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.

Together Again

McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of “Together Again”, a group show featuring the work of Sally Ladd Cole, Ellen Davis, Kate Miller, Catherine Tuttle, and Clifford Smith. The show will run November 15 – December 16, with a reception taking place November 18, 5 to 7 PM. An artist's talk with Clifford Smith with take place December 8 at 5:30 PM. The reception and artist talk are both free and open to the public.

In 2000, renowned NH painter, Clifford Smith, began a weekly studio class for several women trying to reenter the world of painting, or to take their painting to a new level. The participants were Sally Ladd Cole, Ellen Davis, Kate Miller and Catherine Tuttle. The class focused on “translating living, organic forms onto a two dimensional surface,” says Smith. “They developed a better understanding of how to look at the natural world.”

The show highlights New England’s landscape and its people. From everyday occurrences, such as a morning commute on Route 93, or a disgruntled Red Sox fan, to more intimate scenes such as a hidden pond in Sanborn, NH, or a quiet marsh in Kennebunkport, ME, the distinctive characteristics of each subject is captured. Catherine Tuttle describes painting the region’s diverse landscape. “I find oil painting intriguing for the rich range of colors, values, and depth of field it can present. I find I can more fully describe the qualities of deep space, atmosphere, and the solidness of earth with oil paint.”

“Together Again” invites us to see how these different NH painters perceive the region’s unique imagery. “I really enjoyed the teaching, watching their growth and helping them to find their own voice,” says Smith. “He really is the first teacher to give me a kick in the pants and be serious about this,” says Ellen Davis. “He pushed me and gave me the confidence to put my work out there as a painter,” says Sally Ladd Cole.

A portion of all sales will be donated to the New Hampshire Food Bank.