Gossip

Playing with wet paint

The first official weekend-long Wet Paint-Out with New Hampshire Art Association was deemed a great success, says organizer/member Lennie Mullaney. The event, which included a pop-up exhibit finale, was open to members and nonmembers.

"It attracted 33 artists from all over New England and New York," Mullaney says. "I was thrilled. The energy was unbelievable, … with the sheer joy of all those artists coming together."

Point being: it's a winner and will return next year.

Meanwhile a number of Paint-Out participants came back to take part in the weekly NHAA plein air meet-up, which gathers Wednesdays at different regional locations.

Gatherings were scheduled to run though October, but plans have changed. 

"Some of the new (participants) said, 'You can't stop.' … People said let's paint through the winter," Mullaney says. "I said okay, if you can make a commitment so can I. So, we'll attempt it."

Visit www.nhartassociation.org.

Mishaps and other adventures

Michael (KungFu Mike) Boulerice will release "The Adventures of Kungfu Mike and the Magic Sunglasses" on Aug. 4. The book is his inaugural full-length, and the first in a trio of memoirs that have been in the works for more than a decade.

"I'm very excited to get this going," Boulerice says. "One is done and two are basically waiting for editing."

The memoir is a collection of short stories "not going at any particular timeline," he says. "There are stories about growing up in Portsmouth, and kind of my misadventures, starting from the age of 6 to my 30s."

His "misadventures" started early, he adds, "you get a good idea from the first chapter. … You very quickly discover … I'm a screw-up."

It's full of "hilarious and sad failures," he says.

Boulerice self published on the advice of a number of published and publishing friends, including Tucker Max ("I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell").

First-time memoir writers aren't a quick pickup within the industry, he says. They suggested self publishing as a viable route, one many published artists are switching to "for the money and a better chance to reach a greater audience."

Of course, it means navigating promotions.

Boulerice is still working on his strategy.

"It's all new, a learning process for me," he says.

He's launched a discount/signed copy pre-sale that will end Aug. 3, the day before the book's release. Once out, the book will be available at Tulips in downtown Portsmouth. He'll evaluate other channels, including signings and readings, after he's pushed other avenues.

Once promotions are in a good place, "it's on to the next job, … and time to tighten up the second book." 

Find out more at www.michaelboulerice.com.

Ice dreams

Douglas Webster, owner of Ice Dance International and artistic director for Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, Strawbery Banke Museum, is working on his second "Shall We Dance On Ice" for ABC.

Last year he was co-artistic director with Edward Villella. This year, he's the solo AD, "so I get to make all the decisions," he says, punctuating with a laugh.

"This year's (show) is a very similar show to last year, a celebration of dance on ice and on the floor — ballroom and ice dancing."

The show will feature 2014 Olympic Champions, two-time World Champions and six-time U.S. Champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White, and "an illustrious cast of ice and ballroom dancers."

Hosts are Olympic Champion Kristi Yamaguchi and "Dancing with the Stars" Champion Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who returns for his second year.

"I have a big part of it set. I have the outline of the show. Casting is done and I'm working the music choices and developing the costume designs with the designer," he says. "We film Dec. 12 in Bloomington, Ill., and it airs in February and March."

He's also working on ideas for the upcoming season at Puddle Dock Pond.

"I think you can expect a similar experience to last year with the performances. The Currier and Ives (costumed performers) will return for the Candlelight Stroll, and depending on fundraising we'll have 'Champions on Ice' in February, which would also include performances from my company Ice Dance International."

Ice skating may not be the first thought this time of year, but it's still happening. Webster teaches "Flow" Mondays and Thursdays through the summer at the Dover Ice Arena, "which I hope will continue at Puddle Dock."

Interested? Message Webster on Facebook. 

Jeanné McCartin has her eyes and ears out for Seacoast gossip. E-mail maskmakernh@aol.com.