The Seacoast Artist Association is a group of artists and people interested in art, based in the seacoast area of New Hampshire. Our gallery, located at 130 Water Street in downtown Exeter, is open:
Wednesday-Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 10am – 2pm
We offer new body of work and theme show exhibitions every month by local artists, public art receptions every second Friday evening, classes and demonstrations, and scholarship programs.
See About to learn more about our all-volunteer non-profit organization.
May Events
View the SAA members’ Primavera Spring Art Show at the Exeter Town Hall Gallery:
May 2, 3 from 10am to 4pm
May 8, 9, 16, 17 from 12pm to 4pm
Reception recognizing SAA scholarship winners is May 8 from 4pm to 6pm
Empty nests are not only found in tree branches but also in unexpected places — canoes, under eaves, gardens, and in overturned flowerpots. Each nest, meticulously assembled, serves as a spectacular vessel and a symbol of life’s possibilities. It represents new beginnings, nurturing, growth, eventual flight and when empty, is replaced by silence and emptiness.
“Beyond the Branches” examines the intricate emotional landscape surrounding the empty nest experience, inviting viewers to consider themes of beauty, solitude, and yearning, while highlighting the importance of the nest as a symbol of change, memories and significant life transitions.
My creative process started with photographing bird nests, which I referred to or transferred into wax using encaustic techniques. The medium’s sculptural qualities, glossy finish, and translucency offered versatility and often produced unique, unpredictable outcomes. Incorporating mixed media into the work reflected how birds instinctively select materials for their nests finalizing the concept.
It is through my artistic process that I share my view of the nest as a symbol of change and emotion.
The Quiet at Waters Edge presents a cohesive meditation on presence, memory, and the emotional terrains we carry. The exhibition invites viewers to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the quiet spaces that exist within the world.
Working primarily in acrylic, Leahy captures moments that feel both familiar and just beyond reach—shorelines at rest, water reflecting shifting light, and environments shaped as much by memory as by geography. Her paintings are less about specific locations and more about the quiet imprint those places leave behind.
“This body of work is about what lingers,” says Leahy. “The feeling a place leaves behind—the way light stays with you, even after you’ve gone.”
“Everything that is painted directly and on the spot always has strength, a power, and a vivacity of touch one cannot recover in the studio… Three strokes of the brush in front of nature are worth more than two days of work at the easel.”
– Eugène Boudin
Bring us what you have been working on as the weather warms or even something you created last year!
Monthly theme shows are open to all artists – see our SAA 2026 Theme Show brochure (PDF) and entry form (PDF).
We have receptions at the Town Hall Gallery Members Exhibit from 4-6pm with announcement of the 2026 scholarship awards and harp music by Jennifer Reed, as well as our monthly reception at the SAA Gallery 5-7pm.
Receptions for our monthly body of work and theme shows are FREE and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Meet your local artists!
Classes and Workshops
Watercolor Series: The Ways of Water- #1 June 16th 10-2 $100
Water in the landscape wears many faces. Everchanging in form, color, and its relationship with light. Still water offers reflections in tidepools, ponds, marshes and lakes. Rivers provide moving water that breaks against whatever is in its path. And of course, the grand ocean gives us water patterns, crashing waves, and dramatic shorelines. This workshop will begin a series that focuses on one form of water at a time, beginning with still water and reflections. Images that convey water reflections can have strong visual impact, as they add an additional layer of light and illusion. An overview of techniques and brushwork will be demonstrated. Color options and different ways of saving white areas will be discussed. There will be samples and references on hand to work from, but feel free to bring in your own. Is there a familiar view of water that you’ve been wanting to paint?
Watercolor Series: The Ways of Water #2 June 23rd 10-2 $100
This week will also feature reflections as they can appear in marshes and ponds in dramatic lighting. Moody skies only add to the glowing effects of water reflections. Taking the previous workshop is not a requirement for taking this one. If you did take the previous workshop, feel free to work on paintings you have started and add new elements as you are ready.
Contact Margaret for more info or to register: dwyerdavis@gmail.com
Or visit MargaretDwyerArtist.com
(discount given if you sign up for both workshops)
Each week features a new subject designed to teach both technique and topic – open to all levels. Visit DorisRice.com, where you can also sign up for her newsletter for updates on classes and workshops. Cost is $35/class or $168 for a 6-class card.
See Doris’ instructor profile on our Classes page.