art up front street.... we speak color here.

This is just a friendly art "warning" ... If you in ANY way have reservations about .... or anxiety over swimming in bold color... then we would recommend you stay far, far, away this May 12 and 13 :-). Gaby Grossman has originals and prints on the way in, Wo Schiffman has blues and circles, and somewhere, some how we are sure you will find GREEN. It's spring thank goodness....

art up front street.... new guest ... metal artist Jeff Whittum

Look for spectacular flying things on the porch of the studios Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13. Jeff Whittum's new metal. Here is a sneak peek. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!

To benefit Womenade of Greater Squamscott

These little gems by Lenny Willis are going to be for sale at Art Up Front Street May 12 and 13. Beautiful photography abstracts titled "Optimism". $10 each with $5 going to Womenade of Greater Squamscott. They are crisp little prints each trimmed and mounted on white foamcore.... perfect "gift thought" for someone special. Who doesn't need a little "Optimism"? :-) Thank you, Lenny! — with Lenny Willis and Womenade of Greater Squamscott 

art up front street.... back yard greenspace and welcoming paint days

The greenspace at the studios is getting a clean-up... it's almost time for outdoor inspiration. We had a beautiful time painting in summer 2015 at the studio on Union Street. 2016 was the year for adventure and possibility. Now here we are in 2017 at Art Up Front Street almost ready for the wonderful days ahead. Join us for paint days in the garden this June and July. You can bring any medium you want (paint, pencil, watercolor), any surface you want, and your snack. This is not intended to be instructional, but if you are seeking advice, we will share. We will create from 10-1 Thursdays each week. June 29, July 6, 13, 20, and 27. Sign up for one or sign up for all.... but you do have to sign up! It's FREE. Call us or email. Happy summer days ahead... we look forward to creating with you.

4 guest artists will be at the Spring Show this May.... Scott Kuckler, Sarah Koff, Dale Atkins, & Deb McLarnon

Scott Kuckler - Photography.

Sarah Koff Studios - Printmaking.

Dale Atkins - Pottery.

Deb McLarnon -Photography.

The party starts, Friday, May 12 from 1 to 7. We have a solid group of Art Up Front Street resident artists... but having our special guest artists make things even lovelier. Deb McLarnon has been showing her photography with Art on Union Street, Seacoast Photographers, and outdoor festivals for more than six years. She regularly teams up with her seacoast photography friends to do on location shoots with the group. Sarah Koff Studios has her wonderful hand-made prints at the Portsmouth farmers market, has done custom print work for clients, created logos and created signage. She is one of the artists at an upcoming print show at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth.... yay for Sarah! Scott Kuckler is the edgy, sometimes serious photographer whose images can occasionally be haunting.... yet always beautiful and provocative. He has shown at several galleries, travelled widely for stunning imagery, and has presented at Pecha Kucha, Portsmouth at 3S Artspace. Dale Atkins, pottery, loves the process of creating forms and hand building. Her vessels reflect her love of shape and efficient design. She'a a maker, gallery hanger, art restorer, puppet maker, gardener. Each one of this year's guest artists have volumes of creative energy and unique art processes. Bring your questions and be happily enlightened.....

art up front street.... Dawn Amey's design

This is going to sound very obscure.... mainly because the technology Dawn combines with her design work is something new to us here at art up front street. First, we should say, thank goodness again for differences.... because we can learn from each other. Dawn's work combines laser cutting technology with her original designs. Her past has been in design, lighting, furniture building, home decor, retail.... basically Dawn can build, make, sew, wire, create almost anything.... so to put a clear label on her art process possibilities is a challenge. Imagine being able to: ....cut designs in wood (ok, easy enough to understand), etch designs in metal or glass (ok, another concept we can grasp), etch designs in fabric? (ok... much more interesting. What DO you do with that?), etch phone cases? (yep), etch a laptop cover? (yep). Ok, imagine flat pieces of very thin wood laser cut with organic design shapes that are then assembled and wired to become wall sconces?.... (yes. calling all interior designers :-) !). The pic above is of one small project Dawn has done here. She created our studio numbers out of glass tiles. Beautiful.

art up front street.... Anne Kenny's contemporary style

Anne Kenny paves the way for another "view" of how metal can be worked into unexpected results. Anne's art background includes, among many things, working with textiles and quilting. She experimented with different materials... and now designs "Industrial Quilts" made of wire, mesh, recycled metals, and circuitry parts. Her creations look like they are made for interiors that focus on clean form and utilitarian materials... very contemporary and very unique. Anne currently has a piece of her work in the permanent collection of the Currier Gallery in Manchester, NH. She will be exhibiting her "Industrial Quilts" and small modern geometric paintings at art up front street for the spring show.

art up front street. Deb Wheeler-Bean's hands...

art up front street .... work top by Bruce Jones

So this is how it goes.... Bruce Jones stops by the studios, knocks on the door and says that he is "checking in". Two minutes later, we have developed a plan.... a plan that was not on the agenda, but one that must have been in obvious need of development. (I think he's a very good salesman.) He shows up the following Tuesday with supplies and starts the project. Again... mostly with reclaimed materials. These massive shelf brackets are constructed by Bruce from pieces of pine found in the basement that had slots already cut out of them. We don't know what the original intent was... but we liked them. Bruce attached them to 2 hollow core (new) doors as a work top surface. Thanks Bruce. By the way, Bruce is a fan of the Stooges flick "A Plumbing We Will Go." You need to know stuff like that.

art up front street. Gaby's large work.

 Gaby Grossman paints in her studio on a quiet day. Maybe this is where all of our minds are now.... in the trees waiting for the first signs of spring. Her studio is a space that is "all her"... her inspirations of color, her pink plastic flowers, paper cut-outs, and snippets of memories on which to base the next creative frothing.

Art Up Front Street.... recreating the garden

Bruce Jones artist and maker building 4 benches for the garden

Original garden design by Renee Carmen of Mandeville Canyon Designs for New Outlook Teen Center.

At Art Up Front Street, we love the idea of regenerating the ideas of those that came before us...especially in this case. The original garden design behind the studios was done as a volunteer project for New Outlook Teen Center by Renee Carmen of Mandeville Canyon Designs sometime around 2008. Several volunteers and teens worked to make the garden a place of calm ...as well as fun.
Over the years the planting boxes, flower beds and furniture took a hit from the elements. The bottom photo shows the original layout of a stone checkerboard design (which still exists)...hopefully our "renovation" will do that space justice.
Bruce Jones, (top photo) Exeter artist and maker, is working on new benches. Thank you, Bruce. Most of the wood being used in the benches is reclaimed from past teen center projects. In the coming days (and hopefully as the temperatures rise to summer) we will plan art events in a place that so many had a part in creating.

Mark your calendar for our first big spring art show Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13. Come by and tell us what you think.

This is what we are doing today...

Anne Kenny, an Art Up Front Street artist, unpacks art from a previous show. Anne's "industrial quilts" are created with wire, mesh, found objects, and circuitry boards.... stitched together with wire. Very fresh, contemporary.

Deb Wheeler-Bean (in orange) shares her studio today with her friend Elly LaBranche. Deb, an Art Up Front Street artist, is a mixed media artist, an alchemist, and art teacher. Elly is a painter and art teacher. Good pals.