Merrimack River Painters

 THE HISTORY OF THIS ARTIST

By

Claudette Gammon

I believe there are many reasons we become artists, perhaps to feed our inner soul, to satisfy some idea that we can make a difference, or perhaps to connect with the beauty of our environment.

I am not sure where I fit in, I was pretty lucky when I started out in 1980, taking classes with my friend Jeanne Lachance at Studio 216, in Manchester, NH

Jeanne and I had known each other as neighbors growing up on Morgan Street in Manchester. She used to babysit for my sister and I, as she is 12 years older.

 The one thing that Jeanne and I did a lot

of was trying new mediums.

There wasn't an art supply we didn't like.

We surely did have a lot of fun.

Then when my daughter Sarah came along in 1984, I was working full time, married, raising a child.

Where did the art fit in? Interestingly enough we

(Jeanne and I) had been using prismacolor pencils,

so easy, if you had ten minutes....

 I was juried into the NH Art Association, got into the

Currier Show three times, as well as the Catherine

Lorillard Wolfe Club in New York City.

Managed to get published in three books, and even

exhibited at a cultural collaborative with the Franco-

American Society in Andrezieux-Boutheon, France.

 I studied with Jeanne for many years. We would spend a week

at our lake house every summer, painting, drinking and eating.

Even my daughter Sarah ended up graduating from Endicott

College with an Interior Design degree, I am sure, because

of the art we created during those wonderful summer days.

Also, a friend of mine's granddaughter, who spent a couple of 

weeks a year with us on the lake, graduated from Dartmouth

with an art degree, and is now a designer in California.

Ah, those rainy summer days spent painting!  

Jeanne eventually taught oil painting. I was retired then so
I tried that. Had a blast using a palate knife. After years
painting in oils, I found my true passion WATERCOLORS. I
didn't realize how bored I had become with oils, and even
though I had tried watercolors in the past, it took an epiphany
called breast cancer, to show me that watercolors are my true passion.

Now in my 70s, I am still having a great ride.

But the biggest thing I have learned is "if you aren't

having fun, it isn't for you."

Perhaps the will to be on the top, or even near, isn't

quite as important for me as I thought it

once was, but I still have had many great opportunities,

and will relish them forever.