Where the Business of Art is the Art of Business

A building in downtown Exeter is home to three artists working in different mediums, but together represent a movement in the business of art. The three women are passionately devoted to maintaining a physical space in an increasingly digital world by maintaining a combination of studios, storefronts and online commerce. 

Jennie Bishop, owner of White Wave Photography, poses in her studio and store on Water Street in downtown Exeter.

Their camaraderie and synergy help them thrive beyond being artists as each is a mom with children ranging from toddler to teen to adult. They rely on each other’s professional and personal experiences to support one another and overcome myriad challenges of running studios and businesses. 

White Wave Photography at 154 Water St., specializes in maternity, newborn, children, high school senior portraits and professional branding photography. Owner and artist Jennie Bishop, who grew up in Exeter, emphasizes she is an artist, not just a photographer. She recently participated in an art walk with the nearby Seacoast Art Association.

“People said ‘I thought you were an artist,’ ” she said. “Well, I am.”

Striking photos adorn her studio, and, as photographers say, memorable photos are made, not taken.

Bishop can stroll through the building to visit Lauren Avery Hutton, owner of Avery Art, a studio dedicated to creating fine art that is intentional in thought, elevated in form, and designed to belong in beautifully curated interiors.

Her space at 2 Center St., in the Water Street building, features custom artwork shaped by 18 years living in England and a lifelong love of travel. Hutton blends an artist’s eye and designer’s sensibility, partnering with interior designers, art consultants and curators to create custom work that enhances physical spaces.

Bishop working on a newborn photo shoot. White Wave Photography specializes in maternity, newborn, children, high school senior portraits and professional branding photography.

“Art is more important than ever, and both consciously and unconsciously affects our well being,” Hutton said. “Where art historically served as education, recording historical events, proselytizing and the provenance of the wealthy elite, art is now generally more participatory and egalitarian with a very broad means of concept delivery.”

Around the corner, Art by Alyssa offers an eclectic mix of illustrated gifts to brighten one’s life. Owner and artist Alyssa Watters makes many of the products in her shop. 

After graduating with a degree in illustration from Montserrat College of Art in 2007, Watters managed a stationery gift shop in Hamilton, Mass., where the owner encouraged her to hang her paintings for sale. It
was, she said, unknowingly the catalyst of her company. 

“I’ve always made art,” Watters said. “I truly can’t imagine my life without it.”

Alyssa Watters, owner of Art by Alyssa, stands in front of a sample of the eclectic mix of illustrated gifts offered in her studio and storefront in downtown Exeter.

Her grandfather was an oil painter and window dresser in the 1940s, and her mom makes jewelry and sews. Her dad is a retired welder who crafts clever metal pieces. Her sister is a florist, and her husband is a self-employed artist. 

“Most of my closest friends are working artists, too,” she added. “I’m almost completely immersed in the arts at all times. It’s not a conscious choice; it’s simply the rhythm and nature of my life.”

The three artists cite Exeter’s independently owned downtown stores and supportive and growing art community for choosing the town for their studios and businesses.

“There’s an energy and sense of community that feels increasingly rare, and I’m very grateful I’ve found a home here,” Watters said.

Bishop adds that her artist’s eye led her to choose her studio location.

“The studio faces north, which is the perfect light for a natural light photographer, so when I saw this space being renovated, I knew it was perfect,” she said.

Artist Lauren Avery Hutton shares her inspiration for her paintings that are displayed at her studio and storefront in downtown Exeter.

Hutton notes that while moving to Exeter was a decision made without hesitation, it was only after signing the lease that she discovered two of the other tenants were artists.

“What are the odds that three women artists would end up renting commercial spaces in the same building on a downtown main street,” she said. “It was this happy accident that we all ended up here.”

Running a small business is challenging, especially mixing a studio, brick-and-mortar store and online commerce. And there’s that delicate balance of producing art while marketing it, which Watters lists as one of her greatest challenges. Having a physical retail location requires significant commitment, including the cost of rent and maintaining consistent retail hours.

“Honestly,” Watters said, “I could run my business from home with far less stress and a fraction of the expenses, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fulfilling.”

Hutton adds that balancing artist and businesswoman is a constant juggling act, as performing these left- and right-brained jobs are both full-time endeavors.

While Bishop said she loves being an artist and businesswoman, she admits it can be hard to switch from creative to business.

“So, I make it a point to batch my work so that I am doing creative tasks on different days then I am doing things like finance and client follow up,” she said.

Alyssa Watters’ studio and retail space is one of three artist studios and storefronts in the building at 154 Water St., in downtown Exeter.

Blending studio and storefront is another thing. Hutton said it took a while to get used to the “goldfish bowl” effect as her previous studios were only open to the public for art tours or specific occasions.

Despite all challenges the women are driven foremost by their love of art.

“I like to hope that art can slow us down in the fast-paced world we live in,” Watters said. “We consume so much information constantly, and art offers a moment of reflection, connection and emotion for both the artist and the viewer.”

They share a goal to create lasting pieces. Bishop said access to art digitally is taken for granted today where photos live on social media and phones but are too often lost due to technological failures. 

“A photograph hanging on the wall or in an album will be cherished for a lifetime,” she said.

Avery adds that painting makes her “very happy,” and she is fascinated to see what resonates with the viewer. 

“The artist should create for themselves, and challenge themselves,” she said, “but if the work resonates with other viewers, that is a gift all around.”