"Winter in the Whites" Features Artists Michele Johnsen and Rebecca M. Fullerton & Photographers Chris Whiton & Daryl Hawk
February 5 - March 28
Winter is a very special time in the White Mountains, opening a magical window into a landscape of stark greys, blacks and whites punctuated by pops of green from the conifers, and the sky's many hues of blue. The paintings and photographs in the "Winter in the Whites" exhibit magnificently capture that unique quality of color, space and light found only during the winter months throughout the White Mountains region, including Adair's 200 acres of woods, fields and stone walls.
Nurture vs. Nature by Michele JohnsenPainters Michele Johnsen and Rebecca M. Fullerton and photographers Chris Whiton and Daryl Hawk share a passion for the outdoors and New Hampshire's White Mountains that is reflected in their individual approach to capturing a moment in time in this unique landscape with the click of a camera or the application of a brush stroke.
Adair has joined with WREN (Women's Rural Entrepreneurial Network) at 2013 Main Street in Bethlehem, as one of its partners in the Arts at Adair series. This exhibit at Adair runs concurrent with and features select pieces from the "Winter in the Whites" exhibit at WREN. Visitors are invited to tour both locations during February and March to view the entire exhibit.
Adair's Innkeeper Stacey Rachdorf suggests the ideal time to check out the exhibit, relax by the fire on the patio or in the living room, and sip a warm or cold beverage might be from 5 to 9 p.m., during the Inn's dining hours, although the Inn welcomes visitors at any time throughout the day.
Following current COVID-19 recommendations, social distancing measures will be in place, and attendees who visit Adair must wear masks.Meet the Artists:
Appalachian Mountain Club Archivist Rebecca M. Fullerton grew up in southern New Hampshire and spent many years living in Boston before returning to the Granite State to "live among the mountains that I aspire to capture ever more authentically in paint." She now makes her home in Bethlehem, on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest.
The confirmed outdoorswoman can often be found out hiking, running a trail or taking her kayak for a spin on a lake or river, all of which inspire and inform her landscape paintings, which incorporate realist and impressionist traditions. "My focus is capturing the beauty of the mountains of New England, particularly the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine.... I am always striving to recreate the special atmosphere unique to this area with its changeable weather, steep trails, and limitless views. Through my work I hope to promote the unique and fragile beauty of places that deserve conservation."
The Yellow Blaze by Rebecca M. Fullerton
As a young boy, Daryl Hawk received his first camera, a Polaroid, and a subscription to National Geographic magazine, which awakened his sense of adventure and propelled him to "to have meaningful and transformative experiences that would help shape my soul."
His curiosity about the world around him urged him "to look at life up close, seeking the extraordinary in the ordinary."
The explorer and international documentary photographer, who spent 35 years using his camera to tell the story of the peoples, places and cultures of the often remote and undiscovered places he visited, now calls New Hampshire home.
A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and member of the Professional Photographers Association, Daryl is the founder and owner of "Unconventional Travelers" tour company; the former host and producer of "The Unconventional Traveler," a cable television show that featured some of the world's leading explorers, adventurers and filmmakers; the author of five hardcover photography books; and has been featured several times on NBC's Today Show and Fox 5 Television. His list of accomplishments also includes professional lecturer, travel writer and workshop instructor whose articles and photographs often appear in magazines and newspapers worldwide.
Winter Brook by Daryl Hawk
"The winter is the time of year that prompts rest, contemplation and appreciation for the sublime beauty of New Hampshire and the North Country," says Colebrook resident Michele Johnsen. "The beauty of the snowy sparkles and the plethora of colors in the cast shadows never fail to inspire.... My desire to capture the memory of the place and time and to preserve the experience feels like a responsibility that must be acknowledged and for me it manifests as works of art."
An artist and maker her entire life, Michele spent 14 years teaching art in the Colebrook School System, received a Master of Fine Art degree from the New Hampshire Institute of Art in 2017 and retired from teaching in 2020 to pursue art fulltime.
Michele helped establish several local art associations and is currently on the board of the Connecticut River Artisan Group and The Tillotson Center for the Arts. Her work has been included in many group and solo shows throughout the country, and she has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades.
Several corporate and museum collections display her artwork, including the Rochester Museum of Fine Art, The Coös County Court House and The Colebrook District Court House, and her work has appeared in major publications such as The Best of Colored Pencil II & III, Creative Colored Pencil, and The Best in American Watermedia by Kennedy Publishers. She has been a guest on the Artist/Mother Podcast.
Chris Whiton's photographs begin with the "spark of an idea," that usually involves a specific location. Waterfalls and craggy ridges rank among his favorite subjects, especially forgotten places and those off the beaten path. His photographs capture "the raw beauty and dramatic contrasts of the New Hampshire landscape," and compel "the observer to journey out and explore our beautiful surroundings."
What began as a hobby for the Bethlehem-based photographer has evolved into a successful fulltime business called White Mountain Images. And although the darkroom offers an endless variety of editing options, Chris prefers to use a light hand to "keep true to the original scene as it was witnessed."
For this show he collaborated with another artist who specializes in hand-cut wooden frames and fine art printing to produce unique pieces of favorite winter scenes, and "every component of each piece was cut, created and assembled in the Sugar Hill / Bethlehem area."
Heavenly Winter Glow by Chris Whiton
To learn more about the Arts at Adair initiative or for questions about the "Winter in the Whites" exhibit, please call Adair at (603) 444-2600.
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