'Salty Air Paintings' exhibit headed for Franklin Gallery

Waterscapes are a favorite subject for Dover artist Roseann Meserve. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - The Franklin Gallery at RiverStones Custom Framing will host an exhibit during the month of September titled "Salty Air Paintings." It features the work of local artist Roseann Meserve.

Meserve is a native retired "Doverite." She has always been involved in learning some form of craft. At an early age, she began to doodle, and then find images within her doodling. In 1995 she began pursuing formal art courses at the College for Lifelong Learning as well as through the University of New Hampshire.

She also attended weeklong workshops with Don Andrews, and Jan Kilburn in Damariscotta, Maine, and for several years has gone to Monhegan Island with Doris Rice and Jan Kilburn. In 2014 she participated in classes at Sanctuary Arts with Dewitt Hardy. She continues to participate in watercolor classes with Doris Rice and Jan Kilburn and Dustan Knight and acrylic classes with Dennis Poirier, N Berwick.

"I am constantly learning from both my teachers, fellow students and from myself. Each Wednesday (before Covid) I would paint with 14 other painters who paint in various mediums," she says. "It is a blessing to be a part of these diverse people's art lives, who gather to encourage, support and enjoy each other's good company while we all paint. Watching everyone's works evolve is an awesome experience that cannot be put into words. Each week was such an adventure. It was a time that encouraged all of us to remove ourselves from our busy lives and surrender ourselves to the painting process."

Merserve's art has won several awards and she has exhibited in numerous venues throughout the Seacoast including the UNH Library, Dover Mill Arts Collaborative, and Dover, Rye, and York Public Libraries. She has successfully sold her artwork over the past 29 years. Currently her paintings hang in local, commercial, and international settings including England, Ireland, Scotland, France, India and Australia, as well as on several websites, including Fine Art America, Red Bubble, and Zazzle.

RiverStones Custom Framing and the Franklin Gallery are located at 33 N. Main Street in Rochester; they are open Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. For information about this exhibit and other RiverStones events and services, call (603) 812-1488, or send an e-mail to riverstonescustomframing@gmail.com. Roseann Meserve may also be reached at rose.meserve@comcast.net and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeserveWatercolors