From the Publisher – July 2023
Moonlight, Summer Moonlight
by Emily Brontë
’Tis moonlight, summer moonlight,
All soft and still and fair;
The solemn hour of midnight
Breathes sweet thoughts everywhere,
But most where trees are sending
Their breezy boughs on high,
Or stooping low are lending
A shelter from the sky.
And there in those wild bowers
A lovely form is laid;
Green grass and dew-steeped flowers
Wave gently round her head.
Summer in New England…there is nothing like it. Mountains, lakes, parks, quiet towns, busy cities, the Atlantic coastline. It’s a season for a little extra reading, resting, roaming, rejuvenation—and art. We hope this issue sparks great ideas for art explorations across the region.
Every day is what we make it so let’s approach this summer as one of discovery. Whether traveling to an expansive sculpture park, a seaside arts colony, or an urban escape, you will not be bored this summer as this issue attests. In keeping with our Summer of Joy theme of the past few years, Art New England’s writers have uncovered people, places and things that will spark your wanderlust and get you on the road. Every page is packed with inspiration. What’s on your to-do list?
Have you experienced the Connecticut Art Trail (page 37)? Attended a performance at New Hampshire’s Firelight Theatre (page 32)? Marked your calendar for the Providence Biennial, kicking off on July 13 (page 45)? Explored the Harvard Art Museums (page 54)? Or taken the road less traveled to an unexpectedly spectacular destination: The Bundy Modern in Waitsfield, VT (page 60)?
And then there’s Maine. A haven of galleries, pick-your-own blueberries, intriguing islands, and extraordinary hospitality. Go there, find a lovely B&B, play, buy art, or paint en plein air as Robert Beck suggests in Art New England’s new series on page 25. Beck is a painter, writer and philosopher on the language of art. Part two of the series follows next issue. Check out Destination: Maine and Destination: New England beginning on page 41 for more travel inspiration. Or just gaze at our cover by (for now) Maine-based artist Eric Hopkins. Carl Little’s Studio Visit with Hopkins (page 14) is funny and insightful. I find the cover, Eastern Bay Mirage, calming, mesmerizing and instantly recognizable as Maine for some reason. It reminds me of my summer goals: more time by the water, being outdoors, and stillness.
In these pages, you’ll also meet sculptor Leah K. Woods (page 12), artist/entrepreneur Meclina Gomes (page 16) and Jay Wahl, executive director of The Flynn (page 18). On screen, you’ll learn about yet another exceptional female artist at long last receiving recognition. Hilma af Klint is now considered the inventor of abstract painting—years before Kandinsky. Loren King enlightens us on page 24.
This issue is also tinged with sadness although I doubt Ed Koren would tolerate too many tears. I adored Ed. Our paths crossed several times over the years and each encounter was memorable. He always made me laugh, he always had something witty to convey, verbally and visually, and I was honored to have his work on the cover of Art New England’s March/April 2013 issue. His Vermont cows painting en plein air in a grassy field is just perfect. Cynthia Close’s tribute to Ed is on page 20.
Don’t forget to slow down and read a little this summer. The Brontë sisters were the subject of my college thesis. Despite a strict and secluded upbringing they lived through words and imagination—writing novels and poems so extraordinary you would have imagined the sisters having lived rich, bold, multi-faceted lives. Words transported them. Art transported them.
I hope you are all transported somewhere wondrous this summer. May your days be filled with adventure, saving some for relaxing under breezy boughs with a great book (and this magazine), and your evenings spent under summer moonlight, exhaling from one journey while anticipating the next.
In gratitude,
Rita A. Fucillo
Publisher