Creative talent runs through my family. My father was a musician, and four of our children inherited that aptitude having played fiddle, flute, guitar, and piano. My mother’s side of the family had the artistic gene, and our children can draw and design in various forms. These talents did not grace my own abilities, but as a result of being generationally surrounded by music and art, I am an appreciative admirer. As a young girl, I accompanied my dad to various art museums. Staring at pictures as large as myself and impressing their images upon my mind while listening to Dad describe the scenes is a treasured memory. The landscapes of Thomas Gainsborough and Thomas Cole were especially intriguing. It’s a sad fact that most great works are not considered truly valuable until the artist has passed away. I think a little piece of their soul inhabits each piece, connecting with the viewer in a particular way. But rarely do artists ever hear about this connection. Just consider the hours spent on a work; the painstaking details of light and shadow; the talent needed to corral an aqueous fluid into a definitive line. Sometimes artists must continually start over because a single drop of water or an unintended smudge ambushes their initial attempt. Having a vision of what they want to portray, and accurately capturing an intangible idea into a concrete image is no small accomplishment! But somehow, they accomplish this feat, and it’s amazing!
These thoughts and more are what inspired us to begin our annual artist retreat here at The Inn at Oxbow Acres. We want to celebrate artists – especially those that capture the beauty of the New England landscape - and enable them to hear your impressions of their works. Over the course of four days, plein-air artists will stay at the inn to relax, be inspired, collaborate, and create. On Sunday, August 25, the public is welcome to celebrate at their art show / wet-paint sale. You’ll be able to enjoy live music by Liz and Dan Faiella, and a delicious lunch will be available to purchase from the Great Northwoods Smokehouse. In addition, you’ll enjoy the unveiling of a unique creation where these artists will leave their mark!
How did we find these artists? I met Jessica Fligg at a WREN (Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network) Conference last fall, and she was instrumental in getting the invitations out to others. She herself is an award-winning plein air artist working in oils. It was her great-grandmother that inspired a love of drawing and painting in young Jessica. (As you read the other bios, this appears to be a common theme.) Jessica’s artistic passion continued to grow throughout the years along with her amazing skills. While Ashland, New Hampshire is her home, Jessica traverses the countryside in a vintage camper which doubles as a mobile art studio. No matter the weather or the season, Jessica will take measures to portray the landscape of New England with its ever-changing vistas. (She reminds me a bit of Thomas Cole in that respect!)
A love of the natural world infuses the artwork of Betsy Carroll Smith. Her watercolor paintings and wildlife sketches are incredibly lifelike! In addition to being influenced by a family of artists, Betsy’s childhood interests included wonder about space and aviation. This curiosity resulted in a career as an airline pilot. A merger of these two passions led her to become a member of the International Association of Astronomical Artists. Did you know that there was such an organization? A 1990s fun fact is that Betsy’s artwork was featured in their international art exhibit - on the Russian Space Station Mir! Now retired, Betsy works with raptors and volunteers at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science.
Marlene Zychowski originally hails from Connecticut and comes from an artistic family as well. Her aunt encouraged her to paint in oils, which remains her primary medium. Marlene graduated Cum Laude from the University of Bridgeport with a BFA Degree in graphic design. Throughout the years of raising children and balancing a career in marketing, her artistic passion persisted. Now retired, she paints full time and resides in Barrington, New Hampshire. Marlene can even be commissioned to create pastel animal portraits of your favorite pet! Look for her whimsical works at the New Hampshire Art Association and the Seacoast Artist Association.
Linda McDermott has painted since childhood. Making the most of every opportunity to improve her skills and even taking classes at Rhode Island School of Design, Linda ultimately pursued a law degree. Yet family came first, and after law school, Linda chose to remain with her young children rather than wrangle in the courtroom. Soon after the children went to school, Linda returned to painting. When her daughter developed an interest in theater, Linda did too – painting sets and designing costumes. Linda’s deep love of animals is portrayed in her works, Farm animals, forest creatures, and pet portraits come to life as she captures their sweet personalities. (Who knows – our Keeshond, Echo, might become a model for Linda’s work someday!)
Angela DeLuca is a special guest who first came to stay at The Inn at Oxbow Acres in 2022. Born in the Dominican Republic, she became a teacher providing painting lessons to high school students. Her enthusiasm and love for art is contagious, and some of her students ended up pursuing art as their dream career. It is quite evident that Angela has unique natural abilities. I’ll never forget her setting up an easel next to the window and painting a scene of our fields and “Stonehenge” rocks. At the end of her stay, she gifted me with her work! On another visit, Angela brought me an intricately painted picture of our barn which now graces the dining room. Residing in Cape Cod, Angela volunteered at the Centerville Children’s Library, received awards for her exhibitions, and continues to teach art to children in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Like Pablo Picasso, Angela believes “every kid is an artist” and helps them to believe it!
I have known Daniel Faiella probably since he can remember. His parents, Mike and Mary Faiella were pioneers in the New Hampshire homeschooling movement and were invaluable mentors and friends when I began that journey 33 years ago. This talented painter artfully combines landscape and light in his beautiful scenes. Dan’s efforts to capture the fleeting moments of sky and shadows, mist and mountains reveal his pensive contemplation of his subjects. His love of the rugged New Hampshire terrain has brought him all over the White Mountain region, and it will be wonderful to see what attracts his attention here in The Great North Woods!
Painting is not his only passion. Dan and his talented sister Liz are a dynamic duo providing live music during the art show on August 25, 2024. Liz serves as chair of the Folk, Jazz, and Popular Music Department at the Concord Community Music School. For the past several years she’s been teaching fiddle to students at the Concord school as well as at festivals and camps. Dan accompanies Liz on his guitar, and the two perform at well-known folk venues throughout New England. Their innovative twists to traditional Celtic tunes will provide a unique backdrop to this special event! Their haunting melodies will certainly inspire our resident artists during the retreat.
We hope you can join us for our first annual art show. I'm sure you'll appreciate the hard work of these creators as much as we do!