PORTSMOUTH—The Kennedy Gallery and Custom Framing invites you for an Opening Reception of Portsmouth Monsters Attack! on Friday, Oct. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m., with a special surprise arriving at 6:30 p.m. 

The Portsmouth Monsters Attack! show will be on display throughout the month of October, so stop by Kennedy Gallery and Custom Framing to view Bill Paarlberg's drawings and prints.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has changed dramatically in recent years. Since the early 1980s, Paarlberg's intricate and meticulous pen and ink drawings have portrayed the city's iconic locations under siege by colossal mythical creatures. The famous Monsters of Portsmouth series has depicted Godzilla, King Kong, a giant lobster, a monstrous mermaid, and local legend The Piscatasquid as they crawl over, stomp on, and eye-laser Portsmouth landmarks.

This fall's new Portsmouth Monsters Attack! show introduces several new players to the mix. A stupendous spider mangles the McIntyre Federal Building. Moby Dick, entangled in fishing gear, leaps from the Piscataqua River with a lobster boat in his jaws. Krampus, reimagined with tentacles, busts through the historic Portsmouth Athenaeum. A new version of King Kong roars from the steeple of the North Church.

Says Paarlberg: "I remember being transfixed by the horror of Godzilla when I was about 10 years old. Ever since then that peculiar feeling of tremendous size and menace has stuck with me. The famous Monsters of Portsmouth series lets me roll that into the changing nature of my favorite seaside city. Are these artworks a response to gentrification? Perhaps. Do they express affection for a beautiful and vibrant community? Yes, indeed. Are they scary? Ha! You'll have to find that out for yourself."

Kennedy Gallery owner Wendy Clement says, "We just love all of Bill's artwork, but especially his Famous Monsters. They are a little scary, a little funny, and they are very special to Portsmouth. They have been delighting our patrons and collectors since the early 1980s. Stop by our shop and see them, or visit us online."

Paarlberg is an artist from Kittery Point, Maine. He is motivated by a strong appreciation for the natural environment and the beauty of the Maine and New Hampshire coastline. Every year he spends a week painting on Smuttynose Island, part of the Isles of Shoals. You can see his work at Kennedy Gallery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and online at Paarlberg.com

For over 40 years, Kennedy Gallery has presented a wide selection of original artwork, prints, and photography, while also specializing in custom framing. Visit Kennedy Gallery and Custom Framing at 41 Market St., Portsmouth, and online at kennedygalleryandframing.com