July 2025
President’s Notes
Halfway Through the Year Already!
It’s hard to believe we’re already more than halfway through 2025. So much has happened in the Gallery and through our Art in the Community efforts! While I won’t recount everything here, I want to give a heartfelt “can-do” to everyone who has contributed—you have the Board of Directors’ full appreciation as well. Thank you!
85th Annual Exhibit – A few words
Our 85th Annual Exhibit is fast approaching, an event of this size takes many hands to make it a success. If you're planning to exhibit, please consider volunteering to help with setup or the reception. Reach out to Lynn Casey, Stephanie, Gail, or myself—we’ll get you connected with a task. Thank you in advance!
A Note on the Artists Reception
If you're exhibiting, I strongly encourage you to attend the Artists Reception on August 8, 6 to 8 PM. This is your moment to be recognized and celebrated. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow artists, their families, our patrons, and potentially new artists interested in the LRAA. Come share in the passion and energy of our community!
Upcoming Event – Balderdash & Coffee
Our next Balderdash & Coffee will be held on Wednesday, July 16 at 9:30 AM at Tilly Market Café, located in the Belknap Marketplace (formerly Belknap Mall). Come enjoy good conversation, coffee, and maybe a sweet treat or breakfast item. Bring your spouse or a friend—the more the merrier!
New Gallery Member
When you are in the Gallery, take a few minutes to welcome Robin Patton to the Gallery, he is a wood sculptor and is exhibiting his work for the first time. The pieces are very delicate and suspend motion in time. He will join Jim in bringing a new art form to the LRAA Gallery.
Call for Artwork – Community Exhibit Spaces
We’re currently refreshing the artwork at several community locations and could use your contributions: These locations are for all members to participate in.
GVNA Conference Room, Laconia
Flipside Restaurant, Downtown Laconia
Huggins Hospital
Meredith Village Savings Bank, Wolfeboro
These venues offer great exposure—not only for your individual work but for the LRAA as a whole. It may not always lead to an immediate sale, but getting your name and art in front of the public does pay off. I personally sold a piece thanks to someone seeing LRAA art at the Laconia Library!
If you're interested in participating, please reach out. We’ve also included links to the online sign up form in the “Important Links” section of this newsletter.
Let’s keep the momentum going as we head into the second half of the year. See you at the Gallery and around the community! Remember; “Art Talks” Monday June 21, 6:30.
“L’art pour L’art”
Sherwood Frazier,
President LRAA
Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!
Have you brought in your donation for the Raffle?
In an effort to drive traffic into the gallery we’re planning to put together a few raffles. People love to win things!
What we need from you... donations to add to the raffle; artwork or prints of your artwork. Bring your donated artwork to the gallery today. Be sure that it has your name on the artwork.
Next Meet Up
July 16th at 9:30am
Tilly’s Market Café
96 Daniel Webster Hwy
Belknap Marketplace Mall
Belmont, NH 03220
Join Us for "Balderdash & Coffee"
This is an open invitation for all members of the Lakes Region Art Association (LRAA) to engage in fun conversation and sharing over coffee.
Come share ideas, ask questions, talk art (or anything else that interests you), and meet other creatives. Feel free to bring your spouse, friends, or anyone curious about the LRAA or the local art scene.
This is now a regular monthly event which will be held at different locations around the Lakes Region, on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. at 9:30 am. The location will be announced monthly, so be sure to check this newsletter or the website for the latest information.
Interested?
Just show up on Wednesday, May 21st, 9:30 am, at Wayfarer Coffee in Lakeport (next to the Laconia Daily Sun newspaper).
If anyone has a place in mind where we can do Balderdash & Coffee, speak up. Let's hear from the rest of you; we can check them out and see if they have the room for 12 to 15 people, and want to accommodate us.
Hope to see you there!
Sherwood
Registration is now open for the August 2025 Members Exhibit.
Exhibit Dates: July 31st to September 2nd
Art Drop off on or before July 22nd
Registration Period Ends:
July 20th at midnight
Reception Date:
August 8th at 6:00 PM
Be sure to review the show rules prior to submitting your artwork.
Meet a New Member of the LRAA Gallery
Melanie Kray
Melanie Ann Kray is a self-taught photographer whose work centers on the delicate beauty of butterflies and the natural world. From a young age, Melanie’s deep appreciation for nature and art blossomed, with a camera always in hand during family gatherings. Her lifelong love for the outdoors and the creatures that inhabit it has become the driving force behind her artistic practice.
Specializing in capturing the grace and vibrancy of butterflies in their natural habitats, Melanie seeks to share the often-overlooked details of the natural world through her lens. Her photography invites viewers to pause and reflect on the beauty that exists all around them, highlighting moments of serenity and transformation.
In May 2025, Melanie achieved a significant milestone in her career by becoming a gallery artist with the Lakes Region Art Association. Her work is currently featured at The Lakes Region Art Association Gallery, as well as online at greenthumbcrafts.com, where her photography continues to resonate with audiences who share her passion for nature and wildlife.
With a mission to inspire others through her photography, Melanie’s artistic vision is simple yet profound: to share the beauty she sees in nature with the world.
Calling All Gallery Members – Let's Get You Published!
Spring is just around the corner! Soon, the hum of alarm clocks won’t just be waking up sleepyheads—it’ll be waking up mosquitos and ticks, too! Lawns will need mowing, gardens will demand attention, and sun-soaked beach days will be calling your name.
But before you dive headfirst into the joys of the season, take a moment to shine! Now is the perfect time to gather your artwork and get it featured on the Lakes Region Art Gallery website. Once summer rolls in, you won’t want to tear yourself away from the warm breezes and sunshine to deal with submissions—so why not take action now?
And let’s be honest—once the snow melts, my RV will be itching to hit the road, and I’d love to get this done before I’m off chasing sunsets. Let’s make it happen together! Get your art in, get published, and step into spring with one more creative accomplishment under your belt!
Creative Connections:
Free Group Art Nights at the Gallery
Looking to create, connect, and be inspired? Join fellow artists for a relaxed, twice-monthly evening of shared creativity. Bring your own project and materials—whether you paint, draw, sketch, or stitch—and enjoy the camaraderie of working alongside others.
When: 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 6 PM (Next: July 10 & 24)
Where: Lakes Region Art Gallery
No pressure, no instruction—just a chance to make art, swap ideas, and build community. Let’s fill the gallery with creativity and maybe even spark some fresh inspiration for all!
Important Links and Registration Forms
Remote Display Sign Up Forms
Belknap Mill PumpkinFest Themed Art Exhibit
Seeking art submissions by September 1, 2025
Exhibit to be held: Saturday, October 25
The Belknap Mill is excited to announce and open call for artists to participate in a special PumpkinFest themed art exhibit. This exhibit invites artists to reflect on and celebrate the spirit of Pumpkin Festivals past as well as the timeless charm of all things pumpkin.
Artists of all background and mediums are invited to submit work. There is no fee to participate.
Images and details of artists work should be sent to jill@belknapmill.org for consideration by Sept 1, 2025.
Contact Jill Desruisseaux for more information call 603-524-8813 or email jill@belknapmill.org
Mt. Washington Valley Art Association
53rd Annual Art in the Park
Schouler Park, North Conway
October 11 -12, 2025
This long-standing event draws fine artists and collectors from around the region during peak foliage season and the 3 day holiday weekend. It is one of the largest celebrations of visual arts in the Valley, featuring a wide array of media including painting, photography, textiles, mixed media and more. The festival also includes a juried competition component where artists have the opportunity to win cash prizes for their original artworks.
New Business
July 2025
Adult Painting Group
Jodi Rajaneimi will be hosting a painting group twice a month in the Gallery for all Association Members. Feel free to bring a friend! 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 6-8. A wonderful opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow artists, and work together in a fun and supportive atmosphere!
Increasing Foot Traffic
On the subject of promoting the Gallery and increasing foot traffic and sales, it’s good to review our Mission Statement:
To enhance the ability of its members to create art and to further the appreciation of the arts in the greater Lakes Region area of New Hampshire by education, promotion, display, and sale of the visual fine arts.
Now in our 85th year, fulfilling that mission takes all of us- This is your chance to bring your skills, ideas, and energy to a committee that will truly make a difference in connecting the arts to our community.
If you’re passionate about outreach, public art, partnerships, or simply growing our visibility, we want to hear from you! We also want to hear from you if you feel the Association is not meeting your needs. What would you like to see happen? Our Board Meetings are always open to Members, and we want you to feel free to contact anyone on the Board with your observations.
Raffle!
We’re going to be having a raffle soon. All members are invited to donate a small piece of artwork to the raffle by June 29th- just leave it in the Gallery with your name on it. Could be a pack of cards, a print, small original- whatever you like. We’ll put a box in front of your item to collect tickets specifically for your item. The plan is to offer a free ticket just for coming into the Gallery and looking around. Additional tickets will be $5 each or 3 for $10. Also thinking of giving a free ticket for every $10 in purchases. Contact us with your thoughts and suggestions.
Unfinished Business / Worth Repeating
Scheduling:
Gallery Members should review their settings to be sure they are receiving all notifications from Homebase. In order to make the best use of the program, it is essential that all members get the notifications. We now have a new email address for Scheduling issues only: schedule@lraanh.org
Planning Ahead for Stronger Events
To maximize attendance and energy at our ArtTalks, shows, and other events, we’re working on planning further in advance. Planning will commence in the fall for 2026. The earlier we can lock in details and promote them—through our newsletter, website, and social media—the better chance we have of drawing a great crowd and building excitement.
Being part of the Gallery means more than just showing your work—it means being an active part of the team that keeps things running smoothly and creatively. From event planning and setup to promotion and maintenance, it takes all of us working together to keep the Gallery vibrant and thriving.
We welcome your ideas and participation! Whether it’s suggesting a topic, hosting a talk, or lending a hand behind the scenes, your involvement truly matters.
Let’s keep growing together and making each event better than the last!
Back-Ups! Help Us Build a Stronger, More Resilient Team
This year, we’ve been working hard to create back-up support for every role within the Gallery. In many cases, that means breaking big jobs into smaller, manageable parts—so no one person carries the entire load.
Urgently Needed Right Away: 2 people to help with Gallery Management
One to keep up with office supplies, cleaning supplies, and the like.
A second person to manage off-site venues.
Contact Sherwood or Gail for more details if you think you can help.
Do you have experience or interest in helping behind the scenes? You might be the perfect person to step in as a back-up when needed.
📬 Interested? Click here to let us know you’re willing to help!
Your willingness to share a bit of your time and knowledge helps keep the Gallery strong, supported, and running smoothly for everyone.
Showcasing Our Artists
We are making a sincere effort to showcase our Gallery Artists, their artwork, and special events. What would be really helpful is if you could periodically check our Facebook Page and share to your own pages to help build awareness of our wonderful gallery. Also, when you have new artwork, please send pictures and information about your work to both of the following so Wendy can promote it. We can work together to build awareness and as a result, get more customers to come in and see what we are all about. Send info to:
Wendy Oellers-Fulmer weoellers@gmail.com
For website listing: webmaster@lraanh.org
Show Registrations:
Due to the added complexity and work associated with late registrations, we are now requiring that all art submissions and payments be made by the "Art Drop Off" date. We will no longer be able to accept late entries into exhibits. Art Drop Off dates are listed at the top of the registration forms. It is also important to register by the date listed on the forms.
Show Deadlines Are Important! Help Us Become Polished and Professional. To ensure our exhibits look their best, we print all wall tags in advance—so completing your registration on time is key. You’ll find registration forms and exhibit details linked in our newsletters and on the website.
Mark important dates on your calendar—with an alert a few days before the actual deadlines. Then, get in the habit of checking your calender each morning.
We’ve done our best to provide flexible windows for artwork drop-off and pick-up, but please help us by ensuring your work isn’t left at the Gallery for extended periods. Thanks for your cooperation —it’s what keeps our exhibitions running smoothly and looking great!
Attending the Artist Receptions is Important!
We’ve missed seeing many of our participating artists at recent receptions—and we’d truly love to change that! These gatherings are more than just events; they’re a chance to celebrate your work, meet art lovers who are excited to connect with the artists behind the pieces, and build friendships with fellow creatives.
Your presence helps create the welcoming energy that makes our Gallery so special. Whether you're sharing stories, answering questions, or simply enjoying the company of kindred spirits, every moment adds value—not just to your own visibility, but to the whole community.
We know life gets busy, and we’re so grateful for the time and heart our volunteers give. Even small moments of involvement can make a big difference. Let’s grow this community together—one warm reception at a time.