My fiance and I are researching small, quaint quiet towns for a temporary 2-month summer relocation. We are most interested in Maine, Rhode Island or New Hampshire. We hope to find a town that won't be over-run with tourists, has an active art community and a vibrant, albeit probably small, traditional downtown/Main Street. Open to any suggestions.

Thank you for your consideration.

Cheers, Jennifer

Summer in New England has summer residents and tourists either staying in or coming through many areas - although there are certainly hidden gems to be found close to or near a small or even larger 'town center.' Art communities are present in many, as so many artists love to paint in New England - for the coast, hills, mtns, forests, coves and salt marshes:

Thoughts that come to my mind are:
In Maine: Christmas Cove, Deer Isle, Penobscot Bay, Damariscotta, Casco Bay, Portland area (altho the downtown is touristy, adjacent towns are not),
outlying areas near Kennebunk, Kittery

In NH: Porstmouth, areas near Hanover, and White River Junction area bordering into Vermont

RI: Bristol area

Vt: which you didn't mention, but might want to look at Woodstock, Middlebury areas outtside of Burlington (green mountains, lake champlain area)

In MA. you have the cape, truro area, there is a huge artists area in western mass (northampton, williamstown, berkshire area with mountains, lakes - no ocean, but lots of other water bodies - from art to theater to music - and could do wknd trips to cape area, etc.

If you are interested in renting, you need to start looking now - many renters return yr to yr and book in the fall or within this month.

You may also want to 'google' - artists communities, maine - etc, and see what comes up for the different regions in each state regarding art enclaves.

Thanks escargot. I'm going to dig deeper into the places you mentioned...and, start looking into rentals.

Cheers, Jennifer

Jennifer: if you don't have any contacts out east here, I have several friends who are artists who paint up in Maine and along the coast and if you want, I am happy to ask them for some recommendations on areas - I know they make trips up there for sometimes a week or longer to paint and would likely be in an area such as you are looking for. Let me know and I can make some calls tomorrow if you'd like

just saw this post and thought of you - it might give you some ideas too

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34764370

I'd love to connect with any folks you feel may be willing to offer insight. Please feel free to pass along my [email protected]. Many thanks!!

escargot, as usual, has detailed info about New England - for Massachusetts I might add Newburyport/Plum Island area or even Rockport and Gloucester. These towns have active, if small, artists contingents, but more tourists than some other places. Summer in New England you will find many tourists most places you might want to live - so quiet and active art community might be difficult to find in the same place.

I know you didnt say connecticut. But Litchfield county has some beautiful small towns.

Jennifer: I have put a few calls out and they will either email you directly or if they have a particular area for you to look at I will repost in a day or so.

You might look at Brandon VT. Each summer they do an arts promotion to raise money. It is home to the Country Owl which runs a summer arts and crafts program. Nearby is Fletcher Farm, also a summer arts and crafts program.
Warner NH is home to a variety of artists and writers. Don't forget to look into the annual NH League of Arts and Crafts show in early August in Sunapee NH while you are visiting. The local independent bookstore hosts lectures and musical programs.

Thanks to all!!

I got a few calls back today.
Suggestions were the following, and to google them and read about the area and the art offerings, with some of them offering art classes and workshops too if that would interest you:

Wiscasset, Maine
McDowall Colony, Petersborough, NH
Art New England, Bennington, VT
Portland, Maine (but staying just outside of Portland itself perhaps to avoid touristy area esp on weekends in summer)
Easton/Chatham, Ma. : which is less touristy, sort of outisde the destination point for tons of tourists, esp small areas within and just on outskirts, but gives you access to Provincetown, the Cape and Islands for day/wknd trips.
Deer Isle, Maine

If I get more call backs from artists I will post again !

Jennifer;
another artist friend returned the call: she suggested:

Deer Isle: look into the Haystack Mountain School for classes/workshops/etc. what's happening depends on the mix of artists that summer: ie;, bookmaking craft, paint, etc.

Look for other artist summer colonies in Maine at:
Boothbay area, North haven, Penobscot Bay area, Vinal Haven, Port Arthur Area (from where you go to Monhegan Island), Sebago area (especially the Rock Garden Inn - owned by an artist - and early in summer and late in summer have artists weeks with painting in residence , near Sebago Resort area.

Also to see if you can dig up Yankee Magazine (for ads/rentals) as well as American Artist (a magazine she doesn't recommend for artists, too trditional for her, but often has ads for rentals), otherwise for rentals she doesn't know except to google the areas and real estate.

Hope some of these ideas help you out. If not for where to rent, perhaps for excursions.

Have fun wherever you end up and let us know ! you'll definitely have to post a trip report.