Tucked in the New Hampshire seacoast lies Nahcotta, a modern art gallery and boutique bursting with life. Portsmouth’s Nahcotta is a self-proclaimed beacon of inspiration and creativity.

Nahcotta, as displayed on their website, offers two current artist’s shows, a shopping section and their unique “Enormous Tiny Art” gallery.

“It was really just, how can we make this a more joyful inclusive experience,” Owner Deb Thompson said about the Enormous Tiny Art. “It really was just this way to bring people into our space you know, to have people feel connected to a piece.”

Originally from the Boston area, Thompson moved Nahcotta to Portsmouth in 2000, as also mentioned on their website.

“I drove up, fell madly in love with the space,” Thompson said. “I’m very lucky that it worked out because it was definitely moderately spontaneous, I did research but it was honestly a sort of gut, this is where I wanna be, I’m gonna make it work.”

The art gallery currently showcases artist Melissa Ambrose’s pieces and the artistic life she leads.

“I’ve just been an artist my entire life. I think starting in kindergarten, I was telling people that I was going to grow up to be an artist and I never exactly deviated from that,” Ambrose said.

Ambrose’s bio states she is an artist, Creative director and a cellist in the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra; art is the focal point of her life.

“There’s no balance, it’s just kinda like, to me it all feels related, like it’s all one in the same,” she said.

Nahcotta’s biography states connection to the community is integral to their business’s success and happiness.

“Our belief is that we love, love, love, our community. We love where we live,” said Thompson. “We love serving our local clients, and we know that in order to really grow and thrive and sell more of the things we believe in, we have to work with people around the country and even around the world.”

The Nahcotta mission further states the importance of accessibility to art, Thompson specified this more in depth. “Anyone, anyone can buy a piece of art and it can add such value and energy and inspiration to your space.”

Photo courtesy of Nahcotta.