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Heart-to-Heart Profile:
Chrysalis Farm
Studio & Gallery
129 Westport Village Road
Swanzey, NH 03446
Mary Ryan email
603-352-7878
Fine art...
by local New England artisans
Chrysalis Farm Studio & Gallery is located in the rural countryside of
southwestern New Hampshire. It features over 30 local artists who work in a
variety of medium, including paintings, drawings, pottery, jewelry,
woodworking, woodcarvings, glassware, stained glass, textile art, fiber art,
sculpture, photography and hand-painted antiques. The gallery has a popular
Web store.
The Heart of New England recently spoke with Chrysalis Farm's owner,
manager and resident artist, Mary Ryan, about her gallery and her life in New
Hampshire.
Your art gallery is in a small town outside of Keene, NH. Tell us why you
wanted to create an art gallery in this particular location.
My husband and I moved to Swanzey, NH in 2002 after we traveled here from
Virginia and fell in love with the rural character of the town. I'm originally from
the northern part of New Hampshire, and I missed the snow, the four seasons,
and the lifestyle that is unique to this part of the world. While my husband,
Will, grew up outside of Washington, DC, it only took one trip to New
Hampshire for me to convince him to come back here to live with me.
We were totally charmed by the Westport Village part of West Swanzey, which
is where we now live and work, and where we created and opened the Chrysalis
Farm Gallery in September of 2007, located in our converted historic barn.
What inspired you to create an art gallery?
Will and I have both been creative people and involved to one degree or another
in the arts all of our lives. I have been painting since I was five years old, and
Will has dabbled in many art forms, but he is most talented in working with
wood. We had careers in the medical and psychiatric and substance abuse
counseling fields before we moved to New Hampshire. We are now dedicated
full-time to Chrysalis Farm Gallery.
When we moved to the Monadnock Region, I immediately noticed the lack of
resources and venues for artists. I have always been one to look for arts and
culture places and things to do when I travel, and that need became an
unquenchable thirst after I moved to Swanzey.
But there is no lack of talent here. To the contrary! This area is teeming with
talent. The only thing missing was a strong gallery dedicated to promoting area
artists and artisans. I was so convinced it had to happen that I decided to open
an art gallery myself.
Your gallery is in a historic 1850s barn cellar. Could you give us a little bit of
history about this property and the village you are located in?
Until about fifty years ago, Westport Village was independent of Swanzey, and
was a bustling little place. There were many businesses here that thrived along
the Ashuelot River and along Westport Village Road, which was once a primary
travel route to reach nearby larger cities.
My house and its attached three-story barn was once an inn for travelers passing
through. The house also served as the neighborhood smokehouse at one time,
and as the parsonage to the Westport Village Church just down the street. We
also learned recently that our house was a secret safe stop for the Underground
Railroad that assisted runaway slaves in getting safely to Canada. Our barn is a
legacy to the agricultural past of Westport Village. Driving through here is like
stepping back in time.
Tell us what it took to transform the run-down farm into an art gallery.
When we bought the farmhouse in 2002 the property was in dire need of being
rescued. The house and barn had been sorely neglected for over thirty years. It
took six years to restore the buildings and the land, with the last portion being
the conversion of the barn into the business. The entire first floor of the barn is
now the art gallery with a wood working studio for my husband on the rear
perimeter. My office and art studio are located on the second level of the barn,
which also has some residential space in it as well.
We saved a small portion of barn near the main front entrance, along with the
barn loft level, just so we can still say we have a real barn! Besides, we New
Englanders need a place to park our snow blowers!
Tell us about the artists you feature in your gallery and Web site.
At Chrysalis Farm Gallery we have over thirty
artists and artisans who are fully contracted with
the gallery, and their work is exhibited both in
the barn gallery and on our web store gallery.
We also have other artists and artisans who just
have a small collection shown at the gallery, but
not on the web. In the barn gallery we exhibit
a total of over 40 artists and artisans, six days
a week, year round, except for holidays. All of
our artists and artisans live within an hour-drive
of the gallery in Swanzey; they come from
Vermont, Massachusetts, and various parts of
southwestern New Hampshire.
Our goal is to promote the local talent that is so
abundant here. We represent many well-
established professional artists who work from
studios in nearby towns. We also have many who have been artists for years,
and even taught art at various levels, but they are less known because they have
not had a gallery here to promote them. Then there are several emerging artists
that we have taken under our wing because we believe in them and in their
talent.
What are the criteria for selecting the artwork that make it into your gallery and
Web site?
My husband and I jury the artists and artisans. It is a very involved process.
First we take a quick look at the examples they send with their inquiries. We
then meet with them directly to see the larger portfolios of their work in person.
I ask them what part of their work are they most passionate about, and what
direction they want to go in with their art. I also assess their ability to work with
the gallery on a business level.
Each artist has to be responsible for their part of the business relationship. Not
every artist is ready for that, even if they are very talented. They have to
commit. The process evolves from there, and together we pick the work from
the portfolios, then we choose when they will be exhibited. The exhibits rotate
in the barn gallery periodically. We also feature different artists each month
from the larger group.
What makes your art gallery unique?
The location of Westport Village gives Chrysalis Farm Gallery a great deal of
character and charm, and it is a wonderful travel destination with great B&B’s
nearby and gorgeous scenery to enjoy. The barn cellar space is beautiful for an
art gallery, especially the room with the thirty-five foot long original stone wall.
The customers love it, and the art looks dramatic against it. We also made it a
point to gather a very diverse group of artists and an equally diverse collection
of artwork, so any patron of the arts will see something they feel attracted to.
It is also appealing to customers that they can view the art online from home,
then come to see the gallery in person. Most of our customers do that. When
people want to see a specific piece, they call first to be certain it is on exhibit, or I
make arrangements for them to see the work through the artist.
Who purchases the gallery’s art and what kind of artwork is most popular?
Our customers come from as near as
down the road to as far away as Texas,
Florida, Canada, Scotland, and Saudi
Arabia. We have international traffic
on our Web store gallery and also in
the barn gallery, because tourists come
here to explore the southwestern
New Hampshire area.
The most popular paintings are the
landscapes done in oil, but when
customers see some of the figure
work and portraits, they adore them. Some customers are excited by the
contemporary pieces in casein, watercolor, or acrylic. We are seeing a broad
spectrum of tastes in our customers. Among the artisan items, the jewelry and
woodworking seem to enjoy the most admiration, while others fall for the
pottery, sculpture, copper enamels, stained glass, hand weaving, and the
photography.
What is the most unique piece you have sold so far?
The copper enamel art panels and pendants by Deb Crowder have been
extremely popular, and I have not seen anything quite like them anywhere,
including on the web, and I have searched!
Tell us a little about the area in New Hampshire where your business is
located.
Chrysalis Farm Gallery sits in the heart of Westport Village in Swanzey, NH,
which is well know for it’s preserved open spaces and bucolic rural character.
Colonial architecture is everywhere, and history has been very much preserved.
There are four covered bridges in Swanzey, and one is right up the road from
the gallery.
What are some “can’t miss” attractions in the area?
If I were traveling her from elsewhere, I’d be sure to take the “Covered Bridges
Tour” and visit the “Swanzey Historical Museum.” It closes in the winter but is
still open by appointment.
I would also recommend a visit to the “Knotty Pine Antiques” gallery just
minutes from our art gallery. They are among the best antiques places in New
England.
I recommend staying at The Bridges Inn or The Tartan Fox, two fabulous B&B’s
here in Swanzey. If travelers have children, they might want to stay at the East
Hill Inn and Farm in nearby Troy, NH, where kids are welcome and parents can
get a rest.
For restaurants, I recommend Lucas Mediterranean Café in nearby Keene, NH.
For activities, there's apple picking in the fall and cross country skiing in winter,
hiking Mount Monadnock in the summer, and visiting Rhododendron State
Park at peak bloom, which is quite magical.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working at the gallery?
I spend a great deal of time with my three-year-old son playing outside and
making art in my studio. He is being raised with the arts. We also walk our two
rescued greyhounds, Isis and Brigid, daily in the neighborhood. We spend as
much time as we can gardening on our property and building new flower beds
each year. We love to visit Swanzey Lake in the summer and hike on nearby
Franklin Mountain in spring and fall. Since living here we have also enjoyed
seeing live performances in nearby Keene, and day trips to outlying towns and
cities to shop, eat, and explore. In the winter we often travel further north to
Lincoln, NH for a week of downhill skiing.
Click here to learn more about Chrysalis Farm & Gallery.
Chrysalis Farm
Studio & Gallery
129 Westport Village Road
Swanzey, NH 03446
Mary Ryan email
603-352-7878
Fine art...
by local New England artisans
Chrysalis Farm Studio & Gallery is located in the rural countryside of
southwestern New Hampshire. It features over 30 local artists who work in a
variety of medium, including paintings, drawings, pottery, jewelry,
woodworking, woodcarvings, glassware, stained glass, textile art, fiber art,
sculpture, photography and hand-painted antiques. The gallery has a popular
Web store.
The Heart of New England recently spoke with Chrysalis Farm's owner,
manager and resident artist, Mary Ryan, about her gallery and her life in New
Hampshire.
Your art gallery is in a small town outside of Keene, NH. Tell us why you
wanted to create an art gallery in this particular location.
My husband and I moved to Swanzey, NH in 2002 after we traveled here from
Virginia and fell in love with the rural character of the town. I'm originally from
the northern part of New Hampshire, and I missed the snow, the four seasons,
and the lifestyle that is unique to this part of the world. While my husband,
Will, grew up outside of Washington, DC, it only took one trip to New
Hampshire for me to convince him to come back here to live with me.
We were totally charmed by the Westport Village part of West Swanzey, which
is where we now live and work, and where we created and opened the Chrysalis
Farm Gallery in September of 2007, located in our converted historic barn.
What inspired you to create an art gallery?
Will and I have both been creative people and involved to one degree or another
in the arts all of our lives. I have been painting since I was five years old, and
Will has dabbled in many art forms, but he is most talented in working with
wood. We had careers in the medical and psychiatric and substance abuse
counseling fields before we moved to New Hampshire. We are now dedicated
full-time to Chrysalis Farm Gallery.
When we moved to the Monadnock Region, I immediately noticed the lack of
resources and venues for artists. I have always been one to look for arts and
culture places and things to do when I travel, and that need became an
unquenchable thirst after I moved to Swanzey.
But there is no lack of talent here. To the contrary! This area is teeming with
talent. The only thing missing was a strong gallery dedicated to promoting area
artists and artisans. I was so convinced it had to happen that I decided to open
an art gallery myself.
Your gallery is in a historic 1850s barn cellar. Could you give us a little bit of
history about this property and the village you are located in?
Until about fifty years ago, Westport Village was independent of Swanzey, and
was a bustling little place. There were many businesses here that thrived along
the Ashuelot River and along Westport Village Road, which was once a primary
travel route to reach nearby larger cities.
My house and its attached three-story barn was once an inn for travelers passing
through. The house also served as the neighborhood smokehouse at one time,
and as the parsonage to the Westport Village Church just down the street. We
also learned recently that our house was a secret safe stop for the Underground
Railroad that assisted runaway slaves in getting safely to Canada. Our barn is a
legacy to the agricultural past of Westport Village. Driving through here is like
stepping back in time.
Tell us what it took to transform the run-down farm into an art gallery.
When we bought the farmhouse in 2002 the property was in dire need of being
rescued. The house and barn had been sorely neglected for over thirty years. It
took six years to restore the buildings and the land, with the last portion being
the conversion of the barn into the business. The entire first floor of the barn is
now the art gallery with a wood working studio for my husband on the rear
perimeter. My office and art studio are located on the second level of the barn,
which also has some residential space in it as well.
We saved a small portion of barn near the main front entrance, along with the
barn loft level, just so we can still say we have a real barn! Besides, we New
Englanders need a place to park our snow blowers!
Tell us about the artists you feature in your gallery and Web site.
At Chrysalis Farm Gallery we have over thirty
artists and artisans who are fully contracted with
the gallery, and their work is exhibited both in
the barn gallery and on our web store gallery.
We also have other artists and artisans who just
have a small collection shown at the gallery, but
not on the web. In the barn gallery we exhibit
a total of over 40 artists and artisans, six days
a week, year round, except for holidays. All of
our artists and artisans live within an hour-drive
of the gallery in Swanzey; they come from
Vermont, Massachusetts, and various parts of
southwestern New Hampshire.
Our goal is to promote the local talent that is so
abundant here. We represent many well-
established professional artists who work from
studios in nearby towns. We also have many who have been artists for years,
and even taught art at various levels, but they are less known because they have
not had a gallery here to promote them. Then there are several emerging artists
that we have taken under our wing because we believe in them and in their
talent.
What are the criteria for selecting the artwork that make it into your gallery and
Web site?
My husband and I jury the artists and artisans. It is a very involved process.
First we take a quick look at the examples they send with their inquiries. We
then meet with them directly to see the larger portfolios of their work in person.
I ask them what part of their work are they most passionate about, and what
direction they want to go in with their art. I also assess their ability to work with
the gallery on a business level.
Each artist has to be responsible for their part of the business relationship. Not
every artist is ready for that, even if they are very talented. They have to
commit. The process evolves from there, and together we pick the work from
the portfolios, then we choose when they will be exhibited. The exhibits rotate
in the barn gallery periodically. We also feature different artists each month
from the larger group.
What makes your art gallery unique?
The location of Westport Village gives Chrysalis Farm Gallery a great deal of
character and charm, and it is a wonderful travel destination with great B&B’s
nearby and gorgeous scenery to enjoy. The barn cellar space is beautiful for an
art gallery, especially the room with the thirty-five foot long original stone wall.
The customers love it, and the art looks dramatic against it. We also made it a
point to gather a very diverse group of artists and an equally diverse collection
of artwork, so any patron of the arts will see something they feel attracted to.
It is also appealing to customers that they can view the art online from home,
then come to see the gallery in person. Most of our customers do that. When
people want to see a specific piece, they call first to be certain it is on exhibit, or I
make arrangements for them to see the work through the artist.
Who purchases the gallery’s art and what kind of artwork is most popular?
Our customers come from as near as
down the road to as far away as Texas,
Florida, Canada, Scotland, and Saudi
Arabia. We have international traffic
on our Web store gallery and also in
the barn gallery, because tourists come
here to explore the southwestern
New Hampshire area.
The most popular paintings are the
landscapes done in oil, but when
customers see some of the figure
work and portraits, they adore them. Some customers are excited by the
contemporary pieces in casein, watercolor, or acrylic. We are seeing a broad
spectrum of tastes in our customers. Among the artisan items, the jewelry and
woodworking seem to enjoy the most admiration, while others fall for the
pottery, sculpture, copper enamels, stained glass, hand weaving, and the
photography.
What is the most unique piece you have sold so far?
The copper enamel art panels and pendants by Deb Crowder have been
extremely popular, and I have not seen anything quite like them anywhere,
including on the web, and I have searched!
Tell us a little about the area in New Hampshire where your business is
located.
Chrysalis Farm Gallery sits in the heart of Westport Village in Swanzey, NH,
which is well know for it’s preserved open spaces and bucolic rural character.
Colonial architecture is everywhere, and history has been very much preserved.
There are four covered bridges in Swanzey, and one is right up the road from
the gallery.
What are some “can’t miss” attractions in the area?
If I were traveling her from elsewhere, I’d be sure to take the “Covered Bridges
Tour” and visit the “Swanzey Historical Museum.” It closes in the winter but is
still open by appointment.
I would also recommend a visit to the “Knotty Pine Antiques” gallery just
minutes from our art gallery. They are among the best antiques places in New
England.
I recommend staying at The Bridges Inn or The Tartan Fox, two fabulous B&B’s
here in Swanzey. If travelers have children, they might want to stay at the East
Hill Inn and Farm in nearby Troy, NH, where kids are welcome and parents can
get a rest.
For restaurants, I recommend Lucas Mediterranean Café in nearby Keene, NH.
For activities, there's apple picking in the fall and cross country skiing in winter,
hiking Mount Monadnock in the summer, and visiting Rhododendron State
Park at peak bloom, which is quite magical.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working at the gallery?
I spend a great deal of time with my three-year-old son playing outside and
making art in my studio. He is being raised with the arts. We also walk our two
rescued greyhounds, Isis and Brigid, daily in the neighborhood. We spend as
much time as we can gardening on our property and building new flower beds
each year. We love to visit Swanzey Lake in the summer and hike on nearby
Franklin Mountain in spring and fall. Since living here we have also enjoyed
seeing live performances in nearby Keene, and day trips to outlying towns and
cities to shop, eat, and explore. In the winter we often travel further north to
Lincoln, NH for a week of downhill skiing.
Click here to learn more about Chrysalis Farm & Gallery.
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