Though the United States of America is a recently born country in the ever-extensive timeline of human civilisation, its inhabitants have already formed their own myths and legends which have been passed down through the last few generations. This behaviour is beautifully human; what better way to pass on knowledge, to titillate one’s imagination and document different cultures, than through storytelling? Stories have always been close to Juliet Schreckinger’s heart, and she found herself falling in love with the nautical legends and myths about the east coast of America.
“Growing up on Long Island, I always felt so inspired by the ocean and loved hearing old tales and folklore about the sea. From shipwrecks to stories about haunted lighthouses, I am and forever will be curious when it comes to nautical myths.” She shares. This interest has been so powerful, that Juliet has centred her entire upcoming show at Nahcotta Gallery around this theme.
Nautical myths and legends
Opening at Nahcotta Gallery this July 2024, this new series of stippled works celebrate the heart of nautical east America with Juliet’s signature collection of animal characters. The event will unveil whole new pieces, concluding almost eight months of work.
“As soon as I figured out my theme, I immediately began drafting the stories about the characters and places that I wanted to feature in the show. These stories, which served as the guiding narrative reference for many pieces in the show, were largely inspired by the countless hours I’ve spent over the last several years taking reference photos throughout coastal New England.”
I have been working so hard in the studio on this series (some of the larger pieces in the show took more than 80 hours to complete), and I can’t wait for the magical moment of seeing it all come together in Nahcotta’s beautiful space!
Juliet Schreckinger
Alongside this, Juliet Schreckinger will also be unveiling bespoke tales of her own – one for each artwork in the show. These tales mirror modern-day myths, celebrating the history and influences of the east coast of America. Juliet has relished the experience: “This series allowed me to draw some of my favourite places that I shot reference of, while letting my mind wander into the “what if” territory that comes along with surrealism. While these myths I wrote are not real, many are based on kernels of true legends that I read about during my research for this show. I am very grateful to my wonderful gallerists for allowing me to have artistic freedom when coming up with the theme for this show, as it is always so amazing to let my innermost narratives come out without restriction.”
Nahcotta Gallery
Nahcotta Gallery is located in the beautiful city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which is the “quintessential nautical New England town”, surrounded by many lighthouses and ocean views. Not only is Juliet looking forward to partnering once again with Nahcotta Gallery; she hopes that this series will connect with the locals who cherish these nautical landmarks and the local wildlife around them, both of which served as her biggest inspirations for this show.
In turn, Nahcotta Gallery are just as excited to be hosting Juliet:
Nahcotta’s collaboration with Juliet began with our Enormous Tiny Art shows, and her latest nautical collection beautifully showcases her evolving talent and unwavering dedication. By continuously pushing the boundaries of her creative expression, Juliet’s work has become highly anticipated in our gallery.
It has been a true joy to witness her remarkable growth as an artist over the past few years, and we are deeply honoured to present her new solo show to our community in July.
Emily, Nahcotta Gallery
A sacred space for growth
Juliet’s excitement for her upcoming solo is infectious. If you have read any of my other articles about Juliet, you will know that stippling is an artistic practice for the ultra-patient; she laughs with delight as things finally wrap up in the wake of her show. “This series has been both rewarding and fulfilling,” she stresses, only mildly fazed by the hundreds of hours that she has put into creating the show.
“It’s rewarding to see the light at the end of the tunnel after many tedious days spent drawing for hours come to a close. It is fulfilling in that I wrote many of the narratives before ever sketching out the images, so to see the characters from my stories come to life feels so special. It is a truly wonderful moment when I finally get to look into the face of a character who before only lived in my mind (and my heart, as I do genuinely love each and every one of the characters I draw).”
My studio time with these pieces has been a sacred space, a time that I was able to witness the emotions that my characters face in each narrative – love, adoration, fear, courage – and attempt to hold onto these emotions while drawing each character.
I feel grateful every day that I am alive and get to live this dream.
Juliet Schreckinger
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