Over the past few weeks, prolific trumpet player Chris Klaxton, professional photographer Jeremy Heflin and bookbinder Johanna Finnegan-Topitzer all left the Seacoast to seek opportunities elsewhere. Singer-songwriter Elsa Cross, a staple of the local music scene, recently announced her intention to move to Austin in the fall. Photographer Scott Yates, who has helped chronicle the music scene with his camera, will soon be skipping town, as well. It’s a quintuple whammy for the Seacoast, and one that prods us to cherish the local artists who continually liven up our community.

Klaxton, who played various instruments with at least a dozen different acts in the area, headed to Florida, where he has received a full scholarship to study trumpet at the University of Miami. Yates, who has done photojournalism work for The Wire and Seacoast Media Group, will be leaving for Vermont at the end of August to volunteer on an organic farm before embarking on a “photojournalistic pilgrimage” to Austin, Texas. Heflin and Finnegan-Topitzer relocated their household to Taiwan, where she is teaching English and Heflin, who has also done work for The Wire and had a studio in Rollinsford, will look for photography work. Cross heads to Austin in November with the admirable goal of supporting herself with her music.

Each of these artists has contributed immensely to local culture, serving as vital individual pieces to the larger whole that is the Seacoast arts scene. They are connected to a region-wide network of artists who not only work and perform together, but hang out and interact socially, creating a rich diversity of sounds and sights through collaborative and singular efforts. These qualities led Klaxton to fondly call the Seacoast music scene a “big incestuous peer group,” and Cross to describe it as “very tight-knit.”

Said Mr. Yates: “The last two weeks or so have taught me what it means to be a part of community. Each one of us has a daily impact on the lives of everyone else... Luckily for me, the Seacoast community is blessed with respect for cultural and environmental growth. From the arts and entertainment, politics, business and environmental sustainability, the Seacoast is the place to be.”

This is not a mass exodus of local artists. The loss of a handful of respected figures is regrettable but does not represent an emerging trend. The fact is, New Hampshire has long struggled to retain young people of all vocations—a problem the state must find ways of addressing. But artists should be commended for pursuing opportunities they believe will advance their careers and enrich their lives. Leaving the local comfort zone and diving into unfamiliar terrain is a bold and risky endeavor, but one that can be immeasurably rewarding.

At the same time, their departure reminds us not to take our esteemed artists for granted. It’s largely because of our musicians, photographers, painters, sculptors, filmmakers, actors and writers that the Seacoast is such a desirable place to live. Take them out of the picture, and you’re left with a pretty monotonous landscape.

The good news is we still have a wealth of talented artists of all ages and in all  fields. The loss of some familiar faces makes room for new ones to surface and fill their roles in the local scene. The young and aspiring should be emboldened by the success of their predecessors and strive to get their voices out there.

And all Seacoast residents should make a point of soaking up local art. Catch a live concert at a downtown pub, go see a play at a local theater, check out an exhibit at a nearby gallery, or simply stroll around town to view some public installments. It’s entertaining, it’s cheap, and it will keep you engaged in the community.

So, to Cross, Klaxton, Yates, Heflin and any other past or present artist of the Seacoast, we raise a glass and say thank you for putting some color in our everyday lives, and we wish you luck in the future. Come back and visit sometime.