Visiting Artists

Ed Van Dorn reports that as a child, even though he was a city kid, he loved nature and went into the woods frequently. There was something about being in the woods, being with nature that made him feel good. He know now the contrast between the noisy hub bub of the city and the peace and serenity of being in the forest. He was captivated by the natural world and felt at home there. Eventually, he followed his heart and for the past 35 years has lived a rural life in the New Hampshire White Mountains and Lakes Region. In my art he is especially drawn to the changing light at the end of the day where the quiet solitude that so inspires him is mostly clearly expressed by nature. Inspired by the American Tonalist painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he studies and learns from their work and is humbled by those who have gone before. The paintings he is showing at the gallery, are both using the tonalists format and plein air.

Mike Driscoll is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston. He has been a illustrator and storyboard artist for over twenty five years. Back in 1980, he headed the Illustration department at Hill Holiday Advertising in Boston. He, then, went onto a freelancing career with a studio on Clarendon Street. His clients included: John Hancock, the Massachusetts lottery and New England Toyota to name a few. He now paints watercolor landscapes, writes and illustrates storybooks as yet unpublished while running a small frame from my studio in Deerfield, NH. He is an exhibiting member of the NH Art Association and the Deerfield Arts tour held annually. Visit his Facebook page.

Mimzie Uhler spent most of her adult life in Philadelphia, Pa and has recently transitioned from a summer to a full-time resident of NH. She majored in art in college but work and raising a family took her away from devoting time to her art. She has begun exploring her creative side through taking classes in a variety of medium. She is part of the Plymouth Pod of the Women’s Caucus for Art, a creative group of artists who provide inspiration, support and encouragement. The mountains, lakes, valleys and the tiniest of nature’s treasures are the predominant inspiration for her art. Her work ranges from realistic to abstract and she enjoys trying new techniques and styles. She was represented by Surrounding Art Gallery in Center Sandwich until it closed in 2020. She has exhibited locally at the Gordon Nash Library, Café Monte Alto, Plymouth Library and Lamson Library.

Erin Tuvenson grew up near the seacoast of New Hampshire and spent much of my time wandering the woods while appreciating all the little things which surrounded her. Much of what I saw in the natural world carried through into her art. In 2015, she embarked on a life changing journey, hiking from Georgia to Maine, along the Appalachian Trail. Throughout her hike she used photography to document the experience and as a reminder to slow down and enjoy the journey. Over the years she has worked in a number of different mediums, from beadwork to pottery, charcoal to oil pastels, in recent years my interest in photography has started to blossom and become her passion and a challenge. She is always looking for a new perspective, the angle others haven’t seen or the view they don’t get the time to appreciate. She definitely live by this saying: To overlook the little things in life is to miss the biggest part of life itself. Her current display of work is macrophotography and landscape.

Maureen Bussome is new to fiber art and she calls her aprons, “Wearable Hugs” and says they makes life a bit more special. Some of the fabrics are recycled, and all are special; each will have meaning for its new owner. Maureen’s first experience with sewing was through her 6th grade home economics teacher, Mrs. Robertson. She sewed buttons, hemmed skirts and made primitive clothes with a pattern. As part of a girl scout troop and 4-H, I continued a love of sewing. As life went on, however, sewing remained in the background. When her mom passed, cleaning out the family home of more than 60 years was a daunting task. Maureen was emphatically given the instructions, “Do not throw stuff away!” She decided to keep some of her mom’s favorite pieces of clothing. Each item felt familiar, and she realized she could make special memories for family members. This is how the aprons came to be—a gentle and useful reminder of the loved one that was once so near. She have made aprons for my husband when he details his car, to keep my sewing supplies handy, for her kids who are great cooks, for grandkids for crafting, and many more for just general use such as keeping your cell phone, pens, and glasses in your own personal space.