NH Art Association September Exhibitions

Joy In the Making, Member Exhibition? 

What happens when artists let go of expectations and create simply for the joy of it? New Hampshire Art Association explores this question in its September member exhibition, Joy in the Making.

NHAA invited its members to submit work made in the spirit of exploration and play—the kind of pieces that emerge when following a sudden impulse, breaking a personal rule, or letting go of expectations. The result is a dynamic collection across a wide range of mediums, united by the sheer joy of making art.

Joy in the Making reminds us that art is not only about the final product but about the process itself—the moments of discovery, experimentation, and delight along the way.

NHAA strives to serve artists of all mediums, backgrounds, and skill levels. As one of the region’s oldest art associations, the organization is committed to being an accessible and welcoming place where artists can express themselves freely, share their work, and build meaningful community connections. 


Artist Solo Exhibitions 

Collages 2022-2025
Craig Jaster
Artist Craig Jaster works with found scraps of printed paper, letters, numbers, patterns, and colors that he patiently layers into richly textured compositions. His process embraces chance, resulting in enigmatic juxtapositions where accident and intention meet. Many of the works in this exhibition were created in Florence, Italy, where Jastor lived from 2019 to 2024, scavenging wheatpaste advertising posters from city streets. Others were produced in his Plymouth, New Hampshire, studio, where any printed fragment of paper becomes fair game. A jazz musician as well as a visual artist, Jastor finds deep parallels between his two disciplines.

In & Out 
JoAnn Portalupi
In & Out explores the restless and ever-changing nature of the landscape, pushing beyond the tradition of plein air painting. Rather than isolating a single perfect view, her work captures the sensation of being fully immersed in the environment, where vision shifts between close details, distant horizons, and peripheral glimpses all at once. To achieve this effect, Portalupi begins with photographs taken during hikes and walks, which she later transforms into composite references that layer multiple perspectives into a single, fragmented image. Working in watercolor and oil, she constructs paintings alive with energy, movement, and colliding vantage points. The resulting works reflect the truth of the natural world as something never still or singular, but constantly shifting and overlapping.


Solitude 
Norman Desfosses, Jay Goldsmith, Christy Utter, and Carol Van Loon.

What does solitude look like? In a world that rarely slows down, four New Hampshire photographers turn their lenses toward quiet moments of peace and renewal, capturing solitude as both a refuge and a source of strength.

This exhibition developed organically from the photographers’ ongoing collaboration. Meeting regularly to discuss and critique one another’s work, the group found themselves returning again and again to the quiet, contemplative qualities in their images. Out of those conversations, the theme of Solitude was born.

Solitude reveals itself in many forms: as sanctuary from the demands of daily life, as stillness in nature, and as an opportunity to reflect and recharge. The result is a collection of images that not only depict tranquil scenes but also invite viewers to pause and experience a moment of calm within the gallery walls.

All exhibitions will be on view at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, 136 State Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801, from September 3rd to the 28th, with an opening reception on September 5th, 5-8 pm. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 am to 5 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm. 

Art: Guilty Pleasure by Lilian Kohl