Satori Tea Garden a Peaceful Retreat for Lunch, Sweets, and Tea

One of the nicest things about summertime in New Hampshire is being able to relax outdoors in the warm weather and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Add delicious food to the mix and the experience borders on transcendent—it feeds the soul. In the quaint lakeside village of Meredith, visitors and locals can find a quiet little spot tucked in a beautiful Japanese garden to sample light French luncheon fare, elegant desserts, and fine teas. This haven is known as Satori, a tea garden.

Satori is located in the gardens of the lakes gallery at chi-lin, an Asian art and antique gallery and workshop center just up the hill from The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls. Satori opened for its 11^th season on Wednesday, July 25^th to mild weather and a steady stream of customers. Suzanne Lee, owner of the lakes gallery and Satori tea garden, offers light vegetarian cuisine and tea at satori Wednesday through Saturday from 11:30 to 4:30. After school starts again in the fall, the tea garden will be open on Saturdays, with other days available by appointment, until the fall begins to turn chilly. Read the rest of this entry »

Meredith Art Galleries Offer ‘Artists as Teachers’ Summer Program

Michael Milburn teaching a Koi workshop

This summer, many of the art galleries in Meredith will be offering a very special program of classes and workshops to bring a variety of hands-on lessons to the guests and residents of this picturesque and inspiring lakeside NH village. The Artists as Teachers program, a joint effort by Gallery 51, the lakes gallery at chi-lin, Vynn Art Gallery, and Kairos Art Space, was created to encourage people to come to Meredith to not only find great art, but to be able to study it with the artists themselves.

The Artists as Teachers program will be held throughout July and August at each of the participating galleries, with a diverse schedule of classes taught by respected and accomplished artists from across New England.  On Thursday, June 28^th, the galleries will hold opening receptions for the new program, in a setting where guests can view the artists’ exhibits, learn all about the classes being offered, and have the first chance to sign up for one or several workshops. Read the rest of this entry »

The Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin to Offer Fall Workshops

"Chrysanthemum" by Bruce Iverson

As autumn settles in and the cooler weather approaches, thoughts turn to creative indoor activities that will keep us productive and bring us much joy through the winter months and beyond.  For many people, an art class or creative workshop is just the inspiration needed to launch a new endeavor or hone existing skills, and in Meredith, NH, one little gallery offers some of the finest workshops in New England.  This fall is no exception, as the Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin has a series of workshops lined up that will have even budding artists creating beautiful work in no time.

After a glowing response this past summer to Bruce Iverson’s Mountains, Trees & Mist workshop, the gallery was encouraged to offer another series of his classes.  This fall, Bruce will be sharing his expertise in The Four Seasons: An Introduction to the Chinese Scholar’s World of the Four Gentlemen. According to the gallery, after the Ming Dynasty was taken over by the barbarian Manchus, the scholar intellectuals retreated to simple mountain sanctuaries to continue to practice the ways of traditional gentlemen. The Four Gentlemen and the mountains in which they lived became the symbols of their world.

The bamboo—a virtuous life, with humility
The orchid—beauty in the face of obscurity
The plum blossom—constancy in the face of opposition
The chrysanthemum—triumph of hope over adversity

In Bruce’s workshops, participants will explore these symbols individually and learn to paint them using Chinese brush painting techniques. The workshops will take place on Sunday afternoons from 12:30 – 4:30/5:00 pm. Bamboo – October 9^th, Orchid – October 16^th, Plum – October 30^th, and Chrysanthemum – November 13^th.  All materials are traditional and will be provided.

Also this fall, Suzanne Lee will continue teaching Beginning Italic Calligraphy on Friday and Saturday mornings from 9 – 11am.  The Friday classes will be held from September 30^th through November 11^th, and the Saturday classes will run from October 1^st through November 12^th.  All materials and supplies for the class will be provided, and can be taken home at the end of the workshop.  By the end of this class, participants will be writing elegant cards and letters in beautiful calligraphy—just in time for the holidays!

No previous art experience is needed for either of these wonderful workshops, but space is limited and pre-registration is recommended.  For more information, please call the gallery at 603-279-8663 or email Suzanne at suzanne@chi-linasianarts.com.

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

The Lakes Gallery and Satori Tea Garden at Chi-Lin Bring a Taste of Asia to Meredith

Just steps away from this lakeside resort is another world.  Wander up the hill to Lake Street, only a little ways from the Marketplace at The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls, and you will find Chi-Lin, a little shop that’s more than a shop—it’s an Asian experience!

Chi-Lin has been in Meredith for almost 25 years.  The proprietor, Suzanne Lee, started the gallery while she was working in New York as a designer in the garment industry and travelling extensively to the Orient.  “That’s how I fell in love with Asian things,” she says.

Life in New York and overseas was very hectic, so in the early 80’s Suzanne bought an old farmhouse in New Hampshire as a “total escape, because in that business you have to get away where nobody can find you.”  At the time, Suzanne was living in a tiny apartment in New York.  “And then when I bought this old farmhouse it had 13 huge rooms, so the temptation overseas was terrible and I bought lots of furniture and lots of art, so I ended up putting it in the house and opening part of the house as a gallery.”  Not long after that, Suzanne bought a building in Meredith to grow her new business, and Chi-Lin has morphed over the years into the wonderful place it is today. Read the rest of this entry »