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL. The celebration kicks off with a ticketed cocktail reception from 5:30-7:15pm. Guests purchasing reception tickets will be treated to food stations, butlered treats, an open bar, and the opportunity to meet and congratulate the awardees.   

The Awards ceremony celebrating the life and work of these extraordinary women in the arts takes place immediately following the ticketed reception from 7:30-9:00pm and is free and open to the public. Doors for the awards ceremony will open to the general public beginning at 7:15pm.

Tickets can be purchased on the WCA website. LINK

WCA/NH 2019 Recap

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Here’s what we accomplished together in 2019:
  • The WCA/NH Chapter continued to be busy with 89 members in 2019.
  • We have one member on the National Board, Laura Morrison, VP for Chapter Relations.
  • Our WCA/NH Board consists of nine members and meets monthly. Officers include Donna Catanzaro, President; Adele Sanborn, Membership; Anne McMillan, Treasurer; Lucy Mueller, Secretary; Kimberly Smith, Publicity; Paulette Brace, Newsletter; Heather Lord, Exhibitions Chair; Cynthia Cutting and Darlene Nadeau, Members at Large.
  • College Scholarship
    • In May 2019 we awarded a $1000 scholarship to Alexandra Buciak, a freshman majoring in Illustration at the NH Institute of Art in Manchester, NH.
  • Edith Weiler Scholarship for Professional Development
    • After the passing of long time member Edith Weiler, we started a new scholarship in her name. This scholarship is for members only to help fund their ongoing professional development, including seminars and workshops. So far we have raised $1500, created an application form, and have made it available for members to apply online through our website.
  • Membership Meetings
    • Two membership meetings were held in 2019. Our Spring meeting was held April 27 at Twiggs Gallery in Boscawen, NH, where our current exhibit was “Busting Out, Powerful Women.” 40+ women attended. A gallery talk was followed by a seminar conducted by Debra Claffey on “How to Write an Artist Statement.”
    • Our Fall meeting was held on October 26 at the Pease Library in Plymouth, NH where our current exhibit was “Cycles.” We elected new board members and said thank you to outgoing President Beverly Runyan. Tricia Soule, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts, presented a talk on “Connecting Art and Commerce.”  A lively discussion followed.
  • Newsletter
    • Our editor, Paulette Brace, sends out the monthly Artgenda newsletter with Constant Contact, keeping the membership abreast of WCA/NH exhibitions, calls for art, member participation in other shows around New Hampshire and the United States, and other membership news.
  • Website
    • Our webmaster Deb Claffey added a new website feature for members to showcase their art.
  •  PODS
    • PODS are groups of members who meet regularly in their region to discuss their work, attend exhibits and network. We currently have four PODS meeting around the state. The Plymouth POD meets in the northern part of the state; the Lakes Region POD meets in central New Hampshire; the Artists Meeting Point POD meets in Concord and the Monadnock POD meets in the southwestern region. This has been a very successful program of fun and networking for a large portion of our membership. Two of our PODs came up with ideas for two exhibits this year!
  • Exhibitions
    • Our Exhibitions Committee meets monthly. The following exhibitions were held in 2019:
      • “Text and Textiles,” a show pairing 12 artists with 12 poets including New Hampshire Poet Laureate, Alice Fogel, who helped organize the show. It traveled to various libraries throughout the state and included panel discussions along with opening receptions. The show started in 2018 and concluded in 2019 at the Nashua Public Library, January 6 – 30, and the Newport Library Arts Center, February 9 – March 21st.
      • “Busting Out: Powerful Women” March 30 – May 5th, Twiggs Gallery, Boscawen NH,
      • “Making Cents” July 2 – September 8, Peoples Bank, Keene NH.
      • “Cycles” October 1 – November 1, Pease Public Library, Plymouth NH.
      • “Retablos for Our Times” organized by the Plymouth Pod, October 2-30, Plymouth Congregational UCC, Plymouth, NH
  • Busting Out: Powerful Women
    • The “Busting Out: Powerful Women” art bra exhibit was an idea hatched by our Concord Pod and it ended up being one of our most memorable and popular shows. It was written up in several local newspapers and drew a very large crowd. Because of the success, we decided to have the pieces professionally photographed by local art photographer Charley Freiberg. In order to reduce our costs, we offered the photos to our members for $10, and enough responded to reduce our fee to the photographer by 50%. Board member Donna Catanzaro designed a 19 month calendar with the art bra photos and had it printed by Magcloud, an online on-demand printer. We sold 85 calendars, online and at Twiggs Gallery. Calendars are still available on magcloud.com.
  • Pop Up Event at The Studio
    • On November 23rd we had a Pop-up event at The Studio, an eclectic funky gift shop in Laconia owned by former WCA/NH President Melissa McCarthy. We sold Busting Out art bra calendars and small matted original artworks donated by our members, proceeds going to our scholarships. We also spread the word to area artists, hoping to attract new members.

This recap was compiled from the annual Chapter Report, written by WCA/NH President Donna Catanzaro.

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