PORTSMOUTH – The New Hampshire Art Association has come a long way since its start in 1940 and is now the oldest art association in the state headquartered at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery on State Street.

At 6 p.m. on Nov. 19, there will be a virtual celebration via the Zoom platform. State and local dignitaries have been invited to the celebration and Portsmouth Mayor Rick Becksted has committed to joining in.

There will be a short presentation about the association’s history including the prominent members who generously contributed their time and talent over the past 80 years.

Also beginning on Nov. 19, at 6 p.m., NHAA is planning a silent auction, where buyers can view the artwork in the gallery or on the association’s website, and then will be able to place and track their bids online through 6 p.m. on Dec. 11. 

“Our 80th year silent auction and celebration is more than a fundraiser,” said Gallery Manager MaryAnn DePolo. “It is an extensive showcase of artwork and archives from 1940 to 2020 within an organization dedicated to the idea of supporting the visual arts. We will be auctioning close to 100 pieces of artwork from our archives and current members with the goal of generating funds to secure our future in such unprecedented times.” 

NHAA was first organized as a New Hampshire non-profit art association on September 25, 1940, in a meeting held in Room 207 of the State House Annex in Concord. Its first president was George Lloyd and one of the co-founders was Omer T. Lassonde, head of FDR’s Works Progress Association (WPA) in New Hampshire and a prominent artist in his own right. NHAA continues to honor Lassonde each spring with a prestigious juried exhibit.

Starting that year with just 50 artists and four exhibits, today NHAA features the work of 275 member artists representing a wide variety of visual arts mediums including painting, photography, printmaking, sculpting, textile art and mixed media.

“What makes NHAA special is that all of the work featured in member exhibits is from artists who live and work regionally throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont,” said NHAA Board President Renee Giffroy. “We believe it is important to make a contribution to our communities by supporting local artists.”

The association had to close its headquarters and exhibition space at the Levy Gallery in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But, upon reopening in June, it revamped the way it does business to offer in-person viewing and online exhibits on its website.

“It’s a challenging time but also an exciting time,” Giffroy said. “We continued to pay our staff during the gallery closure and we focused on changing the way we do business, to set us up for success in this new normal environment.”

The association has a rich history that will be highlighted during the Zoom celebration on Nov. 19.

Longtime member and painter Jack Davis recalled an exhibition titled, “The Art of Peace,” in 2005 when Yoko Ono served as an honorary chairperson. The exhibit was hosted by former New Hampshire’s First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch.

The juried competition was being held in conjunction with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War, and later traveled to Japan.

Davis was excited to receive an honorable mention for his piece in this exhibition. He is still painting from his studio in Dover, and is part of the painters group run by member John LeCours.