Meet the Artists of the Lupine Festival

Meet the Artisans of the Lupine Festival: Watercolors, Wool, Wood and More . . .

The 18th Annual Fields of Lupine Festival gives you a wonderful opportunity to meet many talented folk by providing several venues where you can visit with these artisans and observe how they turn their talent into a finished product and even (at some locations) try your own hand at it.

One of the most obvious locations is the Annual Art Show sponsored by The Arts Gallery of Lisbon on June 4th and 5th, the first weekend of the Lupine Festival. This year the show is an Arts & Crafts Show and you will find craftsmen demonstrating painting in many mediums along with artists of pen & ink and photography. You’ll also find stained glass, fiber arts, pottery, beadwork, basketry and surprises like chair caning. If you find yourself needing some sustenance to keep you going, you’ll discover that many of these artisans are pretty good in the kitchen and they will have lunch available for you (check out The Art Gallery’s cookbook). This year the show has been moved to the Carolina Crapo Memorial Building next to the Sugar Hill Museum. After visiting the show, take a few minutes to see the lovely exhibit that was created by the museum’s talented folk, admission is free but donations are always welcomed. This year’s new exhibit is a celebration of Sugar Hill Blooms. The exhibit will take you back to the beginnings of Floradale Gardens and Sel Hannah’s Ski Hearth Potatoes. You also step back in time to peek in on a flower-ful wedding and in the museum’s barn; you are part of a horse-drawn funeral cortege that is waiting for a wheel to be repaired at the blacksmith shop. There is also the Cobleigh Tavern room; Meetinghouse clock exhibit, farm tools and as farmers weren’t all work . . . you’ll find a great exhibit of sleds. Browse the Museum’s gift shop with all sorts of lovely items, many made (or written) by local talent.

Continue your discovery of the Festival’s artisan venues with a visit to Polly’s Pancake Parlor. On the weekends, weather permitting, you will find Polly’s daughter, Nancy, and granddaughter, Deborah, out on the lawn. Their paintbrushes capture our local beauty in prints, cards and on the familiar hand-painted wooden plates and sugar scoops are synonymous with having a meal at the Parlor, which are the handiwork of Nancy. Deborah’s watercolor art blends her New England roots with a flair that just might be credited to her time spent in Texas. Her watercolor, Polly’s Barn, captures the essence of the Lupine Festival with bold lupines framing the familiar red structure.

The Lupine Festival has the artisans of the kitchens and dining rooms. You can sign up for sessions that include making French Apple Tarts, taking a whole fresh Salmon from shop to the dinner table, and learn about Red & White Wines at the Sugar Hill Inn with Owner and Chef, Steve Allen, along with his Executive Chef Val Fortin. Or try a creative lunch of wild edibles with The Rocks Estate at their Wildflower Festival Day on June 4th and again on June 12th. Near The Rocks Estate, you’ll find the Adair Country Inn & Restaurant where Chef Orlo Coots will share one of his recipe on June 5th and on June 10th, Chef Orlo will team up with Marshall Malone of Teasy Teas to have a Food & Tea Tasting. You will also find a taste of The Adair Inn at the Sugar Hill Lupine Festival Market along with other tastings. The Littleton Co-op is teaming up with The Back Shed String Band’s Mary Choate to bring you a taste of the Lupine Festival Tour Book because Mary’s recipe for Super Veggie, Black Bean and Quinoa Salad sounded so delicious. Stop by the Sugar Hill Lupine Market to sample this wonderful salad that is one of the 20 recipes of the Lupine Festival Tour Book. You’ll also find Sunset Hill House at both the Sugar Hill and Franconia Lupine Markets with their delicious (and large) gourmet sandwiches; showcasing their chef’s skill to take a sandwich to another level.

The Sugar Hill Lupine Market will host Tom Sears, best known in our area as the photographer of the Bears and I. On Saturday, June 11th, at 10 am; Tom will have a session on digital photography tips. Tom’s been photographing wildlife since 1955 when he first became enamored with bears and eagles in Alaska and in 1983 he joined the digital movement. He is thrilled to share his expertise and tips with the rest of us. Of course, you will want to hear first hand his story of the extraordinary 2007 photo that Tom took of Mother Bear with five cubs in an almost posed family scene. That is a feat in itself but in 2008, Tom went back and managed to photograph the entire bear family of six in another family pose before the yearlings set off on their own. If you miss this session on Saturday, stop by the market on Sunday as Tom will be there with his marvelous display of wildlife photography.

The Sugar Hill Lupine Market (June 11-12) and the Franconia Lupine Market (18-19) are going to be another of those one-stop venues where you can see many artisans at work. The North Country Spinners & Fiber Artists will be there. If you haven’t stopped to talk to this group, you are missing out; between them they have years of experience working with Fibers in spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, and more. Each spinning wheel or drop spindle they bring is unique and has a story; as does the different fibers they use. You might be surprised to discover that your cat’s shedded hair can be turned into lovely, soft yarn. This group loves sharing their knowledge of their craft (and of the area) with you. John Donovan brings his wood-working tools and invites you to try your hand at his skill of wood-carving in relief. He brings plenty of extra wood so that everyone can have a chance. His relief plaque of a sugarhouse and maple trees mixed with his patriotic themes give you a glimpse of his interests. From wood, you can move over to paper and watch Carolyn Guest demonstrate the Polish folk art of paper cutting, using sheep shears. This is a skill that really has to be seen to be appreciated. Carolyn cuts trees with those huge shears, making leaves made with the smallest of cuts. Or she cuts a rooster with such detail that you can’t imagine she used sheep shears. Nearby, you’ll also find Linda Lomasney weaving baskets; often she completes a basket during a market day. Linda offers classes in the area and welcomes you to learn this skill to make baskets that are not only beautiful but meant to be used. The market has other artisan demonstrations including traditional Wabanaki style beadwork by Rhonda Besaw. Rhonda is of both Eastern and Western Abenaki decent as her ancestors lived in southern Quebec and northern New Hampshire. She is one of a select few bead-workers that crafts in native and traditional styles. Her specialty is Wabanaki style beaded purses. Rhonda’s work has been noted and displayed in various galleries and museums around New England and New York (and even featured in an article in Great Britain).

Another artisan combines history with folk art. Sara Glines creates hand-crafted wooden figures based on seven generations of her family's history in northern New Hampshire. The figurines represent a moment in time of a real person in the Boothman Sisters’ family. You will discover New Hampshire stories and personalities of farmers, woodsmen, hotel proprietors, homemakers, carpenters, and photographers. Each figurine is complete with tools of his or her trade from miniature snowshoes to a miniature basket. Sara is sharing how wonderful NH is through her family's history through her folk art figurines. In 1995, she was honored to be part of the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington, DC. Sara will be at the Sugar Hill Lupine Festival Market on June 11-12, at the Franconia Historical Museum on June 18, and at the Franconia Lupine Festival Market on June 19. Stop by and watch as she creates these fascinating figures and shares each personality’s history and story.

As part of the Lupine Festival, Neskaya Movement Arts Center is inviting everyone to join their Family & Friends Fun Day on Saturday, June 12th. They share their expertise in circle dancing and drumming as well as provide fun, free activities for all ages: crafts, seed planting, face painting and more. Bring a picnic lunch and tour their most interesting building that brings the outdoors, indoors.

Still more talented folk are waiting to share their skills with you at the Lupine Festival. On June 12th, at The Rocks Estate; learn wildflower arranging with the Emily Herzig Floral Studio. Emily Herzig and her husband, David Alberini, are owners of this unique retail florist business and café, FloraLatte. They have been featured in several prestigious magazines for their wedding and event design. In this session, you have the opportunity to learn flower arranging tips from one of our most loved florists. The Rocks Estate also has Dave Duplessis. Dave’s talent is with a fishing rod and on Father’s Day he is going to give fishing lessons to those taking in the special events of the day at The Rocks Estate. I’m not sure Dave would consider being a fisherman being an artisan but for those of us that fish and don’t catch anything, we consider him one.

We’ve just touched on a few of the interesting and talented folk that will be part of the 18th Annual Fields of Lupine Festival from June 3rd to 19th. Come join us and meet many more.