Portsmouth Athenaeum reveals its annual art show by members and volunteers

The show features the work of established artists Katherine Clark, Pat DeGrandpre, Barbara Adams, Sumner Winebaum, Dustan Knight, Ellen Kirkpatrick, Peter Randall and others, as well as books and pamphlets written by members.

Located in Market Square, the Portsmouth Athenaeum is a non-profit membership library and museum with 400 members known as “proprietors,” whose annual dues underwrite the costs of maintaining the collections and making them accessible. All the work in the exhibit is by proprietors, subscribers who are on a waiting list for membership, and volunteers referred to as “Friends of the Athenaeum.”

“The invitation to exhibit goes out in our fall newsletter and we never know quite what to expect, but we are always pleasantly surprised at the quality of the work submitted,” staff member Tom Hardiman said in an e-mail. It’s likely that the public will have a similar reaction.

Peter Randall’s photography is well known in the region, and for good reason, but his contribution to the show still comes as a very pleasant surprise. “Rustle Wood Farm, Kittery” shows the same rural property from the same angle and panoramic view at the height of each of the four seasons in lovely lighting. As simple as it sounds, it perfectly sums up everything locals love about New England.

“Drop-Frame,” a 2008 documentary made by Tom Clark, shows time-lapse photography that captures the area’s changing scenery and other territory at a rapid pace. Snippets of daily life add up to drastic developments over time. The film is set up on a laptop, giving the space a modern update. Clark made a similar film on the Lakes Region more recently.   

Dustan Knight’s “Red Tulips” watercolor is an energetic and emotionally charged pop of floral color, while Fran Mallon’s “Lobster Delivery” and Ellen Kirkpatrick’s “Portsmouth Triptych” trio of watercolors are delicate dedications to the coastal city.

Masterful sculptor Sumner Winebaum shows off his gravity-defying “Leaning Backwards” miniature bronze figure. Peter Lamb brings meticulously carved wooden spoons and Frank Graf contributes sterling silver serving utensils, both equally functional and decorative.

For fiber arts, Sanda Rux made a hand-woven wood and silk scarf, based on an antique twill pattern. Nancy Mulqueen made her scarf in Tencel, silk and merino. Ann Tarlton made needlepoint pillows, including one with brightly colored beetles set against a black and white checkerboard pattern.

Barbara Adam’s still-life and landscapes in pastels and oil are traditional, while Katherine Clark’s pastels from interior spaces are more contemporary.

Making a historical connection, Jack Miller’s carved wood “Portsmouth Eagle” and “Kittery Eagle” are tributes to John Halley Bellamy, a folk artist known for such designs who once worked locally. There are also carved and painted ducks of local interest by Peter Tarlton.

The show’s curator is Kitty Clark, chair of the Arts Athenaeum Exhibits Committee.

There are now fewer than 20 athenaeums left in the country. The Portsmouth Athenaeum maintains more than 40,000 volumes and an archive of manuscripts, photographs, objects and ephemera relating to local history. The building also hosts exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and other programs.

The gallery is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. It is located at 9 Market Square in Portsmouth, 603-431-2538.