June 2026
Where Summer Begins to Glow
June has a way of changing the rhythm of the creative day. The mornings arrive early, the evenings stretch long, and the landscape fills with color that seems to deepen by the hour. For artists and photographers, it is a month of opportunity — quiet sunrise light, warm sunset skies, blooming gardens, and the welcome return of long evenings outdoors. It is also a reminder that summer’s best moments often reward those who pause long enough to notice them.
The Longest Light
June 21, 2026 marks the official arrival of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere—the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and, for me, an annual invitation to chase one more sunset.
Each year, if weather and life allow, I try to mark the solstice by getting out with my . . . .
July Art Classes
Stephanie’s popular art classes are starting up again in July and August with watercolor classes being held in Meredith and Tilton, NH. August also marks the return of the Pastels Beyond Basics class held in Tilton at the Lakes Region Art Gallery in the Tanger Outlets.
Showcasing the May Watercolor Class at the
League of NH Craftsmen Gallery
Thank you to everyone who joined us for class! What an absolute blast! It was so much fun creating together, sharing laughs, and seeing all the beautiful work you made. Your creativity and energy made it extra special. We hope you’ll join us again in July at the beautiful League of NH Craftsmen in Meredith, NH! Spots are filling up, so don’t miss out on another fun-filled day of art and good company. Thank you again — we can’t wait to create with you soon!
Father’s Day is Coming
Does Dad Really want another Necktie?
With many workplaces becoming more casual, the traditional Father’s Day tie may not have quite the same appeal it once did. This year, consider giving Dad something a little more unexpected — and a lot more fun. For the dad with a creative side, an art class can be a memorable gift, whether he comes on his own or shares the experience as a couples class. Instead of another item for the closet, give him a chance to relax, laugh, learn, and create something new.
The New Member of our Art Family
Some of you who follow Mike on Facebook or Instagram may have seen that McQuade Fine Arts recently added a rather large new member to the art-making family — a 44-inch wide commercial pigment ink printer.
For years, we relied on two professional printers: one for smaller prints up to 17x22 inches, and one large-format printer capable of handling 100-foot rolls of paper up to 44 inches wide. These are the same type of pigment ink printers used by professional photo labs . . . .
In the Frame Shoppe
June 2026 Events of Potential Interest:
Beauty is easy to see in our daily lives. Once late spring rolls around, and the days get warmer, you can comfortably extend your examination of Nature into the evening sky and witness an entirely new realm of interest. Grab a telescope, binoculars or just a blanket, lay back and enjoy the dark sky show.
June 15, 2026
New Moon: The night sky will be at its darkest on June 15th. A new moon is when the moon and the sun are on the opposite side of the earth at the same time. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
June 27, 2026
The Bootid meteor shower peaks: Caused by lingering debris from a passing comet, the June Bootids are a milder meteor shower, with at most a few shooting stars per hour. That said, the shower’s peak on June 27 could bring intermittent outbursts with 100 or so meteors in a given hour. It’s not one to travel for, particularly with the night’s bright, nearly full moon. But if you do find yourself outside with clear skies, watch for streaking meteors near the Boötes constellation, which travels in the northern sky. It’s best to watch in the early night.
June 29, 2026
Full “strawberry moon”: Summer’s first official full moon, known as the “strawberry moon,” will occur around 8 p.m. ET on June 29. Native American communities gave the lunar orb this title for the sweet berries that proliferate in early summer. Unfortunately, “strawberry moon” is just a nickname. The sphere won’t look any redder than other months—but it can reflect warmer hues if you watch at the right time. During moonrise (around sunset) and moonset (roughly sunrise), our neighboring rock turns a brilliant orange. It’s due to how light travels through Earth’s atmosphere at this angle.
