May 16 Gallery Night - 6:30 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 6:30 pm from the WaterFire Arts Center at 475 Valley Street, and return to the WaterFire Arts Center around 8:30 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Frank Toti and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking. Sprout is pleased to present “All In!” This is a group show of 17 high school students from grades 9 through 12 who are part of the “Arts Academy” course at Bishop Hendricken High School. The work shows a wide range of media and themes and is primarily self-driven from the interests and explorations of the students. Some of the art students and their art teacher will be present for the opening on Gallery Night!

  • URI at RIC Alex and Ani Hall. “The Gift of Art to the State of Rhode Island” presented by the University of Rhode Island, features more than 250 artworks from K-12 students throughout the state. This mixed media exhibit gathers work from public and charter schools, with the honored selection of Coventry Public Schools to add 9 works to the permanent collection, due to their extraordinary work integrating the arts into the curriculum across disciplines.

  • Bannister Gallery at Rhode Island College. The Bannister Gallery presents its annual exhibition of work from graduating seniors of the Art department, including studio concentrations such as ceramics, metalsmithing, painting, printmaking, graphic design, and many more mediums. This exhibit displays the wide variety of degrees earned through the department.

  • WaterFire Arts Center. “Sculpting Silent Narratives: My Love Letters." Janice Lardey’s exhibit is a 2024 Interlace Project Grant Awardee, using fabric and an immersive maze set up explores her distinct textural and artistic style. She creates abstract depictions of women from several generations of her family on the fabric, exploring their likeness and narratives on the fabric.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

May 16 Gallery Night - 6:00 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 6:00 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 8:00 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Irene Yibirin and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • James Politsky Silkscreen Art Studio. James Polisky creates limited edition and one of a kind hand-printed silkscreens, blending his original drawings and designs with a color separation background. His body of work is mostly character driven, showing views of monotonic bliss or desperate uncertainty, blanketed by an appreciation of the greatness and power of the everyday to encourage you to stop and think.

  • Studio Hop. Studio Hop is a local studio and shop specializing in contemporary fine art, hand crafts, jewelry, ceramics, and clothing. This month, new paintings by Ann-Marie Gillett and R. Sawan White!

  • RISD Museum. The RISD Museum has a variety of different exhibits on view. On the Gallery Night tour, you can get a taste of the many amazing exhibits that the museum has to offer!

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

May 16 Gallery Night - 5:45 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:45 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:45 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Larisa Martino and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • BankRI Turks Head Gallery presents “Pangea,” a series by artist Ben Watkins. The word refers to the continent hypothesized by geologists when all land masses were joined together. This work is a light-hearted nod to the idea that we are all connected, which after the collective experience of a worldwide pandemic, we now understand how real this concept is. His multi-colored assemblages use continuous lines and interlocking shapes to explore our own interdependence.

  • AS220 Project Space presents “Fragments,” an investigation of displacement, identity, and rituals within the multidisciplinary practice of Masha Ryskin. Expressed with attention to footprints and stains, this collection of work alludes to shifts in memory and history within the temporal quality of human experiences. In the Reading Room, “Forest of Magic '' by Vensa Longton, explores the intersection between who we are and our surroundings, and encourages moments of discovery through inner self connections and our interconnectedness with nature.

  • The Gallery at 134 Collaborative / Mathewson Street Church presents PHOTOGRAPHY by Catherine Ibern, exploring her work and unique take on the medium. Ibern uses photography to look at the world through a different lens, capturing the beauty of life from different angles. Through her work, Ibern invites viewers to look at the world through her lens and experience her deep appreciation for it

  • Art in the Atrium First U. Art in the Atrium, a program focused on inspiring the community by presenting work by artists with diverse viewpoints, is holding their 2024 Member Show. The theme and the works in this exhibition will explore the Unitarian Universalist Principles.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

May 16 Gallery Night - 5:30 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:30 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:30 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Jenn Wilson.

This is a walking tour - make sure you wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather! We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • The Gallery at City Hall. “In and Out of Focus; Reality and Memories” at City Hall’s Main Gallery explores the powerful space between appreciating the immediate moment and respecting the intangibility of our memories. The artists, Olive the Giant (Quinn Bryan) and Jaclyn Tomasso, use a range of color, scale, and subject in their painting technique and palette, to delve into the notion of being in the here and now, while also looking with wonderment on what came before and what a new day may bring.

  • AS220 Main Gallery. The Main Gallery at AS220 presents two exhibits this May. In “Still,” Anthony Medeiros presents a series of expressive paintings conveying untold narratives of grief, confusion and longing. Utilizing practices of collage and iridescent paint, “Still” unveils characters within the works and its viewers. Robert Snowden presents a series of paintings influenced by tribal and skeletal themes. Through a process reflecting on appearances and emotion, “Your Mask” is a product of childlike intuition uncovering the inherent masks that everyone holds.

  • AS220 Aborn Gallery. At the Aborn Gallery, Madison Emond presents a series of medium-format color images captured during their Fullbright Fellowship in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, with the Kaiwharawhara stream. “Field Notes from Kaiwharawhara” encourages meaningful connections through psychedelic beauty.

  • RI Center for Photographic Arts. “Behind the Photograph,” explores the role of Artificial Intelligence in image making, asking early adopters of AI based imaging to show what this technology is and what is possible. Through this exhibit, viewers and artists are encourages to embrace AI imaging’s growing presence in our life and explore the concept of “fakes.” In tandem with this exhibit, “Guardians of Arcadia: Jim Bremer,” uses photo illustration to create images of Arcadia, a pastoral paradise and the women guardians who oversee it. Brem’s work focuses on creating something larger than life that provokes wonder about the production process in the viewer.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the spots on the tour will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the spots are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs. RI Center for Photographic Arts is on the 2nd floor of a building without an elevator.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

May 16 Gallery Night - 5:00 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:00 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:00 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Rosemary Rocchio with Guest Guide Michael Rose will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • The Armenian Historical Association of Rhode Island (AHARI) explores the vibrancy of the Armenian community through the over 200 food-related businesses established and run by Armenians. With these companies, this still thriving piece of history is explored in their museum to highlight the contributions of the Armenian community to the state of Rhode Island.

  • Galerie le Domaine at Domain Properties presents the work of Jamie Murphy Hlynsky, American painter and collage artist. With a background as a professional illustrator and propmaker, she also works in the fine arts with her paintings and collages, with many of her works being exhibited in several museums, galleries, and private collections.

  • The Chazan Gallery at Wheeler showcases contemporary art for local, regional, and national artists to provide the opportunity to display their artwork and engage with the local community. The gallery will be presenting the last day of their All School Show, exhibiting the work of students of all ages.

  • The David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University presents a comprehensive survey exhibition of artist Barbara T. Smith. An innovator within the performance art movement of the late 1960s, Smith has long produced work that explores the self, sexuality, gender roles, physical and spiritual sustenance, love, life, and death. Assembling an expansive range of artwork and performance-related ephemera, the exhibition will survey Smith’s bold experimentation.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

Thank you to all who attended April 18 Gallery Night!

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Spring is in the air...on our last Gallery Night, we had April showers!

Between our 5 guided tours and folks who visited the galleries and exhibits on their own, we had at least 300 people attend this Gallery Night…some of whom braved the weather for a walking tour to galleries in the downtown area!

More than 20 people joined Gallery Night Guide Frank Toti on a walking tour of downtown art spaces, including stops at the AS220 Main, Aborn, and Project Space Galleries and the BankRI TurksHead Gallery, and discussions about public art and architecture.

We had folks attend Gallery Night from Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and all the way from Illinois, Texas, South Carolina, and Virginia, not to mention from cities and towns throughout Rhode Island!

“Our tour guide (Frank) was excellent. Learning about the history of Providence and the buildings was very enlightening. Enjoyed the murals-they are spectacular. The locations we visited were very interesting.”
— Richard, 5 pm Tour Attendee
“I was at the very first Gallery Night - the Providence Art Trolley - hop on, hop off. Tonight I like the guided interaction with the tour guides, curators, artists, and gallery staff. I LOVE bringing friends to Gallery Night for the first time. I also enjoy the camaraderie among guests on the trolley coaches. I’ve made friends on the trolleys.”
— Lee, 5:30 tour
“Gathering with friends and learning about local area artists, history, and culture. (I’m relatively new to RI — two years — and still exploring…)”
— Susan, 6 pm tour attendee

Spotlight on...Sara Ladds!

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This month our spotlight is on textile designer Sara Ladds. She will give a short presentation on her work during the 6 pm tour's stop at Kreatelier, and tour-goers will be able to ask questions and browse the fabric and wallpaper showroom. You can also visit Kreatelier on your own anytime between 6 and 8 pm on April 18 Gallery Night.

Q: You were trained at RISD as a graphic designer. What's the difference for you between designing on paper vs. fabric?

A: As a graphic designer, one uses information to create a design with a specific message, such as a poster or a book cover. There are choices in type, image, and color which are arranged on a given dimension to inform. The similarities between graphic design and fabric design are the designing of similar elements such as pattern, color, and size/dimension on a flat, two-dimensional plane. But fabric is a moving, pliable medium that takes into consideration light, shape, function, style, trends, taste, etc. It has a longer presence where graphic design has a short window of purpose. And when it comes to interior fabrics, the fabric is part of a complex array of other elements such as rugs, artwork, furniture, etc. and they all need to "talk" to one another as a unified group. If it's done correctly.

Q: Art and design are often used interchangeably.  Is there a distinction?

A: I am of the opinion that yes, there is a distinction. Art is an expression of the soul. It comes from a place of having something to say and the artist completely drives what is said and how it's conveyed. Design has a purpose. To communicate and inform (graphic design), to be functional (industrial/furniture design), to live in society (fashion, architecture design), and so on. There are many designers who are artists and artists who are designers in both life and work. The two principles can intertwine and there are a few who have mastered it brilliantly. But for me, there is a distinction in the "why" something is created which separates art from design.

Q: Do you have  a favorite palette?  A favorite design or one  that you're most proud of? 

A: I love color! It's the number one driving force in how I design. I have always gravitated towards the warmer hues - red, orange, pink - but my new collection is with a lot of blues and greens. Whatever the color, I tend to go for a lot of saturation. I would say one of my favorite patterns is the "Peony" pattern. It's graphic and soft in style, bold, and colorful. 

More about Sara Ladds Design:

Sara Ladds Design was launched in early 2015 and is based in Providence, Rhode Island. The collections combine a particular style of bold pattern and vibrant color with attention to proportion and balance. Sara Ladds Design uses eco-friendly printing methods, including water-based pigment ink, regional production and sustainably sourced materials and all fabrics are produced in the USA. 

More about Sara Ladds:

Sara Ladds grew up in New York City where fashion, art, architecture, and culture influenced her sense of style and design. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, Sara spent many years as an award-winning graphic designer. She was owner of Bachleitner Design and in 2005 she became the art director at Brown University. In 2012 she moved out of Providence to the beautiful coastal town of Little Compton where she began to rethink her life’s work and decided to fulfill a long-time dream of being a textile designer. Thus Sara Ladds Design was born and one need not look far to see how Sara’s years as a graphic designer has strongly influenced her textiles. Her attention to detail and color are complemented by bold, graphic patterns and her work offers a strong and refreshing addition to the world of residential textiles. 

April 18 Gallery Night - 6:30 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 6:30 pm from the WaterFire Arts Center at 475 Valley Street, and return to the WaterFire Arts Center around 8:30 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Bradly VanDerStad and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • David Winton Bell Gallery. The Bell Gallery at Brown University presents a comprehensive survey exhibition of artist Barbara T. Smith. An innovator within the performance art movement of the late 1960s, Smith has long produced work that explores the self, sexuality, gender roles, physical and spiritual sustenance, love, life, and death. Assembling an expansive range of artwork and performance-related ephemera, the exhibition will survey Smith’s bold experimentation. 

  • RI Center for Photographic Arts. “George DeWolfe & Friends Lasting Landscapes - Lasting Influences” is the second in a series of exhibitions providing an updated look at landscape photography in the 21st century. This show gathers a collection of photographers that were influenced by DeWolfe and his contemplative approach to making photographs of the landscape.

  • WaterFire Arts Center. The month-long exhibition “ART is Everywhere: Art Inc., A Rhode Island PBS Exhibition” brings the essence of Rhode Island PBS’ short-video series ART inc. from the screen to the gallery. Some of the series' episodes will be played in the gallery as part of the exhibition as well as artwork and objects from about 7-10 artists/creatives featured in the film series. Delving into the heart of human expression, the series illuminates the transformative power of art—from its ability to soothe and inspire to its role as a catalyst for societal change.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

April 18 Gallery Night - 5 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:00 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:00 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Frank Toti.

This is a walking tour - make sure you wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather! We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • BankRI Turks Head Gallery is showing “Drawings and Watercolors by Thea Ernest.” Ernest’s watercolor sketches are spontaneous reactions to her environment. She is curious and willing to draw anything that catches her eye – an industrial building, tomato plants in their cages, people in a cafe, a sycamore tree or her neighbor’s house. She has an intimate, easy style that’s more about capturing the feel of a place than cataloging details. She loves to be out in the world chronicling the ever-changing landscape of the state.

  • AS220 Main Gallery. Drawing inspiration from practices of print trades and swaps in the printmaking world, “Swap/Exchange/Trade” transforms the tradition of the print exchange to a unique collection of artwork. In an active encouragement of play, experimentation and celebration of printmaking mediums, this exhibition underscores PVDPrintmakers’ mission to create accessible opportunities for printmakers of all backgrounds.

  • AS220 Aborn Gallery. “Crossroads” is a group exhibition of contemporary printmaking curated by Lois Harada that highlights works from artists at the intersection of multiple identities and experiences. This exhibition responds to the 2024 United States presidential election to reflect an increasingly divisive civic climate.

  • AS220 Project Space. ‘Homeisland, Home is Land’ explores the complexities of the diasporic experience through the art of Edwige Charlot and Noél Puéllo. This exhibition explores themes of dislocation, rupture, and the enduring power of collective memory, through a transdisciplinary printmaking practice. Both artists, descendants of the “First Contact Island,” navigate the parallels between self, community, and culture through this work.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the spots on the tour will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the spots are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

April 18 Gallery Night - 6:00 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 6:00 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 8:00 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Shannon Hadfield and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • Studio Hop. Studio Hop is a local studio and shop specializing in contemporary fine art, hand crafts, jewelry, ceramics, and clothing.

  • Kreatelier. Kreatelier, a fabric concept store and interior decor studio, features the work and collection by Sara Ladds. Ladds’ collections combine a particular style of bold pattern and vibrant color with attention to proportion and balance. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, Sara spent many years as an award-winning graphic designer before fulfilling her dream of being a textile designer, and this background shapes her textiles and style. Ladds will be there to give a brief presentation on her work and answer any questions viewers may have.

  • Holly Wach Art. Holly Wach’s work focuses on creating portraits and first-hand observations of birds and wildlife in the natural world. Through these encounters, she creates an entry point for the viewer to slow down from a life filled with distractions and form a closer relationship to nature and its creatures. See the artist's studio with both in-progress and finished works, firsthand!

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

April 18 Gallery Night - 5:45 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:45 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:45 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Jenn Wilson and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • Rhode Island State Archives. The RI State Archives exhibit celebrates the cross section of art and history in its first ever exhibit of student created artwork inspired by the historic documents preserved at the Archives. Students from Ponaganset High School, South Kingstown High School, and Beacon Charter High School for the Arts chose to tell these Rhode Island stories through paintings, mixed media, pottery, and other artistic forms, sharing the story of Rhode Island through a new lens.

  • Galerie le Domaine at Domain Properties is opening its 2024 season with the printwork of Lois Harada. Lois holds a BFA degree from RISD and has been working at DWRI Letterpress since 2011. She is an accomplished and creative printmaker and received several awards and residencies.

  • RISD Museum has a variety of different exhibits on view. On the Gallery Night tour, you can get a taste of the many amazing exhibits that the museum has to offer!

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

April 18 Gallery Night - 5:30 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:30 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:30 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Sam Nehila and will be via trolley or mini coach. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • The Gallery at City Hall is joining forces with the SGCI (Southern Graphics Council International) Printmaking Conference, which is coming to Providence in April. They are curating a group print show, “Making an Impression: Building on Knowledge in Providence Printmaking.” The show will let us see the relationships, inspirations, and influences that contribute to a vibrant printmaking community over time, all in the backdrop of our own City Hall, reinforcing our commitment to artmaking as a civic-minded act that requires us to learn, experiment and pass it on.

  • Bannister Gallery at Rhode Island College. “Paper Trails: Selection from the RIC Print Trade” looks at the print exchange tradition at the Rhode Island College Printmaking Department which has taken place since 2005, where students and faculty of the Rhode Island College Printmaking Department create an edition of prints to trade with the other artists involved. Unthemed and with only a set paper size as a guide, exchange participants create innovative and unique prints that add to or start their classmates’ own art collections. Curated by RIC Alumnus Sam Nehila ’19, this exhibition digs into the past and traces common trends in subject matter as well as the range of technical experimentation of RIC printmakers throughout the years.

  • The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking features an exhibit created for Earth day by the artist, Liliana Fijman. Inspired by a sculpture of the same name, “Air - a breath on the line” was created by Fijman for the VI WTA International biennial in Mexico, which challenged artists to make the intangible tangible. Her work involved and collaborated with the children of the Community Libraries of Providence, where children and their families were encouraged to use air to make art.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

Today’s the Day! Support Free access to art in the 401!

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Greetings!

401Gives is TODAY, and runs through Tuesday April 2 at 6 pm.  I am asking you to help make this an awesome day of giving in Rhode Island (our beloved 401 community)!  

Please take 5 minutes to  Give to Gallery Night Providence | 401Gives to enable us to continue to offer free access to Providence art spaces for diverse public audiences.  If you’ve been on one of our tours, or enjoy visiting art spaces and want to see the arts and artists continue to thrive in our Creative Capital, please consider supporting us today! 

I also encourage you to give to other 401 nonprofits that make a difference in our  community – including several of our partner art spaces –and any other causes that speak to you.

Your donation of any amount will help Gallery Night Providence continue its work.

  • $15 will help support the design and printing of our new maps

  • $50 helps us pay our knowledgeable guides

  • And any amount will help us fund our trolley and vehicle rentals (which cost $750 per tour!)

And thanks to the generosity of some of our supporters, your gift may be automatically matched! Some of our friends are offering a match --so your  donation could be doubled. One of our supporters is challenging us –with a pledge of $200 – to raise funds from 20 distinct donors!

Here’s how you can make a big difference today:

  • Spread the word about 401 Gives!  Mention it to co-workers, friends, and neighbors.  Forward this message.  Post on social media and follow @401Gives.

We need your help to make our 401 Gives campaign a success.  So even if you’re a 508 or a 617 or a 203 or a 703 like me, I hope we can count on your support.  Thank you for considering.

Sincerely,

Michelle Maynard
Executive Director

Thank you to all who attended March 21 Gallery Night!

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It was a great night, with printmaking, alien friends, urban sketching, retrospectives, women’s month exhibits, and more! Between our 4 guided tours and folks who visited the galleries and exhibits on their own, we had at least 303 people attend this Gallery Night.

We had some out-of-staters as well, from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Indiana, and Texas!

“The guide was knowledgeable! Professional and friendly! He took advantage of the extended daylight to point out historical places along the trolley route! Also like discovering the small out of the way places, as well as major venues.”
— 5:30 pm Tour Attendee
“It was great to get to see some work by local artists, new gallery spaces, meet new people and learn a bit about each artist from our guide. In addition to the fun and convenience of the trolley and art I have experienced live music, free snacks and wine, and great architecture during the tours.”
— Elizabeth, tour attendee
“The guide, Irene, was lovely and informative. The stops were all unique with something different to offer.”
— 6 pm tour attendee

March 21 Gallery Night - 6:30 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 6:30 pm from the WaterFire Arts Center at 475 Valley Street, and return to the WaterFire Arts Center around 8:30 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Danielle Wolfrum. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • Bannister Gallery at Rhode Island College is showing “Range of Motion, Landscapes by Charles Goolsby.” Charles Goolsby’s oil paintings of landscapes reside between complete stillness and sweeping gestural chaos, specific place and fiction, rendered realism and ambiguous abstraction, and physical object and illusionary pictorial space. His landscape imagery builds on 19th century American landscape painting traditions and implies a sense of contemporary issues.

  • The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking has an exciting show planned for March for spring and women's history month! Artists Charlotte Collins, Janice Bowker, and Amie Noakes are three artists that the colors and forms in their work could remind one of a love of shape, flow, life, and things that grow. And through the colors, forms, shapes, and lines, we can feel a relief that we have made it through another dormant sleep of Mother Nature and we can sprout into spring!

  • BIG NAZO LAB’s “Space Transformation Station” Mill-Rocket Studio, where you *may* meet some theatrical aliens. This is an interactive experience that's fun for all ages, so come prepared to engage and have fun!

  • WaterFire Arts Center is proud to announce the opening of a retrospective exhibition showcasing the illustrious career of Gretchen Dow Simpson, a distinguished painter, photographer, and artist. Spanning decades of creative exploration, Gretchen Dow Simpson's oeuvre reflects a deep-seated fascination with the interplay of shapes, light, and color.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

March 21 Gallery Night - 6:00 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 6:00 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 8:00 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Irene Yibirin. While the tour will be led in English, Irene is fluent in both English and Spanish. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • AS220 Project Space presents two exhibits. In the Project Space, “REPRESENTATION: Recent Fetish Photography” By Mr M, showcases recent work by Michael Morasse that encapsulates the essence to the LGBTQ+ and Fetish communities. In the Reading Room, “SISSY!” by Scarlett Sensi pays homage to those who brazenly show their true colors, including crossdressers across the spectrum. ***Please note: These exhibits contain artwork that has nudity and sexual content and may not be suitable for all ages.***

  • The Gallery at 134 Collaborative / Mathewson Street Church is showing “Wood and Wool: FiberWork Musings by Joy Williams,” where color, texture, pattern, and image are explored through the media of assemblage, knit work, wet felting, and lace. “The tactile experience of making itself, so immediate and sensual, never fails to inspire me,” says the artist. Joy Williams is also a folk musician specializing in Irish flutes and whistles.

  • Art in the Atrium First U presents “Ekphrasis,” an invitational exhibition with works by 17 Artists and 17 Poets. There will be an opening reception on Gallery Night (Thursday March 21) from 5 to 7:30 pm, as well as a Poetry Reading on Thursday April 11 from 7 to 8 pm.

  • RISD Museum has a variety of different exhibits on view. On the Gallery Night tour, you can get a taste of the many amazing exhibits that the museum has to offer!

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

March 21 Gallery Night - 5:30 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:30 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:30 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Bradly VanDerStad. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • The Gallery at City Hall is joining forces with the SGCI (Southern Graphics Council International) Printmaking Conference, which is coming to Providence in April. They are curating a group print show, “Making an Impression: Building on Knowledge in Providence Printmaking.” The show will let us see the relationships, inspirations, and influences that contribute to a vibrant printmaking community over time, all in the backdrop of our own City Hall, reinforcing our commitment to artmaking as a civic-minded act that requires us to learn, experiment and pass it on.

  • BankRI Turks Head Gallery is showing “Drawings and Watercolors by Thea Ernest.” Ernest’s watercolor sketches are spontaneous reactions to her environment. She is curious and willing to draw anything that catches her eye – an industrial building, tomato plants in their cages, people in a cafe, a sycamore tree or her neighbor’s house. She has an intimate, easy style that’s more about capturing the feel of a place than cataloging details. She loves to be out in the world chronicling the ever-changing landscape of the state.

  • Galerie le Domaine at Domain Properties  is opening its 2024 season with the printwork of Lois Harada. Lois holds a BFA degree from RISD and has been working at DWRI Letterpress since 2011. She is an accomplished and creative printmaker and received several awards and residencies.

  • Paper Nautilus Books is showing “New Works” by Dianne Wilkinson. Dianne's sculptural pieces are mostly created from common and recycled textile materials. They hang like curtains and burst from the wall like organic growths.”Much of my inspiration comes from organic forms found in nature, and I select materials that reflect that–some reclaimed and some ordinary. I love the texture of the raw material as I work with it by sewing, knotting, and felting.”

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

March 21 Gallery Night - 5 pm tour details announced!

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We will leave at 5:00 pm from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street, and return to the Graduate around 7:00 pm.

This tour will be led by Gallery Night Guide Jenn Wilson. We will visit the following locations and exhibits:

  • AS220 Aborn Gallery is showing “Dear You” by Ruby T. Lopez Rios. Ruby (she/her/hers) is a Puerto Rican poet and visual artist that works with a fusion of mixed media such as acrylic paint, charcoal, textiles, and poetry. Her artwork acts as an outlet to understand the surreal nature of life’s absurdity and explores the finite nature of not only life and interpersonal relations, but culture and struggles of disenfranchised people.

  • David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University will present a comprehensive survey exhibition of artist Barbara T. Smith. The exhibition will survey Smith’s bold experimentation and celebrate Smith’s incomparable contributions to contemporary art, feminism, performance, and technology. This includes the artist’s radical Xerox works, mixed media assemblages, sculptures, artist’s books, drawings, paintings, photographs, and videos.

  • Studio Hop is a local studio and shop specializing in contemporary fine art, hand crafts, jewelry, ceramics, and clothing.

  • RI Center for Photographic Arts is showcasing their “10th International Juried Exhibition,” juried by Karen Haas of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The work in this exhibition was selected from an international call for entries to provide an updated look at current photographic practice, with 60 photographs from artists from 20 different states and Washington DC.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE OR SHOW UP THE NIGHT OF!

Half of the seats on the trolley or mini coach will always be available (first-come, first-served), completely free, to anyone who shows up on Gallery Night! The other half of the seats are available to reserve in advance via Eventbrite. We ask that you donate $1 when you check out, for the convenience of guaranteeing your spot on the tour of your choice ahead of time.

Accessibility notes:

  • Many of the Gallery Night art spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, the trolleys we hire for Gallery Night cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

  • All tours involve some walking and some stops may include stairs.

  • We invite wheelchair users to enjoy self-guided tours on Gallery Night, and have created some suggestions (Make Your Own Tour tab page) where we note which galleries are wheelchair accessible.

Some notes to help you out the night of the event!

  • We recommend arriving to the Graduate 5 to 10 minutes before your tour time. One of our volunteers will be at a podium with a Gallery Night banner, near the main entrance, and will check you in and answer any questions!

  • If your plans change, please remember to cancel your Eventbrite reservation so that someone else can enjoy the tour.

  • Tours occasionally run late. We recommend allowing buffer time if you're planning on attending another event after ours.

And…enjoy a sneak peek of some of the artwork you can see at these spaces on gallery night!

Thank you for making it a great night: Kick-Off & Fundraiser Recap!

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It was wonderful to see so many people show up to our Kick-Off & Fundraiser and make it a great “Leap” night! Attendees enjoyed making origami frogs (and cranes!) while listening to live music and catching up with friends new and old. People also got to have tasty desserts and snacks, get their tarot reading, enjoy artwork on the walls, and participate in the raffle drawings.

We have so many people to thank for making this a great night. We’d like to thank Sprout CoWorking for offering the physical space where we held the event, and Bottles Fine Wine for the libations of the night.

We’d also like to say special thanks to…

  • Sarah Jane Lapp / Puzlkind

  • Beth Barron

  • Anahid Ypres

  • Gianna Auger

  • Sin Bakery

  • Reiners

  • RISD Museum

  • Foolproof Brewing

  • Dark Lady

  • Avanti

  • T’s Restaurant

  • Anthony Tomasselli

  • Nathaniel’s Bistro

  • Jerry’s Artarama

  • Kreatelier

  • Plant City

  • Salon Inspirations

  • Rhode Island Hot Yoga

  • Wildflour

  • Ewa Rose

  • Stellar Art Pottery

  • The Jungle Personal Training

  • Seven Stars Bakery

And thank you to our intrepid volunteers, including…

  • Elise Fortier

  • Irene Yibirin

  • Heebe-Tee-Tse Lee

  • Rosemary Rocchio

  • Laura Lee Brady

  • Lorna Clause

  • Michelle Lee

  • Zack Kroeger

  • Cassandre Fiering

  • Mike Ryan

  • Eric Barao

  • Sarina Mitchel

  • Michelle Maynard

THIS THURSDAY: Join us for our Kick-Off!

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Join us THIS THURSDAY!

Leap with us into our 2024 Season. Get excited and join us on Thursday for our Kick-Off & Fundraiser at Sprout CoWorking at 166 Valley Street, Building 6M, from 5 to 8 pm! 

We will have live music by Beth Barron, a guided origami demonstration, tarot readings, group puzzle-making, raffles with great prizes, wine from Bottles Fine Wine, Jamaican food (for purchase) by JaPatty, and some surprises!

We are excited to unveil some new Gallery Night Merch at this event as well!

We'll have water bottles printed with the Gallery Night logo, plus puzzles for sale (pictured below) designed by artist Sarah Jane Lapp, with proceeds to benefit Gallery Night and keep the trolleys running.

And we have some new raffle items added just in the last few days! There will be $100 worth of gift cards to T's Restaurant (which can be redeemed at any of their 3 locations) and a $50 gift card to Plant City (great vegan and vegetarian options!), in addition to a brand new Stanley Cup, art supplies, spa items, a free stay at the Graduate Hotel, and much more. See photos and read more on our other blog post!

One special raffle item is an original painting that was generously donated by artist Anahid Ypres. If you have been on a Gallery Night tour in the past, you may have seen Anahid’s art studio and some of her in progress and finished paintings!

To learn more about her work, check out her website here, or read this article written by Michael Rose to learn more about her background and process. 

During the event you will also be able to see artwork on display from The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking's February gallery show, “En Garde!!” This show is guest-curated by Kelly Brown and will display work from current guards at the RISD Museum.

All are welcome to join us for our Kick-Off & Fundraiser!

Please note that there is free parking in the parking lot at Sprout CoWorking.

There is a suggested donation of $25. Your donation includes dessert (which includes selections from Sin and Seven Stars Bakery), one free soft drink ticket (soda, seltzer, bottled water, etc.), and entertainment.

Register ahead of time on Eventbrite here, or join us on the night of the event. We can't wait to see you!