Laura Judge
Equinox Staff
Art is everywhere. It can take on various forms, and evoke emotion and thought—but it is something that should never be ignored, no matter what medium it is in.
Art is something that is diverse amongst artists—it is dependent on their perspective, their point of view, and the tools they use to create it.
The Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery’s current exhibit captures this very notion.
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New Art New Hampshire celebrates the unique perspectives of seven New Hampshire artists, all who are upcoming artists.
Various art professionals throughout the state of New Hampshire nominated these artists.
Maureen Ahern, the director of the gallery, said, “I selected artists that I thought would offer variety and balance to the show.”
This exhibit presents artwork that gives patrons the chance to not only become exposed to new mediums of art, but also introduces the public to unrecognized New Hampshire artists.
Artist Soo Sunny Park’s work is an example of a form of art that brings diversity to the art gallery.
“[It] is live and sculptural and it is outside the traditional realm of furniture making,” Ahern said of Park’s work.
Ahern also said Park’s sculpture work is an interesting aspect of the exhibit because it is unusual to have a furniture maker’s pieces displayed in a fine arts gallery.
Barbara Danser, a visitor, said, “It is important [to have this collection at Keene State College] because it offers a connection between the college and the community.”
Many students are not cognizant of the talent around them simply because it is not presented to them. This exhibit is ideal for spreading such awareness.
Kristin Parker, a recent college graduate, said, “This is a great opportunity for students to get exposed to as much art as possible.”
Artist Julee Holocombe’s inkjet prints exposed students to a new medium of art, and also instilled in students a sense of desire to become more involved with creating art.
Student Katie Meyer, said, “I think it’s important because it gets students involved in art,” she said.
In addition, Meyer said, “This exhibit is really peaceful; even though all of the pieces are different, they all kind of collide.”
The artists selected to present their work come from different regions of New Hampshire and bring with them different styles and experiences that are communicated through their artwork.
The Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery chose seven artists from a selection of 35, all of whom were nominated by non-profit art-community professionals.
Among the seven artists chosen to present their work was Annette Mitchell.
Mitchell is a sumi ink and foam block-printing artist from Plymouth, N.H, and has had the opportunity to have her work displayed in the current exhibit.
Mitchell said New Art New Hampshire “gives the audience an opportunity to see the incredible wealth of talent in artwork that they might not even be aware is in the area or the region.”
Mitchell also said that, from an artist’s standpoint, “to have Maureen reach out and ask us to be a part of something so elegant, it makes a really strong relationship that might not have had an opportunity to be here before.”
However, for Mitchell, this gallery is more than just an opportunity for her work to be displayed.
It has also been a way for her to grow artistically by learning from the other featured artists.
“Like in creating a piece of artwork, you have to balance all of the elements. Maureen made sure all the works complemented each other and I am just amazed,” Mitchell said.
Patricia Shell, a gallery patron, said that the Thorne-Sagendorph “accommodates a lot of diversity because it is broken down into almost rooms,” she said.
“There is a real flow and it is quite easy for anyone to navigate. There is a nice intimacy to the exhibit.”
The space, as well as Ahern’s selection, allows for great variance in style and medium.
The work of Roger P. Goldenberg, who is from Portsmouth, N.H., contributes to the diversity present in this art collection.
Goldenberg’s work crosses sculpture, painting, drawing, and listening into a kind of “visual jazz”.
One of his projects, “In Eyes and Ears,” is when he paints while a musician plays.
Goldenberg said he is interested in collaborative work and said that it is important to him that all artists involved are a part of the conversation and improvisational outcome.
“My work to me is layers of metaphors…which lead to decisions about color and gesture which lead me into non-representational work,” Goldenberg said.
For many artists, art is a way to start a discussion—a way to convey your thoughts, emotions, and your memories.
For artist Ronnie McClure, who works with mixed-media images and is from Canterbury, N.H., this exhibit was a chance to introduce the community to artists they may have not been aware of—and to bring artists together, who all possess a diverse perspective, and showcase all the various channels of creating art.
“The point of this show is to try and pull in artists still from the state of New Hampshire but from the far reaches,” McClure said.
“I think it is terrific to get people in the visual arts together who have never had a show together…It is quite a mix of different styles. It’s not all painting, it’s not all photography, it’s not all sculpture,” McClure said.
The exhibit will be open Friday, Aug. 12 to Tuesday, Nov. 20.
The hours are Sunday through Wednesday: noon to 5 p.m. and then Thursday & Friday: noon to 7 p.m. The gallery is also open Saturday: noon to 8 p.m. Admission is free.
Laura Judge can be contacted at
ljudge@keene-equinox.com
