BRETTON WOODS — The “White Mountain Arts Experience,” hosted by the National Forest Foundation and Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire, was held on Sunday, September 13 and Monday, September 14, at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.
On Sunday, visitors followed a specially created Art Trail, which included opportunities to interact with artists whose work is inspired by nature —painters, craftspeople, performing artists and beloved New Hampshire storyteller Rebecca Rule. Despite the ominous weather and the area’s notoriously blustery winds, Plein air painters set up their easels across the grounds throughout the event, highlighting the inspiration this Forest has provided to artists of all kinds for almost a century.
“This grand event celebrated the connection between the arts and these beautiful mountains, which inspire us all. In addition to supporting our restoration efforts on the White Mountain National Forest, the event underscored the unparalleled outdoor experiences and the quality of life that this forest provides to local communities.”
A community reception and silent auction to benefit the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) capped the Art Trail Sunday evening. Local businesses donated auction items from special places throughout the White Mountain National Forest community. Participating artists also donated items for the auction, and the reception featured music by composer Ben Cosgrove, the 2015 WMNF Artist in Residence.
Proceeds from the auction were split between the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire and the National Forest Foundation’s WMNF Treasured Landscapes fund. Treasured Landscapes funds are helping to restore areas of the forest damaged by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
On Monday, September 14, participants enjoyed a variety of art and nature-based activities including a waterfall hike led by an Appalachian Mountain Club guide, hands-on painting and photography sessions with previous WMNF Artist in Residence, John Anderson, a writing workshop and nature writing discussion with New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alice Fogel, a workshop with master basket maker Alice Ogden, drop-in artmaking, and other activities.
The Omni Mount Washington Resort is surrounded by the WMNF, a popular destination for hikers, skiers, photographers, painters, picnickers and nature-lovers. This event connected two of the region’s popular attractions -- recreation and art -- while supporting conservation activities on the Forest.
“We hope to build awareness of the historic and contemporary links between art and nature in the region. We hope to grow the White Mountain Arts Experience into an annual community celebration of these connections.”
This event was made possible with funding from Jane’s Trust whose grants focus on health and welfare, the environment, education and arts and culture in the northern New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
