VOLUME 35, NUMBER 33 JANUARY 13, 2011 FREE THE WEEKLY NEWS & LIFESTYLE JOURNAL OF MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY Artistic Journeys: Valley Folks and Focus: A Mount Washington Valley Born on Jan. 2, meet Memorial Legacy: When people think of Hospital’s First Baby of the White Mountain Art, the first Year, Trenton name that comes to mind is McGowan… A6 Benjamin Champney. A2 … A SALMON PRESS PUBLICATION • (603) 447-6336 • PUBLISHED IN CONWAY, NH Page Two Benjamin Champney: A Mount Washington Valley Legacy By Cynthia Melendy, Ph.D. Contributing Writer WHEN PEOPLE THINK of White Mountain Art, the first name that comes to mind is Benjamin Champney. A native of New Hampshire, most credit him with establish- ing the Mount Washington Valley as a destination for visu- al artists from all over America in the nineteenth century. He believed that our country should have its own unique brand of American art. Champney had many artist Jackson Falls mentors and friends that helped throughout his career. He believed in doing the same for others. If you went to Champney’s studio, you would meet a number of well-known White Mountain artists. Benjamin Champney was born Nov. 17, 1817 in New Ipswich. After his father died, he was sent to Lebanon, where he attended school twelve weeks a year and worked at a cotton mill owned by an uncle. From an early age, he enjoyed drawing and sketching. He Benjamin Champney in his studio went to Boston at age 16 to Thompson Falls work for a shoe dealer. He destroyed by fire in New York not often so much beauty and In 1853 he married Mary harmony with nature and por- became interested in the work City in October 1857. artistic picturesqueness Caroline Brooks. After their tray America as a nation of at the adjacent Pendleton He traveled to the Mount brought together in one valley.” honeymoon, he purchased a small landowners, farmers and Lithograph Company. There Washington Valley with his The following summer he home just south of North tradesmen as envisioned by he did his first formal training artist friends John F. Kensett, met other artists in the Mount Conway village. There he Thomas Jefferson. working as a commercial and William Willard. For six Washington Valley at the transformed a carpenter’s shop Benjamin Champney draftsman under celebrated weeks the three captured as Thompson family’s Kearsarge into a studio, and for the next believed that “Art in this coun- marine artist Fitz Henry Lane. much of the scenery as they House in North Conway. The fifty years he was the center of try should become Soon he began to experiment could on canvas. His autobiog- practice of artists was to board the Mount Washington Valley American…[we should] study with color landscapes and raphy relates colorful tales of at a hotel or family home where art scene. With his charismatic our own beautiful scenery, our showed his work to prominent his adventures with his friends they attracted tourist business. personality, artists and patrons manners, our customs, our his- Boston artist Washington as they developed as artists, Hotels promoted themselves alike were drawn to him. His tory…we could have a national Allston. “No American artist sharing newly discovered land- by promoting artists’ residence. studio became a magnet for the gallery in time, such as would has equaled Allston in all the scapes and artistic techniques. That summer, the Thompson aspiring artists whom he men- add dignity and renown to our qualities that go to make a great Champney admired Kensett’s family members guided artists tored. The North Conway country, and give us honor in painter,” Champney noted in canvasses and their “lovely feel- to scenic areas. One scene of Idler wrote: “His studio is the eyes of the older his autobiography. Allston ing of color and crispy touch note was what became known always open to visitors, who nations…Congress might in praised his work and encour- they possess.” Champney’s as Thompson Falls, and the will carry away with them rec- time be liberal enough to vote aged him to go to Paris to technique was to paint directly artists returned to it time and ollections of one of the most money to begin such a work, study. In 1841 he and fellow onto canvas rather than from again to paint it. enjoyable places in North and once well begun, such a artist Robert Cooke set sail to sketches in his studios like Champney contributed to Conway.” scheme could not fail of suc- Europe. many artists. He preferred to the allure of the Mount Champney was also known as cess…Before many years our Champney remained in paint directly from nature, Washington Valley. He loved a master of painting water, as wise legislators will see that for Europe until 1846. Although which gave his work freshness painting there. The scenery in well as for his use of autumnal the glory and honor of their he had previously explored the and spontaneity. the Mount Washington Valley colors. A good example is own great republic such a thing White Mountains, when he In his biography, he looked became a premier destination “Intervale, North Conway,” must be done.” returned his new artistic eye back on those years: for many artists who relished which captures the view from While Champney’s idea did found them “something more “We were delighted with the the discovery of the once North Conway that looks not materialize, he led a long than terrestrial.” Champney surrounding scenery, the wild rugged landscape now tamed toward Whitehorse and and prosperous career. On Dec. spent a short time in Boston in stretch of the intervales, broken by skillful, frugal farmers. Cathedral Ledges. Champney’s 11, 1907, Champney died in his 1846, but then returned to with well-tilled farms, the fields Artists loved the waterfalls, most favorite spot in North ornate mansion in Woburn, Europe almost at once to paint just ripening for the harvest, intervales and mountains of the Conway was Sunset Hill, which Mass, His vision of America is a panorama of the Rhine River. with the noble elms dotted Mount Washington Valley and looked down at his own house one we carry with us in our In December of 1848 he exhib- about in pretty groups…We returned again and again to and out across North Conway’s minds, and reproduce in our ited the panorama in Boston, had seen grander, higher Thompson Falls during the intervale. Many of his canvases present-day landscape. throughout New England and mountains in Switzerland, but summer of 1851. reflect prosperous farming in New York. The panorama was On the Cover Inside Index Ice Carving Champion On The Slopes Valley Folks & Focus.........Page 6 On Monday, Jan. 10, the 16th Annual Great Ice Carvers of Contributing Writer Sven Cole recently got a new Passages..............................Page 9 part-time job as “Official Ski Tester.” See what he New England International Ice Carving Competition held on Roundups...........................Page 10 the veranda of The Wentworth Inn in Jackson. Winner of the thinks about the new Rossignol Avenger 82ti. Page A24. Out & About .....................Page 13 competition was Tim Pierce of the Samoset Resort in Maine Calendar.............................Page 20 with his springlike carving of a butterfly. See Page A19. Skiing Hither and Yon Rockpile .............................Page 22 Tracks & Trails..................Page 23 (Dick Pollock/Mountain Mountain Photography) Pining for a mini-mountain of family fun? Scott Andrews enjoys a relaxing ski day at King Pine On the Slopes ....................Page 24 Resort in East Madison. Page A25 Page 2 - The Mountain Ear, Thursday, January 13, 2011 Valley Comments North Conway Library benefits from Heartfelt thanks from the Masonic Breakfast White Mountain Community To the Editor, all of their hard work and next one. The Lodge is in The North Conway Public enthusiasm. Each month the North Conway Village on Health Center Library was fortunate to be Masons host a breakfast to Main Street above the North To the Editor, So maybe this will help.” Wow, I the non-profit selected for benefit a local non-profit Conway Movie Theater and Throughout the year we did not see that one coming! I the Mt. Washington Masonic group. If you have attended Sister Crows. receive donations of food and became one of those awful Lodge's breakfast buffet in one of these delicious break- money to help the White women that little boys run away December. On behalf of the fasts you know how wonder- Sincerely, Mountain Community Health from when I scooped him up Library Board I would like to ful they are, if not...I encour- Margaret Dries Center help others. During and gave him a big old hug. extend our gratitude to the age you to enjoy breakfast out NCPL Board of Trustees November and especially That bought time so that I could Masons and their families for and show your support at the December, I felt like I was living find the best “thank you words” in the song 12 Days of for a five-year-old that just part- Christmas with different lyrics. ed with all his money. Thanks for Supporting It seemed like every day brought The Davenport Company donations from the heart. Below (Red Jacket and Fox Ridge are just some of these unexpect- Hotels) contributed $1,000 to the MGC Holiday Boutique ed and much appreciated gifts. our emergency medication To the Editor, The Conway United fund, which they kindly do each On behalf of the Mountain Methodist Church donated a year. Garden Club (MGC), I number food boxes with turkeys A couple hosted a holiday would like to thank the near Thanksgiving.