Merrimack River Painters

A Look Back and Looking Ahead

By Dustan Knight

I love writing the first of the New Year blog for the Fabulous Merrimack River Painters. It’s like a new notebook the first day of classes, full of potential for great things. Plus it is a chance for a quick recap.

We did a lot last year as a group. We had a couple of new art workshops, we exhibited as a group successfully at new venues, and we had some lovely ‘field trip painting outings’. Particularly memorable were the visits to Marilyn’s in Ogunquit.

"Sacred Spaces - Maine"

We did our first run through for a Facebook sale, and we had some press. That is pretty darn good work, especially considering we all have very busy non art lives.

I have enjoyed seeing the artistic progress we have all made: Jan is mastering various mediums. Claudette is painting with looseness and confidence. Ann is blowing me away with her range – improving in all her trajectories (I have been loving the small landscape I bought on Facebook). Betsy sweeps us to exotic places with her travel sketches. Bonnie continues to carry the banner of creative fearlessness ahead urging us ever forward. Mary has created two or three strong themes that we have been watching evolve for years. Kathy has hit her stride and her personal style has really solidified into a ‘look’. Annie has set up a Facebook page, and both of us are taking on the NHAA for this fall. Indomitable Terry pushes her artistic boundaries, and helps the rest of us keep focused on who we are as a remarkable group of artists. Marilyn is working on a book of her fabulous Ogunquit observations, and Susan’s work is becoming stronger and more singularly focused, (which is funny because we all feel MORE scattered, but her art is getting more centered, there is hope for us all).

"Two Sisters"

Our sense of who we are as a group is becoming clearer and the big thing we realized is that developing a family and friends ‘fan’ base is a way of marketing that we all feel comfortable about.

2016 has been a great year and 2017 is going to be just as productive. I have lots of big plans for the year ahead, more workshops, and more art play.

I am thinking we might want to add a couple of hours of art play to the end of our monthly meetings, since we are all together, I think we could have a lot of fun.

I also want to say, and forgive me for being – briefly – mushy, I really appreciate the artistic support and friendship I find with MRP. Thanks you guys!