Upcoming Webinars
Anne Domingue, Lake Opechee Pines, 2001, Acrylic on paper

Beauty In The Background
Wednesday February 23rd
5:00-6:00 pm

Join us for the live discussion with student educators and curators Nya Trudelle and Kassie Stanely, as they share their experience in creating this exhibit! Moderated by Rachel Willoughby, staff member of the McIninch Art Gallery at Southern New Hampshire University.

Debra Weisberg, Gimel, 2021, mixed media collage over embossed monoprint
36'' x 64''
Drawing to Touch: Expanded Drawing Practices
Tuesday March 15th 6:30-7:30 PM

Panel conversation with artists Debra Weisberg, Audrey Goldstein, Julia Shepley and Michelle Samour, looking at the innovative and varying breadth of approaches in contemporary drawing. Moderated by Deborah Disston, Director of the McIninch Art Gallery at Southern New Hampshire University.
Student Spotlight: Beauty in the Background
Matt Brackett, Bitter Chill (Truth Crushed to the earth shall rise again) William Cullen Bryant, 2019, Oil and Linen Mounted on Panel, hand-lettered ink on frame
I am Emma Eramo, a sophomore at SNHU, Game Art and Interactive Design Major in my second semester working for the McIninch Art Gallery. Two of the works on display in Beauty and the Background are by Matt Brackett, a contemporary artist from Yale University, with a bachelor’s in painting in 1997. Brackett’s body of work consists mainly of natural scenes, painted to allow his work to be a sounding board for artists and viewers alike. 

Recreating New England winter landscapes, Brackett used his Bitter Chill series to express his despair in the years following the 2016 election outcomes. Under each piece is a quote from a historical figure, such as Thomas Paine or Harriet Tubman, intended to draw viewers closer to examine the details. While the landscapes don’t read as a product of political despair, the quotes bring that element into the paintings. You can feel Brackett’s emotion and sympathize with him. Winter scenes look drab, de-saturated, and depressing. Cool blues, dark browns, grays, and whites make a monochromatic palette, illustrating the death of the beautiful foliage that takes place every year. And yet, they present hope in tandem with their despair. The snow is covering new life, ready to sprout as it melts into water, providing new life that it needs to thrive. Winter marks rebirth. The leaves must fall for new ones to grow. The grass must die before fresh grass can take its place. 

As time goes by, the quotes beneath the paintings will no longer associate the works with the 2016 election outcome. The context in which Bitter Chill is viewed will change, and the emotions and situations people attribute to the art will change. In a way, the fact that the pieces are of winter is very fitting, for the artwork is also being constantly given new life, purpose, and meaning. 
Elliot Porter, Fox Tail Grass Lake City, Colorado, August, from Intimate Landscapes Portfolio, 1979, Dye transfer photographic print
Hello, my name is Nya Trudelle. I am a sophomore pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Game Art and Interactive Design. I am grateful to have been part of making Beauty in the Background. While developing the exhibit, Kassie and I agreed to include photographs and paintings.

Having had limited experience analyzing and discussing photography, I wanted to explore this by writing about a specific artist's importance to this exhibit. Eliot Porter was an American photographer highly known for his color photographs capturing both beautiful and mundane aspects of nature. Born in December 1901, Porter was raised in the tranquil scenery of Winnetka, Illinois. Fascinated with photography from a young age, Porter grew to become an innovative photographer for his time. His dedication to developing colored photos of nature gave him strong recognition and credibility in the field. Porter looked to capture the Beauty of countless places, from photos of his hometown to worldwide locations such as Main, Antarctica, East Africa, Egypt, Greece, Iceland, and more.

I was fascinated with Porter’s photography when I discovered it. His images have a way of conveying such strong emotions and beauty through the detail he chooses to focus on in each piece. Eliot Porter’s contribution to the landscape genre guaranteed that his work would be included in Beauty in the Background.
Celebrating 20 years of the McIninch
For more information on the McIninch Art Gallery, make sure to visit our website! Here you have access to our current exhibitions and links to explore virtual shows, educational videos, podcasts, and webinars.
The McIninch Art Gallery, administered by the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education at Southern New Hampshire University, provides first-hand experiences in the arts through collections, exhibitions, and diverse programs designed to support the university curriculum and enhance public engagement with fine art.
2500 North River Rd
Manchester, NH 
Gallery Hours:
10 am - 3 pm, Mon through Sat.