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The holidays are over, New Year’s memories are foggy and there is nothing between now and the warm release of spring except the monotonous cold of winter. If only there were someplace to go, some sanctuary where the colors of spring were reproduced in an appealing way, like paint on a canvas. It would have to be a sanctuary where art is practiced like religion and the instructors impart wisdom like humble sages. Alas, there is such a place. Beginning in late January, Sanctuary Arts in Eliot, Maine, will offer a wide range of classes to keep even the most unseasoned artist warm.

Located in a converted 1861 New England church, Sanctuary Arts includes a teaching studio, private studios and a gallery. With 18-foot ceilings and enormous windows, “people just love coming into the space. They love the atmosphere of it,” says Christopher Gowell, director and owner of Sanctuary Arts.

Winter courses include Jewelry & Metalsmithing; Miniature Wax Carving, Modeling & Casting; The Draped Figure in Sculpture; Sculptural Portrait; Knobs, Hooks & Handles; Cast Bronze; Drawing & Painting the Figure; Landscapes in the Studio; Representational Painting; Basic/Intermediate Drawing; Botanical & Nature Drawing; Watercolor: Portrait & the Clothed Figure; and Drawing & Watercolor.

Two new instructors have joined the Eliot teaching studio this year. Jenny Page will teach Drawing & Painting the Figure and Jan Kolb will teach Portrait Sculpture. The returning instructors include painter Sean Beavers, landscape artist Dennis Poirier, jewelry instructor Alice Carroll and many others. All of the instructors are working artists, which Gowell believes makes them better teachers. “Students really appreciate working with someone who is totally immersed in their medium,” she said.
Gowell is also an artist and will teach the Draped Figure in Sculpture course. She said the painting course with Sean Beavers usually fills up fast. “He’s a well trained painter and people are familiar with his work. And the caliber of his work is really high,” Gowell said. Jewelry & Metalsmithing with Alice Carroll also fills up fast. “There aren’t a lot of jewelry classes around and, also, she has her masters in Jewelry & Metalsmithing,” Gowell said.

For course descriptions, class schedules, fees and information about instructors, call 207-438-9826 or visit www.sanctuaryarts.org.

fresh talent and faraway places

Sometimes, if you imagine yourself on a tropical beach, you can actually trick your body into thinking it’s warm. Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 9, in the Main Gallery of the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, an exhibition titled “Tropical Fantasies” will be on display. The show will give visitors a chance to experience tropical paradise without having to deal with sand in the bathing suit, pterodactyl-sized mosquitoes or a sudden coup by disenfranchised locals. All of the work featured in “Tropical Fantasies” is by NHAA members and will remain up until Feb. 3.

In the East Gallery of the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, the NHAA will show artwork from Portsmouth High School Students. There will be an opening reception on Friday, Jan. 11, from 5-8 p.m., in conjunction with “Art ’Round Town.” 

“It’s part of our effort to reach out into the wider community, to engage a wider group of people so that they can understand how the New Hampshire Art Association functions,” said Bob Thoresen, President of NHAA. “But, secondly, to give high school students an understanding of the process of how we select art.”

About 60 students submitted artwork for the show, which will go through a juried process to whittle that number down. The exhibition does not have a theme, and students were encouraged to submit work in a variety of mediums. Thorensen worked with Portsmouth High School art teacher Nancy Carey to organize the show. Two NHAA members, Marsha Christensen and Inger Gregory, will jury the show.

“Last year, we had first-year MFA students from UNH. We’re trying to do a variety of different shows every year. There are several shows we do on a traditional basis and our members expect those shows to be put on. For the new shows, we’re experimenting with fresh ideas and fresh art,” Thorensen said.