Museum of Art, UNH presents Impact: 2020 Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant from the New Ham

Impact presents works of art by Carl Austin Hyatt, the 2020 award recipient, and Shaina Gates and Jocelyn Toffic ’07 finalists of the prestigious Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.  The grant recognizes the contributions of working artists to the cultural life of the region by providing an annual financial award of $25,000 to support the artistic growth of artists and craftspeople. It is designed to help in the development of an artist’s career, providing unrestricted financial assistance to meet the needs of artists to advance their studio practice. The award is also intended to inspire philanthropy by encouraging others to support artists living and working in our community as well as the many local arts organizations that present the visual arts to the public.

Portsmouth photographer and award winner Carl Austin Hyatt is known for his large-format gelatin silver and platinum prints of landscapes and portraits. Over 35 years ago, photographing the rocky coastline of New Hampshire is what drew Hyatt to the area. Hyatt’s extensive travel to Peru and South Africa taught him about the sacred quality of stone while studying with indigenous cultures, in particular shamans who worked to tap the healing and spiritual qualities of stones. Hyatt began photographing his collection of stones in the late ’90s but since then, his collection has grown. This award allowed Hyatt to spend uninterrupted time exploring the palpable connection he feels with stones and producing images to capture that invisible essence. Hyatt says “It is not hard to photograph a stone. What’s more difficult is to create a work of art where the essence of that stone starts to speak to other people or to reveal itself. At my age and with the amount of time I’ve spent contemplating this body of work, I am particularly ready to bring it to fruition.”

Shaina Gates’, Exeter, NH, works are unique camera-less photograms. Gates uses only sunlight and the manipulated paper itself to create the image; without the use of negatives, darkroom technology, digital tools, or the objects of traditional photogrammetry. Gates says, “This work is reflective of my ongoing interest in the rendering of images across surfaces, systematized processes, and theories related to dimensionality and the organization of space. I’m particularly interested in the way a plane of paper is able to           demonstrate these ideas.” 

Jocelyn Toffic ’07 Dover, NH, is a figurative narrative artist working mainly in oil, although she dabbles in mixed media assemblages, video, and live/dead animal installations. Toffic received her BA degree from the University of New Hampshire. Her most recent focus is a large-scale series working title Through Dangers Untold. This series has been ongoing since 2009. This body of work makes its own mythology but was based heavily on an academic level study of world mythologies with a focus on the teachings of Joseph Campbell and Nordic Mythology (specifically the prose Edda of the Icelandic Sagas). These large tapestry-like narrations allude to great battles between men and monsters and children. It is a series born of plots unknown, deep mysteries that respond to questions with only more questions.

Additional programs will include a virtual artist talk with Carl Austin Hyatt, April 21, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. The conversation will include Hyatt’s works on view and his studio practice register here. In collaboration with the Art & Art History Department, a virtual Alumni artist talk with Jocelyn Toffic and Tuesday, April 27, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., attend talk with Zoom link. And on Wednesday, May 5, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. a virtual artist talk with take place with finalist Shaina Gates, register here.

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is New Hampshire’s statewide community foundation, founded in 1962 by and for the people of New Hampshire. The Foundation manages a growing collection of more than 2,000 funds created by generous individuals, families, and businesses, and award nearly $47 million in grants and scholarships every year. Working with generous and visionary citizens to maximize the power of their giving, support great work happening in our communities, and lead and collaborate on high-impact initiatives. 

All programs are free and open to the public. Impact and accompanying programs are supported by Friends of the Museum of Art and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
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