New Blog!

McGowan Fine Art has migrated over to an intra-website blog. Come visit us... here!

Craig Stockwell Studio Visit

Sarah and I visited Craig Stockwell in his his studio last week, in Keene, NH. Its always a treat to visit an artist in their studio, to see their new art and pieces still in the works.You never know what gems you will find.

Inspired by modernist painters Matisse and Diebenkorn, Craig's paintings are vibrant and lively. We were immediately drawn to the color and movement. Interested in the relationships of the forms, Craig has been creating series, with nine paintings in each series.

He selects one painting from the series to enlarge, and then takes it a step further by recreating the composition on the wall, but by deconstructing and reducing to the composition's simplest forms.

Craig has also been working on singular paintings. He starts with a grid of circles. We love the layering of forms, and the play between transparent and opaque shapes on top of this grid. He frequently revisits paintings, reworking and adding to them sometimes years later, encouraging an ongoing dialogue.

Craig was selected by the Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation to be awarded a studio in NYC this year. He leaves for NY next month.

 

- Jessica

Paper Artwork... and Humidity

With all of the wet weather we have been having lately I have been hearing from people regarding waves in their framed artwork. This can be distracting for the viewer as the ripples will cause shadows across the image.

Posters and prints are permanently adhered to their support board with glue so they are perfectly smooth and flat, although excessive moisture can cause even these to bow. Original artwork is mounted in a way that is reversible in order to preserve the value of the piece. This means that as the paper absorbs water it can shift and ripple inside of the frame.  It is like a barometer….indicating relative humidity.

Sometimes this is an indication that the hinges are a little tight. Loosening them can alleviate some of the rippling. As most of the reports come during the summer months it is more likely caused by the ambient humidity. Try changing the lighting so it is less obvious.

The rippling should disappear as soon as the humidity drops and the paper dries out. This can be hastened by using the heating system in your house. If you have any questions regarding your framed art, don't hesitate to bring it in.

Corporate Art -- Littleton Regional Hospital

McGowan Fine Art of Concord, NH completed a project for the new Oncology & Infusion department at Littleton Regional Hospital, located in Littleton, NH. Littleton Regional Hospital has been serving the healthcare needs of Northern NH for more than 100 years.

Amanda McGowan Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant for McGowan Fine Art, selected and installed a mix of soothing and uplifting prints, helping to foster a healing environment, for the many patients who spend hours receiving treatment. She installed art in the waiting room, patient rooms, nurses’ station, and treatment area. 

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art, to high quality reproductions, or historical photographs. 

For more information, please call Amanda Lacasse at 603-225-2515, or Amanda@mcgowanfineart.com, or visit www.mcgowanfineart.com.

Melissa Anne Miller - Recent Works

McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of “Recent Works” featuring the paintings of Melissa Anne Miller. The show will run from July 16 – August 31, with a reception on July 19 from 5 to 7 PM.  This is free and open to the public.

“Recent Works” will feature the quiet scenes by Ms. Miller that have become familiar to the people of New Hampshire and synonymous with the city of Concord. Her heightened colors and sense of light make her work distinctive and a favorite with everyone.  Even those who are unfamiliar with Concord’s crowded streets and turn of the century downtown admire her paintings. They have a universal feel of home, which appeals to people, wherever they are from. Miller will have oil and acrylic paintings on display.  

Miller often revisits the same scene to capture different times of day, and different seasons. A cool, blue autumn sky, and a dramatic shadow cast by a barren tree in “White House with Tree, Late Fall” is contrasted by the warm early morning light. The same tree is now in full bloom, revealing little bits of sky, in “White House with Tree, Spring”. Daubs of sunlight peek through leaves.

Miller is currently collaborating with the Concord Public Library Foundation and Puritan Press to produce a series of bookmarks featuring snippets of her paintings, themed to the changing seasons. Her paintings have always been collected by many businesses and firms throughout New Hampshire- most notably Southern NH University, TD Banknorth in Manchester, NH Historical Society and Rath Young &; Pignatelli’s office in Concord.

This exhibit will be on display at McGowan Fine Art at 10 Hills Avenue in Concord, NH. Please call Sarah Chaffee at 603-225-2515 for more information or visit our website at www.mcgowanfineart.com, or contact at art@mcgowanfineart.com. Hours: T-F 10-6, and Sat 10-2 and by appointment.

Synesthesia & Painting

McGowan Fine Art recently brought in the work of Liz Wilson, a young artist from the Seacoast area. Her works are comprised of beautifully transparent and calligraphic brush strokes that create an object which floats in the large field of white paper. The layering of strokes creates new colors and forms on the page. Pale washes create a halo-like effect around denser, more opaque strokes. Her use of color is what first caught my eye, but as I get to live with them I find I am also drawn to what she doesn’t paint. The creamy field of paper provides a structure for the color object.

After bringing in the work I learned that Liz has a perceptional condition called synesthesia, which very simply put causes the person to involuntarily equate colors with certain visual or auditory stimulation. This sort of information causes me to go back to the work to see if it informs it in any way. It didn’t change my initial reaction to the work but I have to acknowledge that having synesthesia must mean that she is very sensitive to colors and that they can invoke more than a visual response in people.

Liz says about her work, “These paintings are impressions of my experience in the world at a specific moment.  When I am able to focus inward, I see in my mind’s eye my sensory experience translated into shape and color. This experience is part of my reality; it is the author, creator of my painting language.  In the process of making the images I simplify and to a degree caricaturize my experiences.  The source of the images is specific.  However, what I am depicting is the sensation that I took from a moment.”

Ironically a customer came in to the gallery this past week and announced she had synesthesia. Each letter is associated with a certain color for her. Still grappling with what this must look like I asked her what my name would look like. No doubt this is considered a silly parlor trick for those with the condition but it helped me understand what they must be seeing.

Corporate Project - Littleton Regional Hospital

McGowan Fine Art of Concord, NH completed a project for Littleton Regional Hospital, located at 600 St. Johnsbury Road in Littleton, NH. Littleton Regional Hospital has been serving the healthcare needs of Northern NH for more than 100 years.

Amanda McGowan Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant for McGowan Fine Art selected and reproduced historic images from the hospital’s archives for a main hallway of the hospital. She also selected and installed art reproductions for the newly renovated Surgical Services Department, and in several other hospital practices in the new medical office building.

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art, to high quality reproductions, or historical photographs.

For more information, please call Amanda Lacasse at 603-225-2515, or Amanda@mcgowanfineart.com, or visit www.mcgowanfineart.com.

NH Buisness Committee for the Arts - Micro Enterprise Award

We are honored to have received the  Micro Enterprise award from the NH Business Committee for the Arts, and had to share the wonderful words that were said about us!

Thank you again to the
Concord Community Music School for the nomination. 

Mary McGowan, Amanda Lacasse, Jessica Pappathan (McGowan Fine Art) and
Peggy Senter (Concord Community Music School)

"When you do what you love, the natural progression is to spread that love into the community where you live and work.  Nothing could be truer of our first award recipient as they’ve quietly gone about their business, building it, nurturing it and sharing it with others.

This microenterprise may have few employees, but their impact is large.  With involvement on many cultural and other nonprofit boards, and a willingness to give advice, help and advocacy, the owner and each of the employees is fully vested not only in the business but in the community and state.  Their advice, collaboration, energy and willingness to engage has provided annual support, gift certificates for auctions and drawings, and event sponsorship.  They have been called “true champions” and “a respected voice and advocate for the performing arts and music education” as well as the visual arts.

In one instance in 2012, they participated in a major auction fund raiser, giving several items for auction and donating 80% of their commission on all sales. They consider themselves a resource for the community, providing assistance when necessary and always willing to support the arts and the artists that live in New Hampshire.  Their passion for what they do and compassion for those they represent is unmatched.  Support for this microenterprise’s nomination came not only from their clients and customers, but from their competitors as well.

Nominated by the Concord Community Music School for being a respected voice and advocate for the performing arts and music education, as well as their business of the visual arts, this year’s Business in the Arts Award in the microenterprise category goes to:
MCGOWAN FINE ART"

Corporate Project - Rivier University

McGowan Fine Art recently completed a project for Rivier University, located at 420 South Main Street in Nashua, NH.

Amanda Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant for McGowan Fine Art, coordinated printing and framing of a focal piece for Madeleine Hall, Rivier University’s Admissions Building. Lacasse also assisted in framing a historic photo of Sister Madeleine for the newly renovated space.

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art, to high quality reproductions, or historical photographs.

Please contact Amanda Lacasse at 603-225-2515 or Amanda@mcgowanfineart.com for more information. For additional information about McGowan Fine Art visit www.mcgowanfineart.com.

New Hampshire Business in the Arts Awards

McGowan Fine Art of Concord, NH was announced as a winner in the Business in the Arts Awards at a gala evening presentation by the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts. Approximately 400 business and arts leaders attended the 29^th annual celebration.

The winners were applauded for their outstanding support of the arts through donations of time, money, and resources to the arts in their communities and statewide. McGowan Fine Art was noted for their community support in serving on boards and assisting various visual and performing arts organizations.

Other winners include Hypertherm, Inc., PixelMEDIA, and Laconia Harley-Davidson. David A. Jensen was named as the Leadership Award recipient for his longstanding record of board service to the Currier Museum of Art, the Capitol Center for the Arts and the Concord Community School, and his ability to steer each organization while encouraging other business leaders to join him in that support.

Each winner received a framed photograph by New Hampshire artist Rob Karosis. Karosis is represented by McGowan Fine Art. The Presenting Sponsor was The Duprey Companies.

 

The New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts presents the awards annually to recognize and honor outstanding business support of the arts. The NHBCA was founded to educate, motivate and recognize business support and participation in the arts. For more information about the awards or the NHBCA contact the NHBCA at 603-224-8300 or visit the website at www.nhbca.com.

Side by Side: Sally Ladd Cole and Ellen Davis

McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of “Side by Side”, a two-person show featuring the work of New Hampshire landscape painters Sally Ladd Cole and Ellen Davis. The show will run May 28 – June 28, with a reception taking place May 31, 5 to 7 PM.  The reception is free and open to the public.  

Sally Ladd Cole was born and raised in Loudon, New Hampshire, currently residing in Loudon. She finds inspiration in her rural surroundings, and through painting, Cole hopes to bring awareness to the irreplaceable beauty of nature. “I observe with great concern the ever dwindling fields, farms, marshes, and forests that I grew up loving and taking for granted.” 

She will have oil paintings on display, many of familiar NH scenes. She often paints outdoors, and also from photographs. Cole received her BA in Fine Art at the University of New Hampshire, and has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows throughout New England.

Ellen Davis grew up in a small town in rural Georgia. She spent her childhood on her great grandfather’s farm roaming the pastures with her brother and father, fishing at the pond, and enjoying the outdoors. She later moved to NH, and after trading in her teaching career for motherhood, Davis began studying at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. She first worked in watercolor, and then later transitioned to oils.  Her love for nature served as inspiration, often painting outdoors, en plein air.  Davis feels that painting from nature gives her the most honest interpretation of the New England landscape. 

 

 

Cole and Davis studied together with painter Clifford Smith 2000 – 2004, and often still paint together.

This exhibit will be on display at McGowan Fine Art at 10 Hills Avenue in Concord, NH. Please call Jessica Pappathan at 603-225-2515 for more information, or visit our website at www.mcgowanfineart.com, or contact jessica@mcgowanfineart.com. Hours: T-F 10-6, and Sat 10-2 and by appointment.

2013 Best of Business Awards, NH Business Review

McGowan Fine Art has been selected as a winner in New Hampshire Business Review’s 2013 BOB Awards, which honor the best of business in New Hampshire in over 90 categories. McGowan Fine Art was honored in a statewide reader’s survey in the category of Art Gallery for Corporate Art.   

All of the winners were honored in March at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. “The BOBs have really become a standard of excellence in New Hampshire’s business community,” said Jeff Feingold, editor of NHBR. 

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art, to high quality reproductions, or historical photographs. 

Please call Amanda Lacasse at 603-225-2515 for more information, or visit McGowan Fine Art’s website at www.mcgowanfineart.com, or contact amanda@mcgowanfineart.com.

John Bonner: People: Public, Private

McGowanFine Art announces the opening of “John Bonner: People: Public, Private” featuring recent paintings of John Bonner. The show will run from April 23 – May 24, with an artist’s reception on April 26 from 5 to 7 PM. This show is free and open to the public.

Originally from England, John Bonner currently resides in Marblehead, Massachusetts. He paints what is immediately around him – often familiar, pubic spaces.  “My hope is that viewers will often identify the places as ones they may have seen or visited themselves or, if not the actual place, something very similar, and see them in a new way”.  He often includes items in his paintings that are typically left out, such as satellite dishes, phone lines, parked cars, and trash. Bonner’s scenes lend significance to the ordinary.  “It’s important to me to acknowledge and embrace the truth of what is actually there”.

Bonner’s subject alternates between buildings and people. In his recent work, he focuses on people. His recent paintings are reminiscent of the Ashcan School artists -- such as Henri, Sloan, and Hopper – artists painting during the early 20^th century, known for portraying scenes of daily life.

The view from his office window in Boston informs Bonner's painting style, capturing snapshot-like compositions of people in the urban environment.  Bonner shoots high definition video of the area, capturing freeze frames, and later collages together likely scenes in his studio. The stroke of his paintbrush seems to be as fleeting as the glimpse through his window. He clearly revels in the creative act of putting the paint to canvas, but he is also a master of gesture and color. His quick strokes capture the distinct walk of a woman in flip flops or the hunched concentration of a phone-texter. His use of glazes perfectly captures the lit neon traffic signs ubiquitous on every corner or the feel of wet pavement on tar or cement.

"Eye on Professional Artists", Teti Library, NHIA

Image: Natasha Dominguez, Distance, archival pigment print

I visited the Eye Gallery at the New Hampshire Institute of Art’s Teti Library today to jury the upcoming show, Eye on Professional Artists. The library opened their doors to student shows and events this past fall. The upcoming show will feature work by students enrolled in the NHIA’s ‘Professional Artists’ class. The exhibit will be on view April 3 – 26, with an opening reception April 3^rd at noon.

I love student art, and was thrilled to be invited to jury this show. It is exciting to see the up-and-coming talent in our community, and talent is certainly plentiful at the NHIA. I was impressed by the quality of the submissions; it was quite difficult to narrow down selections from a group of such exceptional work.

There is a variety of media represented, showcasing the many course offerings of NHIA. I first focused on works that demonstrate technical ability and creativity. I chose works that I seemed to keep going back to, wanting to learn more about. These pieces drew me in and piqued my curiosity, whether through process or subject. They are refreshing, exciting, and contemporary.

I congratulate all the students who submitted to this exhibit. I hope visitors enjoy the selected works as much as I do. Thank you to Betsy Holmes and Martha Sawyer for inviting me to take part in the exhibit.   

- Jessica Pappathan

Shape Shifting: Amy Goodwin, Rachel Gross, Sheri Tomek

McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of "Shape Shifting", a group show featuring the work of Amy Goodwin, Rachel Gross, and Sheri Tomek. This show brings together three artists who suggest three dimension space on a two dimensional surface, while approaching the genre of abstract art in different ways. The show will run March 19 - April 19, with a reception taking place March 22, 5 to 7 PM. The reception is free and open to the public

Amy Goodwin received her MFA from Yale University. She teaches foundation studies the Rhode Island School of Design, and currently resides in Massachusetts. Goodwin will have encaustic and acrylic paintings on display for this show. In her encaustics, she works quickly. As soon as the wax leaves its heat source, it begins to harden. Layers of brushstrokes are fused to the previous layer resulting in thick, icing-like surfaces. Her colorful and geometric forms seem to float over the surface. Her acrylic paintings are based on reverse painted images. "I started this as an exercise to loosen up a little. I paint the images on plastic, in reverse so I am not quite sure how the image will come out until I have adhered it to the canvas." The playful bunny and rose imagery combined with the vivid colors create paintings of definite impact.

Rachel Gross received her MFA in Printmaking from Temple University in Pennsylvania. She has served as both a faculty member and Chair of the Board of Directors at Two Rivers Printmaking Studio since 2005. Rachel Gross examines positive and negative space, creating the illusion of depth and a sense of space on a two dimensional surface. Realizing some of the limitations of printing with color, she uses florescent spray paint to create an alternate dimension. The intense primary and fluorescent colors cause some of the forms to pop to the fore as in "Red Shift", while the more subtle, gray shaded shapes create dimension on the surface of the paper. "Frank Stella's constructions have been a real inspiration. He was playful with the forms and colors which appeals to me." Gross will have prints and painted wood panels on display.

Sheri Tomek, transplanted from Nova Scotia, has been pursuing her interest in printmaking in a shared studio with Rachel Gross, near her adopted home of Hanover. Her newest prints are bolder than her previous flora based imagery. Layered plates create bold shapes which are further defined by contoured lines carved into the plate. Intersecting lines create a rhythmic pattern of white dots, creating another layer of embellishment. "I am really returning to my graphic design roots, creating logos and doing branding. These images are very simple and carry a great distance because of this." Her palette is limited but she expands it by reversing the printing order of the plates. A red block printed under a black block changes the color to maroon.

This exhibit will be on display at McGowan Fine Art at 10 Hills Avenue in Concord, NH. Please call  

Jessica Pappathan at 603-225-2515 for more information or visit our website at www.mcgowanfineart.com, or contact at jessica@mcgowanfineart.com.  Hours: T-F 10 - 6, Saturday 10-2 and by appointment.

Corporate Project - Four Seasons Dermatology

McGowan Fine Art completed an installation of artwork for Four Seasons Dermatology, located at 354 Mountain View Drive, Colchester, VT.  

Amanda Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant for McGowan Fine Art, selected and installed reproduction artwork for Four Seasons Dermatology’s new office space. She drew inspiration from the beautiful Colchester setting, and chose nature imagery to reflect the dramatic Vermont seasons. Lacasse also arranged and installed existing artwork, helping keep costs low by re-using pieces already in their collection. Lacasse collaborated with interior designer Pam Carter from Keeping Good Company for this project.

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, working with businesses throughout the New England region.  Lacasse specializes in complementing and enhancing professional spaces through thoughtful placement of artwork and historic materials.

Please contact Amanda for more information: amanda@mcgowanfineart.com or

603.225.2515.

Corporate Project - RiverStone Resources

McGowan Fine Art completed an installation of artwork for RiverStone Resources LLC, located at 250 Commercial Street, Manchester.

Amanda McGowan Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant with McGowan Fine Art, coordinated the project - selecting & installing artwork for newly renovated and expanded work spaces.  RiverStone’s business activities cross international boundaries and markets, and involve resolution of a wide variety of insurance and regulatory issues.

In an effort to create a tranquil environment for RiverStone’s employees and contractors, Lacasse chose peaceful, NH nature images for the corridors, conference rooms, and work spaces. As a nod to the historic setting of the Waumbec Mills, Lacasse also highlighted Manchester history by hanging oversized historic postcards in the new break room.

 

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art and commissions to high quality reproductions and historic photographs.

Please contact Amanda for more information: amanda@mcgowanfineart.com or

603.225.2515.