Nashua Area Artists Association Marks 73Years of Greeley Park Art Show

NASHUA, N.H. — The Nashua Area Artists Association held its 73rd annual Greeley Park Art Show this weekend, featuring regional artists displaying two- and three-dimensional work including paintings, photography and woodwork.

Pleasant weather both days added to the experience as visitors browsed artists’ tents. The event also included live music, artist demonstrations and children’s games.

“Our motto — the organization’s motto — is encouraging the arts and the artists,” said Sonia Lee Gilmore, co-manager of the NAAA ArtHub Gallery on Main Street. “That’s what we’re doing here this weekend. Most of what you see here are artists who display at the ArtHub Gallery.”

Gilmore said the show included roughly equal numbers of craftspeople and painters.

“When I refer to artists, that includes the craftspeople, who we call artists also,” she said. “At the show, we have about an equal number of craftspeople as we do oil, paint, et cetera, artists.”

Ron Downing, an 83-year-old Merrimack artist, displayed his oil paintings. Downing said he has painted since 1965 and has participated in the Greeley Park Art Show for too long to remember.

He said this year would be his last Greeley Park exhibition. “I’m getting too old, and it’s getting tough to …” Downing said, trailing off.

Mixed-media artist Kevin Brassard, by comparison, has worked in that format for about four years. Trained as a photographer, Brassard said he began making mixed-media collages “because I couldn’t draw or paint.”

“The traffic was really good,” Brassard said. “People came to the park to see some art. I think it’s been great. They come into my booth and things are a little different, a little unique and different than what they’ve seen, and the response has been nice.”

Greeley Park Art Show 2026 Adult Art Competition Winners

Best in Show: Marilene Sawaf 

Oil Painting

1^st prize: Luci Lesmerises

2^nd prize: Brenda Mendoza

3^rd prize: Phil Bean 

Acrylic Painting

1^st prize: Lisa Papastefanou

2^nd prize: Caleb Gibbs

3^rd prize: Doug Philbrick 

Watercolor Painting

1^st prize: Charles Mooradian

2^nd prize: Leah Kuehne

3^rd prize: Hiltrud Bennett

Mixed Media

1^st prize: Marilene Sawaf

2^nd prize: Mellifera Modern

3^rd prize: Kevin Brassard

3D

1^st prize: Ron Marcoux

2^nd prize: Brandie Sweetland

3^rd prize: Abagail Taper

Drawing/Printmaking

1^st prize: Tina Gagnon

2^nd prize: Maureen Fitzpatrick

Pastels

1^st prize: Erin-Anne Lemieux

2^nd prize: Jennifer Lichtenberg 

Photography

1^st prize: Matt Chaves

2^nd prize: Jayson Gleneck

3^rd prize: Howard Muscott