October 2025
President’s Notes
We’re well into the fall season here in the Lakes Region, and our final show of the year — Birches & Boats — is underway in the Gallery. As the year winds down, it’s also time to look ahead to what’s next. Lynn and her committee have already begun planning for next year’s Gallery shows, with five exhibitions in the works, including the 86th Annual Show in August. Keep an eye on this newsletter and the website for more details as those plans take shape.
Before we jump into next year, we still have plenty of exciting activities ahead:
Tanger Trick or Treat – Friday, October 24th, 5:30–7:30 PM
Volunteers are always welcome! Bring a bag of treats — we typically see 900–1,000 little trick-or-treaters. Jim and I will be on hand wrangling ghosts, goblins, Star-Lords, and other spirited visitors who find their way to the Gallery door.Gallery Holiday Decorating – October 29th–31st
Get into the holiday spirit early and help us decorate the Gallery. It’s always a fun, festive time — more details to come!Castle in the Clouds Exhibit – November 19th
Look for more information about this event elsewhere in the newsletter.Tanger Tree Lighting & Holiday Raffle – Starting Black Friday
Join us as we kick off the holiday season with community festivities and another Gallery raffle!
The display at the Wolfeboro Library is up and looks fantastic! A huge thank you to Sue, Melanie, Duane, and all LRAA members who contributed artwork. The library staff and patrons were full of compliments — the installation truly showcases the talent within our Association.
Lastly, a quick reminder about the importance of name recognition in the art world. Our work is featured not only in the Gallery but also in venues throughout the Lakes Region and beyond. Each time someone sees a piece at the Wolfeboro Library, the Flip Side in downtown Laconia, MVSB or other locations, it helps connect our artists — and their work — to the Lakes Region Art Association and the Gallery at Tanger Outlets.
The more people associate great local art with your name and LRAA, the stronger our presence becomes. Every show, display, and exhibit helps build recognition — and increases the chances that someone will visit the Gallery to see more.
L'art pour l'art
Sherwood Frazier, President LRAA
October 23rd at 9:30am
Tilly’s Market Cafe
Belknap Marketplace
96 Daniel Webster Hwy, Belmont, NH 03220
Next Meet Up
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, October 23rd, 9:30 am, at Tilly’s Market Cafe in the Belknap Marketplace, 96 Daniel Webster Hwy, Belmont, NH 03220.
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
Meet a New Member of the LRAA Gallery
Robin Patten
Robin is a versatile multimedia artist whose creative journey began under the tutelage of Bill Alexander on PBS, mastering the vibrant techniques of oil painting. From an early age, Robin demonstrated an innate affinity for art and the creative process, inspired by cherished memories of observing their father skillfully sketch cartoon characters and their uncle, a master gunsmith, meticulously polish gunstocks to a glass-like sheen with pumice and oil.
With a deep appreciation for impressionism and interpretive works, Robin thrives on capturing evocative moods and emotions through their art. While they respect traditional techniques, they find them creatively limiting, preferring instead to let each piece organically shape its own path. This dynamic approach drives Robin to embrace new challenges, whether mastering glassblowing for delicate bubbles or exploring innovative mediums to bring their vision to life. Their work invites viewers into a world where emotion and creativity converge, offering a captivating and ever-evolving artistic experience.
Are You Ready for a SOLO SHOW?
Members have the exciting opportunity to showcase their work through a solo exhibition at the Gallery. Solo shows run for two full weeks, from Thursday through Sunday across two consecutive weekends—maximizing your artwork’s exposure and giving visitors plenty of time to engage with your creations. To explore fees, guidelines, and available scheduling, please reach out to the Board of Directors.
Please note, a participation fee applies, and the Lakes Region Art Association reserves the right to decline proposals that do not meet our artist guidelines. We strongly encourage you to review these guidelines carefully to ensure your work is a perfect fit for our vibrant gallery community. Take advantage of this unique platform to share your artistic vision with an engaged and appreciative audience!
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!
Important Links and Registration Forms
Remote Display Sign Up Forms
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
October 2025
PENDING
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.
We are currently looking for ways to involve artists in the Gallery who are still working full time jobs. It seems that we are known for being an organization of retirees, and we'd love to expand that to include folks from all walks of life. If you have ideas and thoughts on the subject, we'd really like to hear them!
Raffle!
The raffle is on throughout the Month of August and until the drawing on Labor Day. So far we've had an excellent response!
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 calendar 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.
Our reception for the Annual Show was fun and encouraging! We had a lot of the artists come out, and many friends and relatives.