Gallery in the Garden: What Will This Summer Bring?

By Mark Okrant

Summer is a season when many spend their leisure at the shore or chasing a small white ball around a golf course. For others, this is when we can most appreciate nature’s floral bounty. In 2018, fiber artist Suzanne Connor and her flower-gardener husband, Wes Ripple, conceived of a brilliant plan to open their beautiful property for an event called Gallery in the Garden. The moniker Gallery in the Garden is entirely fitting because the couple’s pondside home has lush gardens leading down to a pond’s edge. Each year, the couple plants over five hundred annuals and maintains a large perennial garden. The concept is a brilliant one: handicraft artists present their works within the couple’s large, gorgeous garden.

As has become a tradition, handicraft and flower enthusiasts will have the opportunity to mingle at the very special event that delivers on both passions. Connor and Ripple knew they were onto something almost immediately. Despite road work, an unexpected detour, and torrential rain on that initial Saturday morning, the maiden voyage of their Gallery in the Garden was a great success. Consequently, the couple decided to make the show an annual occasion. When the group of artisans that joined them in 2019 were very well received by the public, the couple knew their event was worth continuing. Since then, only impossible-to-predict events like the pandemic and illness have stood in their way. Owing to exceptional word-of-mouth publicity, the audience has been increasing each year.

On Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, there will be display booths staffed by twelve highly skilled artisans, a number of whom have participated in this beautiful event previously. However, this year, the couple has planned a special surprise. On Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm, Steve Hancock of Appletree Nursery will be at the Gallery in the Garden to talk about plants and answer any questions. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from a very experienced grower and a self-described Plant Nerd.

In 2025, artists Judy Repp, Susan Rosten, and Nancy O’Connor will be joining returning 2024 favorites Connor and Ripple, plus Joy Raskin, Genevieve Groesbeck, R.P. Hale, Amy Schwartz, Diane Louise Paul, and Eric Kalwarczxk. As a first, these artisans will be accompanied in the Gallery by a New Hampshire mystery writer, Mark Okrant.

Attendees are encouraged to purchase a perfect piece from the available array of fine crafts, and take the opportunity to meet the most talented group of artists the hosts could gather. And, while you’re on the Northfield property, don’t forget to take a peaceful walk among the pondside gardens of annuals and perennials, then enjoy a cold drink on the deck. There are other surprises, not the least of which is listening to the birds and bees while keeping an eye out for bald eagles, great blue herons, and hawks.

Asked to define what makes Gallery in the Garden special, Connor was quick to offer: “To complement our outstanding flowers, we look for a certain type of artisan.” Here is a list—

The host artists:

Suzanne Connor is a 4th-generation NH fiber artist who creates a collection of textile sea creatures. Inspired by a magical friend, Christina's Ocean is a collection of sea life whose inhabitants are made using an original technique developed by the artist. Suzanne’s work is found on six continents.

Wes Ripple is an award-winning New Hampshire wood carver specializing in realistic songbirds, spirit feathers, and feather pins. Wes was awarded two blue ribbons at the Ward World Championship Carving Competition in 2016. One of the highlights of any artisan show is watching him work.

The invited artists:

Joy Raskin is considered one of New Hampshire's top metalsmiths. She strives to make designs that are unusual, timeless, and substantial in feeling or weight, whether jewelry, cutlery, or accessories.

Her work is included in many collections, including the White House and Smithsonian.

Genevieve Groebeck’s travels abroad have influenced the shape, form, and color of her work. From the English countryside to Turkey, on land and beneath the sea, multicultural ceramic traditions have made their imprint on her hand-formed pieces.

Sue Weller keeps art alive by working with local artists in painting (watercolor and acrylic), drawing, clay sculpture, and pottery. Today, she is making pottery full time. She finds a deep connection with clay and form and loves producing functional art for all to enjoy.

R.P. Hale is a musician, wood engraver, harpsichordist, organist, and builder of early keyboard instruments and period-design hammer dulcimers. His work is included in the White House, the Vatican Museum, the Smithsonian, and the Louvre.

Amy Schwartz is a full-time registered nurse working in a busy hospital. She creates ethereal, dreamy landscapes and florals in alcohol inks that calm your spirit, taking you to a magic place that quiets your mind.

Diane Louise Paul’s skilled workmanship and use of heritage techniques to produce leather goods have earned her a spot as one of Early American Life magazine's Top Traditional American Craftsmen (pre-Civil War, museum quality craft) for 16 years in a row.

Eric Kalwarczyk’s work has segued from cabinetmaking to architectural birdhouses, and Eric's fine woodworking skills are blended perfectly with his love of nature, art, woodworking, architecture, and design.

Judy Repp, a 30-year Visual Director for Macy’s, her longtime love of working with stained glass evolved into a passionate endeavor. Clean lines, vibrant colors, endless textures, and contrasts are her signature.

Susan Rosten experiments with fused glass, trying to capture the luminosity, transparency, and radiance of light. “Shimmerling,” Susan’s collection of fused glass art, includes pieces for the home and garden.

Nancy O’Connor keeps the traditional craft of handweaving alive. Each textile is designed and woven on large floor looms in her mountainside studio.

Mark Okrant’s niche in the world of mystery writing is to place his investigators in a position to work crime scenes at popular tourism properties—hotels, villages, and attractions—that attract the reader to both the conundrum and the setting.

Situated at 148 Sandogardy Pond Road in Northfield, this year’s Gallery in the Garden will be held on Saturday, July 26,  from 10 am-5 pm, and on Sunday, July 27, from 10 am-4 pm. An excellent set of directions is provided at suzanneconnor.com. Come and enjoy this special experience.