Gingerbread House Contest Registration Ends 11/18

Gingerbread House Contest Registration Ends 11/18

by | Nov 10, 2022 | News

Registration for the 32nd Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition closes 11/18

Gingerbread is back for 2022! Once again, we’re filling our galleries and downtown shop windows with sweet holiday goodness!

The 2022 theme is: fictional places and characters. We are inviting the gingerbreadologisits of Portsmouth and beyond to craft your favorite fictional places and characters —edible materials only, of course!

Register by November 18 to participate.

Upcoming “Show + Tell” Workshop, Lecture, and Curator Tours

Read, Discover, and Draw
Sunday, November 13, 10-11 am

Join us for a fun morning with children’s book illustrator, Gina Perry! Ages 5+

Curator Tours November 16 & December 7, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Get behind-the-scenes insights from “Show + Tell” curator, Tess Feltes.

Show + Tell Curator Tour

Book Illustration Process Thursday, November 17, 6:30-7:30 pm

Join two of the artists featured in “Show + Tell,” Jill Weber and Ryan O’Rourke, for a lively discussion about the process of illustrating a book.

Ongoing ExhibitionS

Show+ Tell Exhibition featuring Greater Seacoast Illustrators. Image has a green background and several characters featured in these illustrated books below.
“Show + Tell,” our celebration of the depth and breadth of local children’s picturebook illustrators opens Friday, October 28, with an opening reception the previous evening (Thursday, October 27) from 5:30-7:30pm. It’s open to the public, and we have many of the publications for sale in the shop that could be signed by the illustrators!
Winter pastel image with exhibition title overlay

It’s Pastel!, the 14th annual national juried exhibition of the Pastel Society of New Hampshire, opened Saturday, October 22!

Upcoming Events

John Paul Jones House open Veterans Day.
The JPJ House will be open 11am-3pm on November 11, and admission is FREE!
Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth written on a golden ornament
Vintage Christmas Kickoff Party
Join us on Friday, December 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 to celebrate the season!

Gift Shop Spotlight

History. Arts. Culture.

Upcoming “Show + Tell” Workshop, Lecture, and Curator Tours

Upcoming “Show + Tell” Workshop, Lecture, and Curator Tours

by | Nov 3, 2022 | News

Upcoming “Show + Tell” Workshops and Lecture

Read, Discover, and Draw
Sunday, November 13, 10-11 am

Join us for a fun morning with children’s book illustrator, Gina Perry! Ages 5+

Curator Tours
November 16 & December 7,
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Get behind-the-scenes insights from “Show + Tell” curator, Tess Feltes.

Show + Tell Curator Tour

Book Illustration Process
Thursday, November 17, 6:30-7:30 pm

Join two of the artists featured in “Show + Tell,” Jill Weber and Ryan O’Rourke, for a lively discussion about the process of illustrating a book.

Gingerbread is back for 2022! Once again, we’re filling our galleries and downtown shop windows with sweet holiday goodness!

The 2022 theme is: fictional places and characters. We are inviting the gingerbreadologisits of Portsmouth and beyond to craft your favorite fictional places and characters —edible materials only, of course!

Register by November 18 to participate.

Ongoing ExhibitionS

Show+ Tell Exhibition featuring Greater Seacoast Illustrators. Image has a green background and several characters featured in these illustrated books below.
“Show + Tell,” our celebration of the depth and breadth of local children’s picturebook illustrators opens Friday, October 28, with an opening reception the previous evening (Thursday, October 27) from 5:30-7:30pm. It’s open to the public, and we have many of the publications for sale in the shop that could be signed by the illustrators!
Winter pastel image with exhibition title overlay

It’s Pastel!, the 14th annual national juried exhibition of the Pastel Society of New Hampshire, opened Saturday, October 22!

Upcoming Events

Outline of a Historic door with a transom window above, two columns flanking, and an ornate pediment caping the door. Writing says Portsmouth Advocated 2022 Awards.
Portsmouth Advocates Awards Ceremony

Save the date for the Advocates Award Ceremony, Wednesday, November 9 at 5 pm.

John Paul Jones House open Veterans Day.

The JPJ House will be open 11am-3pm on November 11, and admission is FREE!

Art ‘Round Town November 4

We’ll be open until 8pm on November 4th for Art ‘Round Town! Stop by after work to see “Show + Tell” and “It’s Pastel!”

Gift Shop Spotlight

History. Arts. Culture.

Show + Tell Exhibition Opens

Show + Tell Exhibition Opens

by | Oct 27, 2022 | News

New Exhibition Opening

“Show + Tell,” our celebration of the depth and breadth of local children’s picturebook illustrators opens Friday, October 28, with an opening reception the previous evening (Thursday, October 27) from 5:30-7:30pm. It’s open to the public, and we have many of the publications for sale in the shop that could be signed by the illustrators!

Upcoming “Show + Tell” Workshops and Lecture

Drawing from Nature
Thursday, November 3, 5:30-7:30 pm

Join Susan Spellman for an interactive workshop on drawing from nature! Ages 10 and up, all skill levels welcome!

Read, Discover, and Draw
Sunday, November 13, 10-11 am

Join us for a fun morning with children’s book illustrator, Gina Perry! Ages 5+

Book Illustration Process
Thursday, November 17, 6:30-7:30 pm

Join two of the artists featured in “Show + Tell,” Jill Weber and Ryan O’Rourke, for a lively discussion about the process of illustrating a book.

Gingerbread is back for 2022! Once again, we’re filling our galleries and downtown shop windows with sweet holiday goodness!

The 2022 theme is: fictional places and characters. We are inviting the gingerbreadologisits of Portsmouth and beyond to craft your favorite fictional places and characters —edible materials only, of course!

Register by November 18 to participate.

Ongoing Exhibition

Winter pastel image with exhibition title overlay

It’s Pastel!, the 14th annual national juried exhibition of the Pastel Society of New Hampshire, opened Saturday, October 22!

Upcoming Events

Walking Tours end for the season on October 31.

This is the perfect season for a walking tour with all the beautiful foliage. Remember, if you can’t get to any of our regularly scheduled tours, you can always book a private tour by emailing Robin, our tour manager!

John Paul Jones House open Veterans Day.

The JPJ House will be open 11am-3pm on November 11, and admission is FREE!

Art ‘Round Town November 4

We’ll be open until 8pm on November 4th for Art ‘Round Town! Stop by after work to see “Show + Tell” and “It’s Pastel!”

History. Arts. Culture.

Show + Tell: Greater Seacoast Illustrators

Show + Tell: Greater Seacoast Illustrators

by | Oct 4, 2022 | Past Exhibitions

October 28–December 30, 2022

Celebrating contemporary children’s picturebook illustrators of the greater Seacoast Region

Carey Armstrong Ellis • Jeannie Brett • Jane Cowen-Fletcher • Ken Daley • Rebecca Dudley • Timothy Basil Ering • Kim Ferreira  • Josie James • Marty Kelley • Scott Magoon • David McPhail • Hazel Mitchell • Ryan O’Rourke • Gina Perry • AJ Smith • Susan Spellman • Robert Squier • Nicole Tadgell • Jill Weber • Teri Weidner

Armstrong-Ellis, Carey. I Love You More than Moldy Ham. New York, Abrams Books For Young Readers, 2015.

Carey Armstrong-Ellis

“I Love You More than Moldy Ham started out as a Mother’s Day story. My editor at Abrams suggested that I write something gross and icky that would appeal to boys as well as girls. ‘I can do that!’ I said.”

Jeannie Brett

“When I illustrate a book, I have a process of getting to know as much as I can about my subject before digging into the art in depth.”

Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, and Jeannie Brett. Decorated Horses. Watertown, Ma, Charlesbridge, 2015.

Cowen-Fletcher, Jane. Baby Be Kind. Somerville, Ma, Candlewick Press, 2013.

Jane Cowen-Fletcher

“A picture book, especially a board book, is for the newest humans.  I wanted to provide an appealing guide for them that showed what kindness is and that it feels good to give.”

Ken Daley

“Joseph’s memories of dancing with his grandma and the sights, sounds and smells of his home in East Africa reminds me of my travel to Dominica to connect with our family and culture.”

 

Farish, Terry and OD Bonny. Feast for Joseph. Groundwood Books Ltd, 2021.

Dudley, Rebecca. Hank Finds an Egg. White Plains, New York, Peter Pauper Press, Inc, 2013.

Rebecca Dudley

“Like most illustrators, I start with an image in my head and make sketches. Unlike most illustrators, I then build a place for my idea to live.”

Timothy Basil Ering

“My passions for creating images, fishing, the ocean, outdoors hunting and gathering, and making time to experience people, places, and things are so great, and feel so good when I share it all with others.”

Kim Ferreira

Kim calls this series “Joie de Vivre”, the French term used to describe the exuberant enjoyment of life.

Josie James

“The moment I stumbled upon the story of Marie Tharp I was fascinated. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t know anything about her discovery of the Mid-Ocean Ridge and Rift Valley. I grabbed my notebook and pen and dove into months of research.”

James, Josie. Marie’s Ocean : Marie Tharp Maps the Mountains under the Sea. New York, Henry Holt And Company, 2020.

Kelley, Marty. Experiment #256. Ann Arbor, Mi, Sleeping Bear Press, 2019.

Marty Kelley

“I‘ve been told I’m young at heart, which I suspect is a polite way of saying ‘immature’. I write things that I think are funny. Generally, there is a pretty wide overlap between my sense of humor and that of the average kid.”

Scott Magoon

“I love putting words and pictures together to tell stories for young readers that may be slightly edgy, funny, or about serious topics difficult to face. But all of them have a singular core message: hope that all will be well.”

Magoon, Scott. Linus the Little Yellow Pencil. Los Angeles ; New York, Disney Hyperion, 2019.

Mcphail, David. I Feel Safe. New York, Holiday House, 2022.

David McPhail

“I was inspired to write this story from my wife’s childhood experience with thunderstorms. She was deeply afraid until her father comforted her and convinced her to join him on the front porch.  Sitting on her father’s lap, her fear lessened and became a fascination with the wonders of thunder and lightning”

Hazel Mitchell

“The most wonderful thing happened after the book had been published. I received photographs of children from a Maasai tribe reading the book. They looked and dressed just like Imani!”

Brown-Wood, Janay, et al. Imani’s Moon. Solon, Ohio, Findaway World, Llc, 2019.

Julia Marie Richardson, and Ryan O’rourke. Let’s Build a Little Train. Ann Arbor, Mi, Sleeping Bear Press, 2022.

Ryan O’Rourke

“Creating a book is a highly collaborative effort that involves multiple people sharing their expertise. This process is mirrored by the team in Let’s Build a Little Train that comes together to build the stream engine.”

Gina Perry

“I acknowledge that I am mostly a Moe. I like a tidy workspace, quiet games, and orderly rows of toy cars. However, when I sit down to make art I channel the colorful energy and fun of Peanut.”

Perry, Gina. Too Much! Not Enough! Toronto, Tundra Books, An Imprint Of Penguin Random House, 2018.

Smith, A J. Tea Time for Dinosaurs. Sourcebooks, Incorporated, 2022.

AJ Smith

“I love telling stories about dinosaurs just as much as drawing them!”

Susan Spellman

“Before creating the illustrations for Satchi and Little Star, I traveled to the island of Grand Turk where the story takes place,.It was  wonderful to see firsthand the many horses, donkeys, and dogs that freely roam the island.”

Donna Marie Seim, and Susan Spellman. Satchi and Little Star. Portsmouth, Nh Peter Randall Pub, 2011.

Robert Squier, Lil’ Library, 2018. Digital.

Robert Squier

“I am an illustrator of dinosaurs and things that are not dinosaurs. I’ve illustrated several nonfiction chapter books (among other books) and I enjoy drawing whimsical creatures getting in—or out of—trouble.”

Nicole Tadgell

“I want readers to take away from this story is a sense of connection with the past―to appreciate that kids are kids, no matter the time period. There is always kindness, connection, and empathy.”

Trinka Hakes Noble, and Nicole Tadgell. A Fist for Joe Louis and Me. Ann Arbor, Mi, Sleeping Bear Press, 2019.

Salamon, Julie, and Jill Weber. Cat in the City. New York, Dial Books For Young Readers, An Imprint Of Penguin Group (Usa) Llc, 2014.

Jill Weber

“Cat in the City was a wonderful project that grew from an article in the Village Voice about a feisty stray cat who won everyone’s heart, and in doing so brought together an entire neighborhood.”

Teri Weidner

“During my childhood in Fairport, New York, I was always the kid hunched over my desk with a big mess of crayons. The apex of my artistic career came early, when at 9 years, I won both first and third prize in an Easter egg decorating contest judged by my classmates.”

Weidner, Teri. Always Twins. New York, Holiday House, 2015.

32nd Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition

32nd Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition

by | Sep 13, 2022 | Past Exhibitions

Exhibition Extended Through December 30

Holiday hours, 10am–4pm

FREE for everyone!

Open until 8pm Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3.

Are you ready for sweater weather?

Gingerbread is back for 2022! Join us at Portsmouth Historical Society as we celebrate this sweet season with the 32nd Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition from November 25 through December 22 at the Portsmouth Historical Society’s Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center.
Downtown Scavenger Hunt
Voting & Awards
Raffle Houses
Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth

Escape into a World of Fiction

To go along with our exhibition featuring greater Seacoast children’s picturebook illustrators, “Show + Tell,” we invited the gingerbreadologisits of Portsmouth and beyond to craft their favorite fictional places and characters. This year’s exhibition is filled with beloved charcters, magical castles, and storybook holiday favorites.

Now through December 22!

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Judges’ Awards

With so many fasntastic entries this year we do not envy the judge’s job. Thank you to all our judges for their hard work!

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    Judges from Kennebunk Savings at the 2022 Gingerbread Contest.

    Judges from Kennebunk Savings Bank

    Adult Category

    The winner is Elena Trunfio’s Magical Mushroom Cottage

    Our adult category is always full of fantastic entries and this year was no exception!

    Honorable mention in both the Adult Category and for Best in Show goes to Hagrid’s Hut by Izzi and Hannah

    Multi-Generational Category

    It’s all about the magic you can create when working together in the multi-generational category.

    Frank Krupp and Ariana Incollingo’s Tangled Christmas towered above the competition and won the category.

    An Old House in Paris by Aunt Kathy Brown and the La Croix Kddos with their twelve little girls in two straight lines receieves an honorable mention.

    Teen Category

    Our teen category entrants were hard at work leveling up their masterpieces!

    The Ravenpuffs’ Hogwarts Express

    Kuzco’s Palace and Pacha’s Hut by Natalie Little

    Youth Category

    We always love seeing what our 12-and-under category choose to build. This year’s entries pull from storybook classics like the Three Little Pigs, epic fantasy such as the Hobbit, and the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. 

    Biblo’s Hobbit Hole by Rachel Little

    Santa’s Surf Shack by Cole Dinulos

    Business or Organization Category

    The Merchantile Portsmouth‘s Gnomeland may be decorated in all white treats, but they take home the blue winners ribbon.

    After announcing their summer 2023 show as Little Shop of Horror’s Prescott Park Arts Festival‘s entry takes home an honorable mention.

    Best In Show

    Our Judge’s Choice Best in Show winner is Lindsay Carroll’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears. With decorative details from the story on all sides of the gingerbread house still photos weren’t enough to capture all the tiny details.

    Committee Choice Award

    This award of merit goes to Kim Willoughby’s Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. On each side of this majestic gingerbread chocolate factory is another scene from the iconic movie. You are sure to be in a world of pure imagination when taking a closer look.

    People’s Choice Awards

    Most Attention to Detail

    Sandi Strzepek’s The Hobbit is full of fun details. From the almond sliver pavers and the slices of gum stacked as letters in the the mailbox to the sugar pane illusion of a fireplace inside the hobbit home, Strzepek’s work holds many charming surprises.

    Most Creative Use of Materials

    Rachel Wall’s Those Who Live in Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones is not made out of glass, but instead uses poured sugar to create. the illusion of glass walls. Pair that with the colorful base of melted peppermint candies and visitors see unexpected and ingenious uses of edible material.

    Most Whimsical

    Libby Giordano’s Gingerbread Village for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire is a colorful pile of not one, not two, but six different gingerbread houses. The structure of these houses comes from store bought kits, but the colorful decoration creates a sense of whimsy.

    Best in Show

    Elena Trunfio’s Magical Mushroom Cottage, which also took home Judges’ Award for best in the adult category, adds to its ribbons with People’s Choice Best in Show. Who does Trunfio’s woodland cottage hold? You’ll just have to use your imagination.

    Download a Stamp Sheet
    Need a Hint?

    Downtown Scavenger Hunt

    Pick up a stamp sheet at the Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center, at one of our downtown retail partner locations, or download here.

    Visit each of the locations and get a stamp.

    Collect 15 of 18 stamps and submit your sheet by December 20 for a chance to win a prize from one of our partners!

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    Raffles

    We will be raffling off some of the creations submitted by community members. Get a ticket for $1 and you could take home as a holiday centerpiece! Winners to be announced on December 20.

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    Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth

    We are part of the city-wide seasonal event, Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth, along with many other institutions. Check it all out here! Plus, we’re hosting the kick-off party on December 2, 2022 from 5:30–7:30 pm when the winners of the community judges’ awards will be announced!

    Strawbery Banke

    The Music Hall

    The City of Portsmouth

    The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth

    Portsmouth Historical Society

    Yankee Magazine

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    Thank You to Our Sweet Sponsors!

    Avery Insurance

    EnviroVantage

    Devine Millimet

    Bangor Savings Bank

    Louis F. Clarizio, DDS PA

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