Sara du Long + Market Square Day

Also in June...Sara du Long was here in the gallery for a Trunk Show featuring lots of new pieces. She was working away all winter to create some amazing new designs...It was great for folks to have the opportunity to meet Sara in person, and hear her talk about her process and inspiration!


Though Sara is not here everyday to share her secrets, her fabulous jewelry designs are a permanent fixture. Check out some of the new work in our online shop!

**We will be having a Trunk Show with Erin Moran in August - details coming soon!

Also in June, Portsmouth celebrated Market Square Day! Three Graces participated with a booth - thanks to the amazingly talented and generous Erin Moran for her help! It was a fun and successful day...

June was busy...Nicole Maloof!!

Dear blog, i am so sorry to have neglected you for so long! I looked at my calendar the other day and was shocked to see that june had come and gone and july is upon us...I'll write about current goings on in a following post, however, I feel the need to share with everyone the happenings of this past june...

Three Graces featured "Love Letters to Kafka", an exhibition of recent works on paper by Nicole Maloof. The exhibition was extremely well received, it challenged many viewers and made others giddy with excitement!

“Drawings for the current show were made in the spirit of Kafka's literary works. The imagery touches upon a nightmarish and fantastical world where coherency and meaning is not seemingly present. Strange creatures interact in a stage-like world, though insufficient information is available to piece a full story together. My starting point begins with the questioning of social constructs that exist around us. Man-made concepts of power, punishment, the existence of the Other, etc run through the work. Machine guns, ramen, schoolgirls, and executioners coexist. Strange relationships are forged, creating humorous but unnerving images that the viewer is left to decipher. These implied narratives are aimed at inducing an investigation of their meaning, a process reflective of our own search for meaning in the absurd and potentially godless world that we reside in.” ~Nicole Maloof, 2009

The above painting is called "The Courts Were Too Powerful for Dracula and Frankenstein". Nicole is juxtaposing historic evils (in the form of executioner and clan member) with fictional evils (Dracula, Frankenstein and blue vampiric blob)...the latter are saddened and can't bare to look...

Nicole Maloof was born in 1983 in Seoul, South Korea. She received her BFA with a concentration in Painting and her BA with a concentration in Chemistry from Boston University in 2006. She currently resides in Boston, MA. In July, Nicole will be travelling to South Korea on a teaching Fulbright. For the next year, she will be teaching English, investigating Korea's contemporary arts, and continuing to make art as well. An account of the trip will be posted on her blog (http://nicolesyearofkimchi.blogspot.com).

"Love Letters to Kafka" came down this past Monday. Many works from the show sold, however the remaining works will be available thru Three Graces. Check out our online shop for more details. Enjoy!

Robin Luciano Beaty

Finally, Robin Luciano Beaty is fabulous and the fourth artist in our upcoming exhibition, "Making their Mark in Molten Wax"!


Robin concentrates primarily on the ancient wax base medium of encaustic paint, a molten beeswax mixed with resin and dry pigments, which she incorporates mixed media, vintage materials, textiles, metals and found objects. Her work has been described as a "compelling intersection between painting, sculpture and installation" and "deliciously collectable".


In her own words: "I believe its the artists job to communicate an impression in a voice most have not heard. Traditional landscape painters strive to create a reproduction of place. My encaustic paintings derive from my own intuitive perspectives, pulling inspiration from emotion, imagination and memory, concentrating on the often over-looked and unconventional."

"My process is driven by the visceral journey of discovering something reminiscent rather than the recording of a specific space. The medium of encaustic provides me with that exploratory means of expression in a way everyday artists techniques can not. Its qualities are sublime and unpredictable, additive and subtractive, translucent and sculptural which strongly influences the direction of the painting. The act of scraping, tearing, building up and burning down the layers of wax from the surface is metaphor for digging into memory and allows me to navigate that internal journey."

"I'd like the viewer to discover a new perception of space while possibly revisiting images from their own recollections, sparked by the sensory experience of texture and touch. I choose to render this experience in a way that can be both understood and confusing. Just as one would feel walking down the corridors of a foreign market in a far away culture, making discoveries and unlearning misconceptions. Allen Ginsberg said "Others can measure their vision by what we see". It is the intention of my work that the viewer see the personally familiar in the most foreign, exploring the deeper roots of beauty with a new set of eyes; those beyond the surface or that which goes unnoticed."

Linda Cordner

Three Graces has had the honor of exhibiting works by Linda Cordner twice before, in the Teeny Tiny Art Shows #3 and #4, third time's a charm! Linda has new work in our upcoming exhibition "Making Their Mark in Molten Wax". Here's a sneak preview...

Here's a bit from her artist statement: "I am very drawn to wax and its tactile qualities, the smell and viscosity of the medium are very different from other painting techniques. Creating organic forms is a natural extension of wax’s origin. Coming from a background in graphic design, I am drawn to certain color schemes and shapes, the repetition and placement being important to the composition. My paintings are made by layering multiple coats of wax which can completely obscure the under layers at times. I then scrape away areas of the wax to expose the compositions below."

Linda was recently featured in the new book Embracing Encaustic by Linda Womack, check it out here...and be sure to check out her new work in our show, opening this coming Friday, May 1st. The opening reception is from 5-8pm, refreshments will be served and stimulating conversation will be had.

Tim Yankosky

Three Graces also welcomes Tim Yankosky to exhibit for the first time. He is one of the four artists being featured in our upcoming "Making their Mark in Molten Wax". His series of goldfish are charming, handsome and amazing in their sculptural quality (the fish bowl actually curves out beyond the surface of the painting)


Tim thinks of his own paintings as a highly personal narrative - often employing birds and fish as his central characters and symbolic self-portrait. The constant play between text, texture, and the character are central to his work. Tim paints with acrylics and oils, frequently applied over a background of collage. Natural beeswax and resin are then painted or thickly poured over the surface of the paintings before he skillfully etches into the wax and colors the etchings with more paint. The multiple layers veiled and obscured by encaustic simultaneously distance the viewer and incite curiosity.

Originally from New Jersey, Tim currently lives and works in San Francisco. He has exhibited around the Bay Area, with shows at Soul Arch, SF State Gallery, and Space 743 Gallery. In 2004 he was included in the Heart and Soul citywide installation with his piece now displayed at Mo Mo’s restuarant.

Gina Adams

I am excited to work with Gina Adams for the first time. She is one of four artists in our upcoming show, "Making their Mark in Molten Wax". Her work is beautiful, highly sophisticated in form and content. I would like to share with you snipits from her artist statement as it is heart-felt and informative.

"I am the grand daughter of an Ojibwa Native American and a Lithuanian woman. My grandfather was removed from his White Earth Reservation at age eight and taken to the Carlisle School in Pennsylvania, or, what he referred to as "white man’s training school". He never returned to his reservation, nor saw any of his native family again. As a child, I spent many hours with my grandfather as he recanted to me the "old ways". He had lived a hard, honest life that he was grateful for and it was extremely important to him that I would know who I was and where I came from. When I was seven, my grandfather took me to a stream, tossed in a pebble, and as we watched ripples spread across the water, he told me that the choices I would make would create ripples throughout my life. He taught me that I could embrace my Ojibwe heritage. He taught me that life was best lived by the seven Ojibwe teachings of truth, wisdom, peace, respect, bravery, honesty, and humility. I have always held this knowledge deep within my heart, and because of that deep connection, I’ve worked toward reaching my heritage on a spiritual level through my studio practice."


"My Lace Bead Heritage body of work comes both from the time spent in the studio and from the research and extensive traveling I’ve done for both my Native American Ojibwa and Lithuanian cultures. I have been learning my Ojibwe language for seven years now and was very fortunate to be invited to participate in Language Immersion at Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, which is a sister reservation to my grandfather’s homeland. To my physical experiences, I add the rich, detailed memories of my youth. My lace beadwork weaves together my grandfather’s oral traditions with the craft that was so lovingly made by hand. My work is process oriented; the intention being to create work that evokes layered possibilities. The beauty that my ancestors made was not about perfection; instead it was meant as a way to honor both what has come before and what may lie ahead. By creating little bits of beauty in my lace beading, I’ve discovered how very similar I am to them."


"Megwitch sa migiwewin nind ki jawendagogiwin tchiwi apagijiwe bekanisid assin pindig nibikang. "

(Ojibwa translation: Thank you for giving me the chance to cast another pebble into the water. )

Upcoming Encaustic Show

With the relatively recent resurgence of artists working with encaustic, I was inspired to put together a group show of four artists working exclusively in the medium of molten wax. I have admired the work of each of these artists for awhile, and I am quite pleased to announce this upcoming show: "Making their Mark in Molten Wax", featuring works by Gina Adams, Robin Luciano Beaty, Linda Cordner and Tim Yankosky.


Join us at the opening reception this Friday, May 1st, from 5-8pm...and stay tuned for posts about each of the participating artists!

!New Spring Designs by Erin Moran

Spring has sprung, and with it comes New Designs from Erin Moran!

Erin was a busy little bee in her studio this winter. The new designs are in keeping with previous work, but there are new forms, patterns and lots of color ...

The new cups feature brightly colored interiors with scribed patterns on the outside, not to mention she is now making goblets! (cups $28, goblets $32)

She is offering platters with graphic designs ("Cattails" is shown in group shot, "Branch" is shown directly above; Graphic platters $160)


...and also with scribed designs ("Marsh Plants" is shown in group shot, "Weeds" is shown directly above; Scribed platters $110).

Coasters have also been added to the line. There are 24 in all, each representing available colors and patterns. (coasters $20, set of 4 $70)

All of Erin's new designs are currently available in the gallery along with the tiny bowls, cereal bowls, dessert plates and vases we have been enjoying already. They will also be available in our online shop sooner than later!

back from the city of brotherly love...

Bob and I just got back from a brief trip to Philadelphia (Bob's brother Chris lives there and he was a wonderful host - he spoiled us both!)

Though rain clouds persisted, we made the best of our time in the city. We toured Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, enjoyed lunch at the Reading Terminal Market, strolled the the Historic Antique Row, and finally explored the Philadelphia Museum Art, followed up by cocktails at the lovely Water Works.

This was my first time in Philadelphia, so I had to make time for the typical tourist to-dos...first stop Independence Hall! I was particularly interested in seeing this because Bob and I recently watched "John Adams" the HBO mini-series.


I learned that what I always thought was the crack in the Liberty Bell, was indeed the repair.


The Philadelphia Museum of Art was wonderful - it was much larger than I expected, and I later realized I missed entire sections - sadly much of the European Art (1500-1850).


We entered the museum from the back entrance, and so we walked down the famous stairs that Rocky ran up. I did step inside of his shoes for a moment.


I was personally very excited to see some paintings by Henri Rousseau, who until now, had not been someone I looked to for inspiration. (Below are "The Merry Jesters" and "Carnival Evening")


The armory was incredible!


On the way to the airport, Bob's brother took us to Fort Mifflin. The fort represents the only pre-Revolutionary fortification.


While I found the Fort fascinating, I couldn't help but feel sad and disturbed - knowing that so many people had suffered and died within the walls. I asked a woman working in the gift house about spiritual entities - she went on in detail about experiences she and others had. She also told us that the folks from the show "Ghost Hunter" had been there and reported significant findings. Read more here.

*Star Island off the coast of Portsmouth was also investigated by the "Ghost Hunter" crew. Read their findings here.

Spotlight Awards!

The 15th Annual Spotlight on the Arts Awards was held last night at the Music Hall! I would like to congratulate my friend and artist Shiao-Ping Wang for winning the award for Best Painter!

I have had the honor of working with Shiao-Ping for over four years in the gallery. Her paintings are beautiful - the perfect balance of control and expression. (In addition she is a wonderful person - wise and radiating with a possitive energy, and she has opened my mind and belly to the most delicious Tiramisu!)

Congratulations also to my friend Michael Winters (Best Photographer) and all of the other winners and nominees. We are so lucky to live in a place where the arts truly thrive, and it is so nice for the community to take the opportunity to acknowledge this creative spirit each and every year!

Between the Lines

Three Graces is currently featuring "Between the Lines", an exhibition of recent paintings by Marilene Sawaf and stained-glass panels by Monica Wing!


Lines of Paint ... Marilene Sawaf was born in Egypt. She studied fine arts at the ABC School of Fine Arts in Paris and is a graduate of Interior Design & Architecture at the University of Saint Esprit in Lebanon. She has exhibited her work extensively throughout New England and abroad.


"My first series of women goes back to 1981, after my recent move to New England. My inspiration was a luminous stained glass window that used to cover an entire wall of my grandmother's home in Egypt. I try to create an illusion and mystery that makes you wonder - who are these women and what are they doing? Products of my past culture, of my present taste for rich colors and enigmatic effects, my paintings of women are a mysterious reflection of my most subconscious dreams."


Lines of Lead (and Copper Foil) ... Monica Wing is exhibiting four stained glass panels. Each panel features sections of highly detailed paintings (church-window technique) alongside brilliant patterns and bold textures.

Humor + Whimsy - Shown above is "Her Feet Are Too Big" and below - "Losbster Dance" featuring the said red crustacean taking a pink seahorse by its "human" hand.

Please stop in if you are in our lovely Seacoast, and for those of you who are not - all of the works from this show are available to view + purchase in our online shop...here...and here.

Animation by Greg Stones

I just came across this new animated short by Teeny Tiny Art Show participant Greg Stones...he cracks me up!



and there's two more...

Elsa Mora: Why Should People Buy Handmade

I came across Elsa Mora's answer to this question a few months ago and I would like to share it with you as I think her words are so warm and genuine...

Why should people buy handmade?

I think that buying handmade is a way of expression and communication. You express yourself through the objects that you choose to live with and with the objects that you give to other people. Handmade objects have a different meaning compared to industrial objects because they carry a human energy. The thing that most impacts people is other people. That’s why we experience something nice when we get anything handmade. When you buy handmade you are not only buying an object but you’re also buying a concept, an idea that has to do with the appreciation of what’s human. By buying handmade you are saying in a subtle way that you care about other people and that you are open for them to bring something into your life, it is an exchange, it is human connection.

~Elsita Mora

Elsa's papercuts are currently in our Teeny Tiny IV, view all of them here.

Why Buy handmade?

I am an active member of the Buy Local program in Portsmouth and last night we just had our first meeting for a new sub-group focusing on the Arts - educating people on the importance of supporting local artists and local art galleries.

Especially in this challenging economy, it is important to make smart decisions as a consumer, and in doing so you can feel good about protecting the diversity, freedom, and economic solvency of where you live and love.

One of our greatest challenges is education. I focus on the strong connection between buying local art and the "Buy Handmade" movement. Here a few great reasons: (courtesy of www.buyhandmade.org)

Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that canbe seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

Buying handmade is better for people.

The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.

Buying handmade is better for the environment.

The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.

You can take the pledge to buy handmade here!

Tiny Tokens of Love

Love is in the air...or maybe not, in any case Velentine's Day is days away and many of the artists in the Teeny Tiny Art show had romance on the mind. For those of you still looking for the perfect gift, here are a few things to consider:

Tell her how you feel, "Pink About You" by Linda Cordner ($350. - this and other paintings from Linda's Blush and Bloom series ($100 - $250) available here.)



For those of you lucky enough to be falling in love...in Chinese culture two butterflies flying together are a symbol of love (tiny 3-d butterfly paintings by Tiffany Torre $34. each, available here.)


Or perhaps you are in need of giving someone a cautionary warning, Erin Moran's heart rattles advise "Fragile, Handle with Care", "Dangerous Curves Ahead", "Stop When Flashing" to name a few. ($34. each available here.)

Over 400 pieces...finally hung!

Well, actually, the last piece was hung by the opening last Friday. It has taken me until now to take photographs of the installation - which I thought I would share a few with you...

You can see how all of the works in the show were hung here.

Opening Reception tomorrow night!

...still working on hanging the last few works for the Teeny Tiny Art Show #4, opening tomorrow night with a reception from 5-8pm.

H(EAT) Restaurant Night - Tonight!

Dinner Plans?

For one night - tonight, Thursday, February 5th - several Seacoast Local restaurants will donate 10% of sales toward (H)EAT to raise money for 10,000 meals and 10,000 gallons of heating oil for Seacoast residents in need of assistance.

Please come out and do your part while enjoying dinner and community at some of the area's premier local, independent restaurants: Victory, Jumpin' Jays, Black Trumpet and Anneke Jans.

tiny preview: Kim Ferreira

The installation of the Teeny Tiny Art Show has finally begun, but I thougth I would take a small break and share with you my new series of paintings done for this show...

I am currently re-reading "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White - the novel chronicles the raising and education of King Arthur, his rule as a king, and the romance between his best knight Sir Lancelot and his Queen Guinevere.

My paintings are loosely based on the fist part in which Merlyn, knowing the boy's destiny, teaches Arthur what it means to be a good king by turning him into various kinds of animals: fish, hawk, ant, owl, goose, and badger. Each of the transformations is meant to teach him a lesson, which will prepare him for his future life.

In my paintings, I have referenced vintage Alice in Wonderland illustrations in place of young Arthur, in an effort to place my younger self in the paintings...

okay, enough self-indulgence, back to the hammer and nails...remember, the Teeny Tiny Art Show opens this Friday, with an opening reception from 5-8pm. All of the work from the show will soon be available to view + purchase online in our online shop...'til then.

truly tiny - portraits by Craig Hood

I was thrilled when I heard that my former professor Craig Hood was willing and able to participate in TT4! Craig's work is amazing - examining the role of the human figure as a narrative image in landscapes. "His graphite drawings are a blur from a distance, like a foggy dream or the memory of a black and white photograph."

Craig dropped off some truly tiny portraits - they are the tiniest of the teeny tiny - some measuring 1"x1" square!




Craig Hood lives and works in Portsmouth, NH. He has taught painting and drawing at The University of New Hampshire since 1981. He has a national exhibition record and has won a Ford Foundation Grant, been a finalist for the Rome Prize in Painting (1987), and was nominated for a Louis Comfort-Tiffany Award (1999). His landscape paintings have been exhibited in many venues from Portland, ME to New York City and Naples, FL. In recent years he has focused more exclusively on the figure-in-landscape images he has made since the early 1990s. In Sept.-Oct. of 2006 one of his works in this genre was included in an important exhibition at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, The Figure in American Painting and Drawing, 1985-2005.

You can preview these and other works from the show here.