Artist Marshall Carbee teams up with the financially stressed Seacoast Repertory Theatre for ArtRep, an art show and fundraiser.

When local painter Marshall Carbee mentioned the idea of putting on an art show to benefit the Seacoast Repertory Theatre, artistic director Craig Faulkner weighed the pros and cons, and quickly determined there were no cons.

“I said, ‘Is there any reason to not do this?’” Faulkner said.

The one-day exhibition, called “ArtRep,” will present recent works by Carbee at two downtown Portsmouth locations. Half of the proceeds from each sale will go to the Seacoast Repertory Theatre to support its programming. The event allows collectors to obtain original artwork as a tax deductible donation.

“It’s a fundraising model that an artist friend of mine and I have been using for years,” Carbee said. “I mentioned it to (The Rep’s) director of development, and they liked the concept.”

The reception takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Rudi’s at 20 High St. and Zev Yoga studio at 16 Market Square.

The idea comes at a fortuitous time for The Rep, which enters its 25th anniversary season in 2013. The theater on Bow Street has been treading water throughout the recession, and individual contributions have been down. Faulkner said the theater is in no imminent danger of closing, but its financial situation is “definitely not good.”

Part of the problem, he said, is that potential donors don’t always realize The Rep is in trouble. The theater continues to present quality plays, and seats are often full. But ticket sales alone do not cover the non-profit organization’s expenses.

“The reality is that if we sell out every show, it’s still only going to cover 66 to 67 percent of the cost of what we do,” Faulkner said. The rest of the theater’s funding, he added, comes from corporate sponsorship and individual giving.

The Rep’s leadership recently closed the Mill Pond Center for the Arts in Durham and put the property up for sale. They had purchased the building three years ago with plans to hold theatric productions there. But Faulkner said the town was not supportive of their efforts, and the property became a financial burden.

“It was just too difficult for us to try and accomplish anything that made financial sense out of that property,” he said.

Since the organization sold two buildings in Kittery when it purchased the Mill Pond Center, it is now left with a shortage of space for storage, classes, set construction and staff offices. Faulkner said they are currently looking for a new facility in Portsmouth. Looking back, he said, they never should have bought a space outside the supportive atmosphere of their home city.

“Portsmouth has always been very, very supportive of us, and (city manager) John Bohenko and his team have always gone above and beyond to make the arts succeed in this community,” he said. “This city definitely understands the cultural economy of the arts.”

According to Faulkner, studies have found that The Rep contributes more than $1 million annually to the local economy, as people who see shows at the theater often eat at local restaurants or shop at local businesses.

“I don’t think the community realizes that,” he said, noting that The Rep frequently hosts charitable events for other organizations. “One thing we have not done a very good job of is explaining our impact to the community.”

The Rep has been diversifying its artistic offerings over the last year and will continue to do so in the fall. In addition to its October mainstage show, “The Woman in Black,” the theater continues to host its Red Light burlesque series and is launching a Rock the Rep live music series. It is also screening several movies this month.

Though not held at the theater, ArtRep represents yet another artistic medium. Carbee is showing a number of large new paintings, some up to 70 inches square, which can be previewed by appointment at Zev Yoga’s two other locations in Dover and Exeter. The pieces range in price from about $2,500 to $18,000, Carbee said. Smaller pieces will be available at the show as well.

A New Hampshire native and UNH grad who has also studied in France and Greece, Carbee has exhibited around the nation and has done scenic art for films and music videos. He recently returned to the Seacoast after spending a couple of years in California and Utah.

Carbee’s latest paintings use bio-based supplies and incorporate a range of natural elements, such as earth pigments, beach sand and iron oxides. He leaves his pieces outside for up to a year, pressing them into the ground and allowing natural forces like wind, rain or falling leaves to shape the work.

“It’s about giving nature and physical forces of nature the creative lead in the creation of the piece,” he said. “All these natural elements combine together in a way that creates an unforced harmony.”

The approach fits with Carbee’s vision as a “green artist” using nontoxic materials. The process also serves as a powerful metaphor. By letting nature take its course on the work, he demonstrates the influence natural forces have on all of our lives.

“I’m at the point now where I’m making suggestions to the painting of how it might want to be, but in the end I don’t really have that final say or control,” he said. “It reminds me that we don’t control anything, certainly nothing that really matters.”

An abstract addition to the upcoming reception is an imaginary chalk line between Rudi’s and Zev Yoga (it will help you sense your way). By working with The Rep and local businesses, Carbee hopes to connect the Seacoast arts community.

“I think a lot more can be accomplished if people work together,” he said.