From the Publisher – November 2022

Winter is underappreciated—for its beauty, for the permission it gives us to hunker down a bit, and for the clarity that only a frost-tinged inhalation can offer. For many, it is a time of reflection surrounding the new year. This winter, however, will inform how we live and work and make art in this country. Are we evolving into a new phase of restored democracy after a successful “Roevember” midterm vote or devolving into autocracy? Oscar Wilde once wrote, “Wisdom comes with winters.” Let’s hope that’s the case on November 8. Whatever the outcome, one thing is for certain—artists will respond.

We sit on a precipice, waiting. Working, living life, catching the news. Or, perhaps, the news is your 24/7 background noise (tipping my hand here). When has the world felt like this before? Putin’s escalating his nuclear rhetoric; we’re still losing hundreds of people daily to Covid; asylum seekers are thrown around from state to state as political pawns; elected officials spout racist remarks without remorse or oversight; and women’s rights are on the line. Women’s lives are on the line. It’s easy to feel helpless yet it’s unacceptable. Now is the time to talk, write, sing, paint, sculpt, weave, dance or simply do something expressive. Something in response to either the jubilation or annihilation stemming from the election. This is Art New England’s Call to Artists.

This issue’s cover is a piece of a mural created by Afghani artists, known as the ArtLords, who sought asylum in the U.S. and who are settling in southern Vermont. Cynthia Close gives us an extraordinary story this issue that we should read more than once. One we should share with others. This is a message for every season not just a holiday season. Art speaks when words fail. Art conveys meaning and intention when negotiations breakdown. Art expands our knowledge and capacity for compassion and empathy when life feels cold and small. The ArtLords are an inspiration to us all in this moment and they remind us of the freedoms we take for granted and must be grateful for.

Other inspiration can be found throughout this issue as well, across all mediums. Kristin Nord highlights the 100th anniversary of Silvermine Arts Center, an impactful organization with a robust agenda. Emily Randolph spotlights Katherine Quinn, widow of Anthony Quinn, and her life’s work at the helm of the Anthony Quinn Foundation which is changing children’s lives every day. April Claggett shares a great story about a collaborative project that’s revitalizing Keene, NH. A critical player in that project is Art New England writer Craig Stockwell, director of the Keene Social Practice Artist Residency. There is a lot happening in New Hampshire these days, always more than meets the eye, and our Destination: New Hampshire section will help you make winter plans in the state.

Our reviews section is also packed with exhibitions to experience over the course of the issue. Bret Chenkin previews Amendment XXIX at Vermont’s Canal Street Gallery, which responds to our political moment; Liz Maynard attended the opening of Providence, RI’s, Central Contemporary Arts; Susan Rand Brown gets fired up over Fired Up at the Wadsworth, with a look at the fascinating world of glassblowing; Susan Saccoccia previews Family Ball, a piece commissioned by the ICA Boston, featuring composers/performers Alicia Hall Moran and her husband Jason Moran; Carl Little offers a lovely tribute honoring the late Maine artist Brenda Bettinson while also taking us into the world of Pulped Under Pressure at the University of Southern Maine Art Galleries. And there is more. It may be (early) winter yet it’s never felt like there’s been this much to write about.

And foliage has been striking this season. “Snowliage,” my term, cannot be far behind. Where the mountains are colorful on the bottom and snowy on top. American naturalist and nature essayist John Burroughs wrote “It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.” So take this time to find some stillness in the crisp winter air and solace in the sunbeams as we respond—with art and dialogue and determination—to whatever happens on November 8.

See you in 2023 and enjoy the issue,

Tim Montgomery
Publisher