Brush and Pen: Artists and Writers of New Hampshire's White Mountains (Production Notes)

Before I began this project I honestly was not familiar with the "White Mountain School of Art". I had certainly heard of the Hudson River School and was very familiar with European periods of art (Impressionism through Expressionism are my favorites) and many early American artists. Happily, I now know so much more about this little known yet incredibly important period of history.

Back in the fall of 2008 when I was completing An Island Kingdom, the 90-minute program featuring the 400-year history of the Isles of Shoals, a collector mentioned that besides acquiring historic and contemporary Shoals paintings, he also collected White Mountain Art. "Interesting, what's that?" I asked. At the time I hadn't decided upon my next program topic and after a little research, I was hooked. I can't believe I grew up in New Hampshire, love art and history and especially hiking in the Whites, and had no idea about these 19th century artists. And so was the beginning of Brush and Pen.

There were so many great moments about researching and filming this project: I was so fortunate to be able to enjoy New Hampshire's White Mountains during all seasons. The weather was a hindrance the first summer I was filming, but Mother Nature certainly made up for it the next to give me glorious views and temperatures.

Some favorite moments during the production include: seeing the crisp, clear summit of Mt. Washington and surrounding Presidential peaks covered with snow, finding a hotel dining room menu made of birch bark at Dartmouth's Rayner Library, watching four bears scamper across the train tracks early one morning just north of Bartlett, holding Benjamin Champney's small sketch book which he probably always kept with him in his breast pocket to jot down studies and doodles whenever the feeling struck him, and spending a few extra moments staring at breathtaking paintings and finding that special one I just can't get out of my mind.

During the post-production for Brush and Pen I struggled with how to identify the paintings shown in the program. I decided not to label them in the program because I didn't want to clutter up the screen with lots of wordy text - I wanted the viewer to just enjoy each individual painting. Fortunately with the magical technology of mastering DVDs - the "Extra" scenes on the menu page can do that for me. "The Paintings" section identifies most of the artwork featured in the program, alphabetized by artist, title and date if available. I hope you will also enjoy the very early film footage of the 1905 Glidden Auto Tour up and around Mt. Washington and a 1959 NH Travelogue narrated by Lowell Thomas, Jr. featuring Story Land, the Cranmore Ski Mobile and of coarse, the Old Man of the Mountains, before his fall.

A fourth, educational Extra entitled "Art in the Classroom" follows students from the Josiah Bartlett Elementary School in Bartlett, NH and showcases wonderful suggestions on how to bring this art style and period into classrooms. As early as first grade students hear the names of artists and locations of many of these paintings, later the elementary and middle school grades appreciate and understand the techniques and styles used by White Mountain artists and the history behind the painters and writers who came to the White Mountains. A fascinating subject and curriculum to bring a better understanding of art to students of all ages.

Tremendous amounts of thanks goes out to the funders who supported this program and the museums and all the private collectors who welcomed me into their galleries and opened their homes for me to film their glorious paintings. I encourage everyone to experience this magnificent art! Perhaps you too will find a special painting that you just can't stop thinking about.

Happily, now I can call myself as a collector since my family pur-chased a Mary Bigelow painting for me. I certainly hope there will be more to follow.

Enjoy, experience and buy more art!