The Isles of Shoals have drawn creative people ever since poetess Celia Thaxter hosted a celebrated salon on Appledore island, the largest of the Isles. Famed writers, musicians and artists were entertained by her as she was entertained by them. Among the artists were such notables as Childe Hassam, Appleton Brown, William Morris Hunt and Ole Bull. Doug Nelson and Sara Morris will discuss a variety of notable Shoals artists and their work from the 19th and 20th Centuries. Their presentation will include an introduction to the Shoals Marine Laboratory’s program for undergraduate studies and the artist-in-residence program on Appledore.
Doug Nelson is a Managing Director and Wealth Advisor at Sunpointe Investments. He draws on 30+ years of advisory experience directly serving clients and their families in aligning personal lives with their equally personal portfolios and objectives.
Doug completed his undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon and the University of New Hampshire, has a graduate certificate in financial analysis from Harvard University and has studied under Yale economist Robert Schiller. He has served clients at JP Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo prior to joining Sunpointe Investments.
Doug is actively involved on the Shoals Marine Laboratory Advisory Board, has served numerous other charities and foundations in various capacities and is an avid art collector and museum supporter. He lives in Rye Beach NH with his wife Karin. Their daughters Lizzie and Ali are alumni of Bucknell University and currently reside in New York City. As a family, they enjoy skiing, hiking, travel and, of course, fine art.
Sara Morris is the Executive Director of the Shoals Marine Lab, which is jointly operated by the University of New Hampshire and Cornell University. Her connection to Shoals began during her graduate research on bird migration at Cornell University and continued throughout her career as a college professor and college administrator at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, where she now holds the rank of Professor Emerita.
At Shoals, she leads a team of year-round and seasonal employees in providing transformative, immersive, place-based educational opportunities for undergraduates, supporting environmental research, developing sustainable infrastructure and practices and building a supportive and engaging community. Part of this community includes an artist-in-residence program that enriches the atmosphere and expands learning opportunities. Sara also currently serves as the President of the American Ornithological Society. She lives in Lee with her husband, Bob.
For the 2025 Lecture Series “Beauty on the Seacoast and Beyond: Art, Architecture and Gardens,” each program begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Shaw Research Library (unless otherwise noted). Reservations for each program are required as seating is limited. If unable to keep a reservation, please call again to release the seat for someone else. Attendance at programs is free for Athenaeum Proprietors, Subscribers and Friends. Guests and members of the public are welcome to attend the entire series by becoming a Friend of the Athenaeum for as little as $25 per year, payable at the door. Admission to an individual program is $15.
