Above, It's a goddamn mess by Christopher Pothier
Gallery at 100 Market demonstrates the influence of N.H. Institute of Art
By Chloe Kanner
In more ways than one, The Gallery at 100 Market is all over the place. Art is hung in the corridors, lobbies, and other shared spaces on four floors of the commercial building in downtown Portsmouth, and beyond that, it is incredibly varied and seemingly disconnected.
But, it turns out, many of the 36 artists in the current exhibit share a connection to the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester.
This year’s “Winter to Spring” exhibit introduces the Seacoast to more artists affiliated with the school, whether they be teachers or students, past or present. It opens with a reception on Friday, March 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.
It’s somewhat confusing to see Christopher Pothier’s series of businesspeople on the wall opposing large landscapes by Timothy Loraditch. But the former has taught art at NHIA, and the latter is a graduate.
The realistically rendered people in suits in Pothier’s paintings are positioned in compromising or curious situations, like fighting over a briefcase. They’re often set against a bleak background, without the expected place references of city streets or office buildings.
Pothier says the series is based on interpretation and observation of our business culture, without a personal opinion. But, the overall impression isn’t positive. For instance, the one with a remorseful man with a view of the city is called, “It’s a goddamn mess.”
Fall Horse II by Patrick McCay
Loraditch takes an opposite approach to subject matter. His artist statement says he removes any influences of man in his landscapes, hoping to capture the spirit of and reveal the character of God as the creator. His paintings have an impressionistic style that suggests the energy of nature.
Art instructor Patricia Schappler has several larger-than-life figure drawings on display. Her work explores the complexity of relationships, contradicting emotions, and transformation. Through expressions and body language, and sometimes a sequence of events, her models become characters in an intriguing love story.
Patrick McCay is also an instructor and chairman of the fine arts department, and his paintings are enough reason alone to visit the exhibit. His recent work is focused on taking ubiquitous New England imagery, such as a moose, and giving it new and more personal meaning. His work communicates like a visual diary with clues about the season, souvenirs from the day, and swatches of the color palette.
Christopher Gowell, founder of Sanctuary Arts in Eliot, Maine, is well known for her sculpture, but is also a remarkable painter. Her series of three paintings represents some of her pyromaniac friends and their performance art in vivid, imagined detail. One woman is seen rowing toward an inferno, unfazed by the flames in her hair. Gowell studied at Sanctuary Arts under Sean Beavers, who also teaches at NHIA.
“A Little Cymbalic Work of Art” by Cassandra Long
Another highlight is the fun work by Cassandra Long, who graduated from the institute in 2009. She used cymbals to play with the idea of symbols in visual art. In one, “An Extremely Cymbalic Work of Art,” a girl cowers from the clashing of cymbals. The features painted in watercolor add a surprising illusion of dimension to the otherwise bare wood panel.
“I like to make things that are nice to look at and also funny,” she said in an email.
There are many nice things to look at here. The large and varied assortment of work in this exhibit demonstrates the reach and influence of NHIA.
The Gallery at 100 Market is at 100 Market St., Portsmouth. The exhibit runs through May 22.