{"id":2225560,"date":"2026-01-07T11:15:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T11:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2225560"},"modified":"2026-01-07T11:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T11:15:11","slug":"inside-a-new-year-of-art-music-and-history-at-the-marblehead-arts-association","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/inside-a-new-year-of-art-music-and-history-at-the-marblehead-arts-association\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside a (new) year of art, music and history at the Marblehead Arts Association"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New exhibitions opening Jan. 17 will mark the start of another busy year at the Marblehead Arts Association, where contemporary works fill several galleries housed in the historic King Hooper Mansion, which is set to celebrate its tricentennial in 2028. The setting is as much a part of the experience as the art itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have the sort of juxtaposition of new art and old building,\u201d said Executive Director Xhazzie Kindle. \u201cSo, whether you\u2019re an art lover or an architect lover, we meet both needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The association operates seven galleries across the colonial mansion, with exhibitions changing roughly every six weeks, giving visitors multiple opportunities each year to see new work.<\/p>\n

While the organization maintains a full calendar of member and solo exhibitions, programs and a national juried show, Kindle emphasized that the MAA has \u201ctwo separate but equal missions. One is to promote the arts and support our artists and the other is to preserve the King Hooper Mansion.\u201d<\/p>\n

January exhibitions<\/strong><\/p>\n

January marks the first exhibition cycle of the year, beginning with the annual \u201cNew Member Exhibition\u201d in the ballroom gallery. The show introduces artists who were juried into the association in 2025.<\/p>\n

Alongside the group show, several solo exhibitions will open across the mansion\u2019s galleries highlighting a wide range of styles and media.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u201cAurora at Chandler Hovey\u201d by Nina Taggart will be part of the MAA\u2019s New Member Exhibition. COURTESY PHOTOS\u00a0
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\u00a0\u201cChocolate Lettuce\u201d by Sue Hammerland will be part of the MAA\u2019s New Member Exhibition.\u00a0
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\u00a0\u201cDancing in the Snow\u201d by Eiko Fazio will be part of the MAA\u2019s New Member Exhibition.\u00a0
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\u00a0\u201cThe Upside\u201d by Yamanda Wright\u00a0 will be part of the MAA\u2019s New Member Exhibition.\u00a0
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Among the January solo shows:<\/p>\n

\u25cf \u201cImages of Italy\u201d by oil painter Peter Ziegler, whose work focuses on architectural subjects<\/p>\n

\u25cf \u201cColor Spectrum\u201d by abstract artist Deborah Baye, featuring lots of color and texture<\/p>\n

\u25cf \u201cThe Angle of No Repose\u201d by landscape artist Connie Glore<\/p>\n

\u25cf \u201cForever With You\u201d by Francois-Xavier DeCosterd, an animation and digital artist whose screen-based work will include video and projections<\/p>\n

The variety is intentional, Kindle said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our goals for each cycle is that we have a variety of different arts,\u201d she said. \u201cEach artist \u2026 will be very distinct and quite unique and very different from their neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n

The MAA will also host a special invited exhibition by the New England Sculptors Association in the ground-floor dining room gallery, featuring small-scale works limited to a 12-by-12-inch footprint.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really enjoy having the artists from New England Sculptors Association just because it adds something fresh to us in a new dimension,\u201d Kindle said.<\/p>\n

President Jim Murphy said the collaboration offers both artistic and community benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt opens the door for people who may not have been to the Art Association to come in \u2026 that gives our whole program and our artists whose work is on the walls exposure that they may not have gotten,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n

While January\u2019s exhibitions highlight members and invited artists, Kindle pointed to \u201cVariations,\u201d the association\u2019s annual national juried exhibition which runs from April through June, as a standout experience, particularly for first-time visitors.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so exciting to us to see new artists, new techniques, people from all over the country \u2026 international too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Each year, roughly 800 submissions are whittled down to about 175 works, chosen by independent jurors, including museum curators and faculty members from across the country.<\/p>\n

A themed member exhibition, \u201cThrough the Looking Glass,\u201d will open in February and tie directly into the Spring Gala. During its six-week run, the MAA plans a series of related events which will include shamanic journeys and a fascinator-making workshop for gala attendees.<\/p>\n

Programming beyond exhibitions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Music also remains a key part of the association\u2019s cultural presence. The popular \u201cJazz at the Arts\u201d series returns earlier than usual this year, opening Thursday, Feb. 19, featuring local favorites Debbie Larkin and Jeff Stout.<\/p>\n

Murphy said the series reflects the MAA\u2019s broader mission to support and promote arts and culture in town, highlighting other standout musicians in the lineup, including Marblehead resident drummer Dave Mattacks and folk artist Jeanie Stahl.<\/p>\n

The concert series is one of many programs the association offers throughout the year, with additional events still in development.<\/p>\n

Big birthday<\/strong><\/p>\n

Looking further ahead, the organization is laying the groundwork for the King Hooper Mansion\u2019s 300th anniversary in 2028, Kindle said, with plans for a year-long slate of exhibitions, programs and events to highlight the building as a community asset.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really the stewards for the next generation,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s in amazing shape because of the people that came before us, and we really want to leave that kind of legacy for the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Marblehead prepares for the broader Revolution 250 commemorations beginning in 2026, the mansion is expected to play a role as a featured historic site \u2014 an opportunity, Murphy said, for new audiences to discover that the building is not only historic, but alive with contemporary art.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, they both hope visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for local creativity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we hope people will take with them is an appreciation of the amount of artistic talent that this small town has,\u201d Kindle said. \u201cWe want people to understand the importance of art.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murphy echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the value of creating a personal, welcoming experience that draws visitors back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a place to come and visit and it\u2019s a place to come and revisit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For schedules, events and exhibition details, the MAA encourages visitors to check its website at http:\/\/www.marbleheadarts.org<\/a> and attend opening receptions, held on the first Sunday of each exhibition cycle.<\/p>\n

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