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Artists in the White Mountain National Forest

For hundreds of years, artists have been drawn to the scenic beauty of the White Mountains’ rivers, summits, cliffs, and magnificent views. Today, the White Mountain National Forest continues to inspire artists and art-making.

Art featured in the exhibition

Alpine Tundra: Westside Trail on Mt. Washington, Craig Altobello, Mixed WoodsAlpine Tundra: Westside Trail on Mt. Washington, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods
Old Man of the Mountain, George McConnell, Oil on board, 1917Old Man of the Mountain, George McConnell, Oil on board, 1917
Finding My Old Man of the Mountain (viewed from right), Sebastian Frolish, Ink on folded paper, 2018Finding My Old Man of the Mountain (viewed from right), Sebastian Frolish, Ink on folded paper, 2018
Finding My Old Man of the Mountain (viewed from left), Sebastian Frolish, Ink on folded paper, 2018Finding My Old Man of the Mountain (viewed from left), Sebastian Frolish, Ink on folded paper, 2018
Lake of the Clouds Hut and Mt. Monroe, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2016Lake of the Clouds Hut and Mt. Monroe, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2016
Mt. Monroe from Mt. Washington, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2017Mt. Monroe from Mt. Washington, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2017
Northern Presidentials and the Great Gulf Wilderness, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2017Northern Presidentials and the Great Gulf Wilderness, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2017
The Flume, George McConnell, Oil on board, 1917The Flume, George McConnell, Oil on board, 1917
The Joy of Ridge Walking, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2018The Joy of Ridge Walking, Craig Altobello, Mixed Woods, 2018

The White Mountain National Forest Artist in Residence Program 

The White Mountain National Forest and the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire offer an Artist-in-Residence program to professional and emerging artists. This program includes artists in all media — visual and performing artists, craftspeople, writers, composers, eco artists and media artists. The residency program is an opportunity to pursue their particular art form while being inspired by the forest and sharing their work and their artistic process with members of the public and seeks to use art and creative expression to explore the many ways in which people relate to forests in general and to the WMNF in particular. 

About the Partnership

The Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire (AANNH) works with WMNF  to manage and sustain the AIR program. AANNH (www.aannh.org) is a nonprofit organization that works throughout the northern half of the state to promote, support and sustain culture, heritage and the arts. 

The program was launched in 2011 as part of the Weeks Act Centennial celebration, marking the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Weeks Act, a milestone in American conservation history. It has now become a part of the Forest fabric. 

Past WMNF Artists whose work was featured in the exhibition:

White Mountain2, Xavier Cortada, Oil on Wood, 2012White Mountain2, Xavier Cortada, Oil on Wood, 2012
Sandwich Range, Brian Chu, Oil on Canvas, 2012-2013Sandwich Range, Brian Chu, Oil on Canvas, 2012-2013
Path 3 – How Trees Communicate, Jude Valentine Monoptint with Watercolor, 2017Path 3 – How Trees Communicate, Jude Valentine Monoptint with Watercolor, 2017
Fletchers Cascade, Sandwich Wilderness, John Anderson, Digital Composite 360° Panorama, Chromogenic Color Print, 2013Fletchers Cascade, Sandwich Wilderness, John Anderson, Digital Composite 360° Panorama, Chromogenic Color Print, 2013
Borealis, James Kao, Oil on Linen, 2011Borealis, James Kao, Oil on Linen, 2011
Wild River Notes poem, Susie O’Keeffe, 2014Wild River Notes poem, Susie O’Keeffe, 2014
1:48;2:03 – Wild River, Kyle Browne, Graphite on Paper, 20131:48;2:03 – Wild River, Kyle Browne, Graphite on Paper, 2013

Also included in the exhibit was the Hear the Forest project by Berklee College of Music Professor, Steve Wilkes and musical compositions by traveling composer-performer,  Ben Cosgrove.