Summer is Back and so is Thea!

Hi everyone, it's Thea! This is my second summer working at Harvest Gold Gallery for Bill and Lynda, and I’m excited to be getting back into the swing of things. Around this time of year we get to do the fun stuff around the gallery like rearranging artwork and redecorating, and as an art student it’s certainly my favorite part. Hanging artwork, I’ve found, is like a jigsaw puzzle, except you don’t have a picture of the finished product to help you along. The goal of this puzzle is to fit the pieces of art together in such a way that complements, supports, and augments the individual aspects of each piece, while still looking cohesive on a wall. As an artist myself, it would be comforting to know that my pieces are being carefully considered in their placement in a gallery, and so I try to give that attention to all of our artists. Its fun to try and take the strengths that I see in each artwork and translate that to our customers. I love sprucing up the gallery and creating a finished product for all of our customers to enjoy and appreciate as much as I do. 

"From A Distance", acrylic on canvas 8"x8", hanging in Harvest Gold

While I was away at my first year of college at Alfred University, I was actually able to use what I had learned during my first summer at Harvest Gold Gallery in my classes. In my art courses we had to hang several small shows of our work throughout the year, and my knowledge from working in a gallery really benefitted me. The most important thing I’ve learned since starting to work for Bill and Lynda has been that being a professional artist also means being a professional businessperson. Thanks to that knowledge I really have a leg up on my peers without gallery experience even within my first year of art school. 

"After the Windstorm" in marker, done during my first year at Alfred University

As an artist in training, my work and subject matter often differ from the beautiful more traditional artwork that Harvest Gold Gallery tends to hang on their walls, but I am beyond lucky to have some of my paintings and drawings hanging among such prolific and recognized artists. If you’re interested in seeing my work, visit my website, thea-hart.squarespace.com. I hope to be participating in the annual Plein Air event that Harvest Gold hosts later on during the summer where we bring some our favorite local artists to paint our view of Kezar lake. Another event I’m excited for that will be coming up soon is the annual Open House on Friday, July 10th from 4pm to 6pm where we get to show off our lovely artists, crafters, and authors and their work to our community of customers. I’m especially excited to eat some of Bill’s homemade hors d’oeuvres, and to see what everyone thinks of our redecorating, because we’ve already made quite a few big changes! They’re both great events and we hope to see you there.

My most recent addition to Harvest Gold, "The Window Sill", acrylic on canvas 8.5"x8.5"

Joining The Harvest Gold Team: Thea!

Joining The Harvest Gold Team: Thea!

I'm so happy to be joining Bill and Lynda just as summer rolls in. Being an avid art-lover, starting work at the Gallery has been great just to be around so much beautiful scenery, artwork, and craftsmanship. My favorite parts of the Gallery are the back rooms, full of paintings and other art, usually lit with gorgeous natural light from the large back windows (which give a great view of Kezar Lake and the mountains).

I've been living in Fryeburg since I was three, and just last Sunday my friends and I graduated from Fryeburg Academy- just a a little ways from Harvest Gold. It's been great to finish that chapter of my life and begin moving on to higher education. I'll be majoring in fine arts at Alfred University next fall, and I'm grateful to be able to continue working with art in a new way here at the Gallery this summer.

I'm looking forward working with Bill and Lynda and playing a part in maintaining this beautiful space. Look out for new posts by me on our blog, Facebook page, Pinterest and Twitter. This summer is going to be a good one! Stop in to say hi, see the flowers blooming, and take a look at our new treasures here at Harvest Gold Gallery!