For the 67th year in a row, the Monadnock Area Artists Association (MAAA) kicked off Labor Day weekend by hosting its Annual “Art in the Park” at Keene’s Ashuelot River Park. The two-day event, which MAAA’s website describes as the organization’s main event of the year, happened on Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Art in the Park is an annual outdoor art show where artists showcase their works from a variety of mediums, including both MAAA members and non-members. The showcase featured live music, artist awards and two scholarship raffles held on both days of the event.
The raffle raises scholarship funds that are awarded to local high schoolers who plan to pursue an education in the arts. A drawing was held on both days of the showcase, with one winner receiving a painting by local artist Mary Iselin on Saturday and another winning a painting by local artist Jeanne Maguire Thieme on Sunday. Scholarship recipients will be announced at a later date.
During Saturday’s event, judges awarded first, second and third place awards to artists in six different categories, including watermedia, pastel and charcoal, pen and ink/printmaking/colored pencil, photography and digital media, sculpture and oil. A singular first-place prize was also awarded to one high school student-artist. First-place recipients won $150, while second place won 100. Third place won 75 dollars.
Susan Beetle won first place for the pen and ink/printmaking/colored pencil category.
“I won third place my first year exhibiting, and this year I really worked hard making background panels and made a lot of prints and worked really hard to let my creativity flow,” said Beetle. “I almost cried when I heard my name called.”
Beetle said events like Art in the Park help to bring art to the community.
“Events like this get a lot of people out to admire art and have a chance to enjoy art. There’s that old saying that ‘Naked walls are obscene,’ and having art in your community is so important,” said Beetle.
The showcase featured 87 artists, including multiple first-time exhibitors. According to MAAA member and Art in the Park Committee Member Liz Winchester-Larson, the showcase is meant to be a welcoming space for new artists to be seen and find inspiration.
“There’s a lot of artists who are new to the show,” said Winchester-Larson. “We talk to a lot of people who come through a lot of the art shows that we do, and some of them are younger people who are maybe thinking they want to pursue some kind of art.”
According to Winchester-Larson, who has been involved with MAAA since 1997, artistry is honed through dedication and believing in yourself.
“You’ve got to be dedicated, and you have to look at it as practice, the same way an athlete or musician or a chef that studies cooking trains. You also have to not be discouraged when looking at where you are now as opposed to someone who’s been doing this for many years,” said Winchester-Larson.
“We try to encourage them to keep going.”
One first-time exhibitor, KSC senior Hallie Trafton, displayed a variety of works at the showcase, including a selection of pieces produced in Art and Design Professor Paul McMullan’s Ceramics class.
“This is my first Art in the Park, which is really exciting because anyone from Keene knows how serious Art in the Park is,” said Trafton. “I love how many local events Keene puts on, and especially having this right when KSC students are coming back from summer break is a great way to get people out in the community to see what is going on.”
“It’s also nice as a local and a student to be able to get my peers to come out and see what the town is all about. Keene is a really big place, but also a small place at the same time, like a big family,” added Trafton.
Community members Justin Howe and Leneille Howe attended the showcase and said they try to attend every year.
“It’s wonderful, the weather is perfect this year and we’re having a great time walking around and seeing all the artists and different styles,” said Leneille Howe.
“Walking around and seeing all the art and appreciating it is really fun, and it’s really special to know that a lot of this is local people who live around here. It’s so cool to know how many talented people we have in our community,” said Justin Howe.
Ryan Pacheco can be contacted at
rpacheco@kscequinox.com
