Seven CreativeGround Profiles We Love: October 2020

Jeff Kasper's "things remembered" is a series of keepsakes and trophies engraved with testimonials about the invisibility of pain and love, failure and becoming.

October has arrived, and CreativeGround has fresh pickin’s from the pumpkin patch of New England cultural organizations, creative businesses, and artists. Fall in love with the new set of featured profiles on the Home and About pages of CreativeGround.

Read on to learn how these creative people and places leaf their mark on the New England creative economy. Then, treat yourself by clicking the link to view the respective CreativeGround profile (and maybe witness a few spooky good tricks in each profile’s Image and Video Gallery).

Want more? Search by keyword and explore your locale on CreativeGround to find resources you can engage with from your community: the creative businesses, cultural nonprofits, and artists. Are you envisioning making your own profile robust and feature-worthyFollow these steps to update or create your profile, then nominate your profile to be featured.

Cathedral of the Pines (Rindge, NH)

gravel pathway and benches near blooming shrubs and tall green trees
Courtesy of Cathedral of the Pines

A 236-acre natural sanctuary surrounded by mountain vistas, Cathedral of the Pines is a place of beauty created by nature. The outdoor sanctuary can seat 300 guests for various services, performances and other events. Their mission is to provide educational programs and public events which promote peace, interfaith understanding, and respect for the natural environment. The grounds containing two national memorials and additional monuments to peace and healing. Cathedral of the Pines invites relevant lecturers, artisans, musicians and theatrical groups to the sanctuary to help promote this vision. Making its home in the Monadnock region, Cathedral of the Pines invites local communities and visitors from around the world to take in the views and the art being showcased.

View Creativeground Profile for Cathedral of the Pines >

Greasy Luck Forge (Northwood, NH)

a blacksmith at the welding station - sparks fly amongst heavy machinery
Courtesy of Thomas Boucher

Greasy Luck Forge is the blacksmith shop of Thomas Boucher. Boucher grew up in his father's blacksmith shop, and the shop later switched over to welding and fabrication, where a young Thomas began to work with steel. After college, he finally found his way to an anvil and forge, picking up where his father left off. With a focus on locksmithing, restoration, and utilitarian tools and objects, Thomas takes on bespoke work from time to time as his schedule allows. Find work samples and projects on his profile, and linked Instagram.

View CreativeGround Profile for Greasy Luck Forge>

Janet McKenzie (Island Pond, VT)

painting of Jesus depicted as a humble, holy, poor, black man
"Jesus of the People" painting by Janet McKenzie

Janet McKenzie is a painter internationally renowned for her emotionally compelling and diverse iconography honoring all people - her paintings challenge prejudice and hate. Her inclusive art is regularly carried in vigils and protest demonstrations across the country in support of Black Lives Matter, racial justice and the rights of women, immigrants and the LGBTQ community. In 2016 her art was carried in the Women's March in Washington DC and a large image of Jesus of the People was placed at the Memorial to George Floyd in Minneapolis, June 2020. She has received Artist Development Grants and a Fellowship from the Vermont Arts Council and the NEA, among other awards. Born and educated in in New York City, McKenzie currently lives and works in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

View CreativeGround Profile for Janet McKenzie>

 

Jeff Kasper (Northampton, MA)

a trophy is displayed in a glass case with a purple bottom. the trophy reads "How long do I practice before I become?"
Courtesy of Jeff Kasper

Jeff Kasper is an artist and educator working in between design, media, and public pedagogy. He facilitates participatory experiences, creative curricula, publications, and conceptual social spaces that center support and wellbeing. His various public art projects and arts-based workshops engage with methods from peer-to-peer education and topics from environmental psychology. 
Over the years, his work has been dedicated to building cultures of support as an artist working in arts management, community health, and social planning. In addition to working directly with communities on creative projects, Kasper leads long- and short-term programs for artists, collectives, art students, universities, and organizations. He creates interactive projects from a healing-centered lens based in disability justice and trauma informed practice.

View CreativeGround Profile for Jeff Kasper>

Leicester Bay Theatricals (Newport, ME)

a display of various books and plays on a table at a convention
Courtesy of Leceister Bay Theatricals

Leicester Bay Theatricals (LBT) is a publisher of theatrical works -- plays, musicals, short plays, interactive murder mysteries, children's theatre, and Virtual/Streaming theatre for all producing groups. LBT licenses professionals, amateurs and educational organizations for live performances. Based in Maine, LBT has loved engaging with artists and producers across New England and beyond to collect and share well-written adaptations and original plays.

View CreativeGround Profile for Leicester Bay Theatricals>

Northeast Indigenous Arts Alliance (NIAA) (Ashaway, RI)

a collage of photos of different indigenous artists singing, crafting, and dancing
Courtesy of NIAA

The Northeast Indigenous Arts Alliance (NIAA) strengthens and supports the Northeast Indigenous artist community by providing opportunities that will promote, protect, preserve and continue the artistic vitality of work in the region. NIAA is a consortium of Native organizations and artists that have joined together to support the cultural vitality of our region, by providing resources and opportunities, addressing needs and connecting artists.

View CreativeGround Profile for Northeast Indigenous Arts Alliance>

Zoe Vandermeer (West Hartford, CT)

a woman poses with her harp at the top of a fancy staircase at an opera house
Courtesy of Zoe Vandermeer

Zoe Vandermeer is a dramatic coloratura soprano, and she accompanies her singing on Welsh triple harp in Baroque, Classical, and Bel Canto repertoire, as well as her original compositions with Celtic harp. A prize-winning graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Zoe Vandermeer performs internationally including at the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, King's Chapel Boston, New Britain Museum of American Art, Carnegie Hall, Sao Paulo Harp Festival Brazil, and more!

View CreativeGround Profile for Zoe Vandermeer>