Spotlight on...Our November Guest Guides!

Gallery Night Providence is pleased and honored to welcome two very special guest guides who will join us on two of our November 16 tours. Meet Crystal Williams, President of Rhode Island School of Design, who will be a guest guide on the 5:30 pm tour, and Joe Wilson, Jr., Director of Providence Art Culture + Tourism, who will be a guest guide on the 6:00 pm tour.

Photo of Crystal Williams. Photo credit, Jo Sittenfeld.

Crystal Williams, RISD’s 18th President, is a teacher, leader, advocate and poet who believes that education, art and design, and commitments to equity and justice are essential to transforming our society. 

As a faculty member, she has focused on advancing artistic inquiry and engagement. As a leader, her work has ensured that institutions are more effective, mission-aligned and diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Prior to coming to RISD in 2022, she was Boston University’s inaugural vice president and associate provost for community and inclusion. Williams held similarly catalytic roles at Bates College (2013–17) and Reed College (as a faculty leader from 2000–11 and as a dean from 2011–13). She began her academic career at Reed as a professor of English.

An award-winning poet and essayist, Williams has published four collections of poems. She is the recipient of several artistic fellowships, grants and honors, including a fellowship from the MacDowell Arts Colony, an appointment as the Distinguished Visiting Professor of University Writing at DePauw University, and a Master Poet residency at Indiana University. Williiams’ poem Elegy for Us, in response to Faith Ringgold’s American People Series #20: Die, was commissioned by and is part of MoMA’s Poetry Project, a tour of poems responding to pieces in the museum’s permanent collection.

The daughter of an educator and a musician, Williams was raised in Detroit, MI and Madrid, Spain and holds a BA from New York University and an MFA from Cornell University.

Joe Wilson, Jr.  is currently the director of Providence Arts Culture + Tourism. Many will recognize him from his previous role as a member of the Resident Acting Company and Artistic Staff at Trinity Repertory Theater, where he founded Trinity Rep’s Center for Activism and Performance. He has shared his knowledge of the arts through lectures at educational institutions and conferences around the country.

He has an extensive background in theater, holding an MFA in Acting from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre Training Program. He has worked both on and off Broadway (2000 Tony Award-nominated production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and 2018 Tony Award-nominated Iceman Cometh starring Denzel Washington).

Joe has received many honors, including from the Rhode Island Black Heritage Foundation, and received the City of Providence 2020 MLK Hall of Fame for Outstanding Service. In awarding Joe the Rhode Island Council for Humanities Public Scholar Award, the Council stated that, "Joe Wilson Jr. is a force who uses his skills, his talent, and his passion to enact, concretely, what the humanities can do to change the world."

Joe serves on the boards of the Providence Tourism Council, the Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and WaterFire Providence. 

Spotlight on...Elise Fortier!

April is National Volunteer Month, a time to recognize all those who give their time and energy to causes they care about. We at Gallery Night are grateful for the many volunteers and the hours they've spent, directly or indirectly, helping us bring people to art spaces in Providence. This month we are spotlighting volunteer Elise Fortier, who organized the silent auction and raffle for our fundraiser in February! 

Q: When and how did you first hear about Gallery Night?

A: I was first introduced to Gallery Night in October of 2019 by my dear friend Mike Ryan, who is one of the board members. I had just moved to Providence and would arrange my social calendar by what was advertised in his publication Motif Magazine. He and I went on one of the tours and I was hooked. 

Q: What made you want to go on a tour? What keeps you coming back?

A: I grew up surrounded by art. Both my parents and my godmother were talented artists. My parents made a point of bringing us to museums as children, and taking us to cultural events and encouraging an appreciation and interest in art. I studied graphic design, drawing and art history in college. It’s just always been a part of my life. I can easily walk into a museum and pass five hours as if it was nothing. I become mesmerized. The Gallery Night tours appealed to me because I could visit so many spaces in one evening that I would most likely never go to on my own. Some studios can feel intimidating, especially if you’re solo. With Gallery Night, I’m with a group and we are warmly welcomed. There’s an abundance of art in varying mediums in interesting spaces. There’s nothing I don’t love about it. It always feels fresh and new, regardless of how frequently I go. 

Q: What is your favorite part about Gallery Night? 

A: Along with all of the amazing artwork being shown at some truly spectacular venues, is the sense of camaraderie that is present amongst everyone attending. There’s an element of shared awe, appreciation and joy that permeates the group. The tour guides are knowledgeable and informative and in some cases you get to meet the artists and learn about their work firsthand. 

Q: What motivated you to volunteer to organize the silent auction and raffle for our fundraiser?

A: I love the city of Providence and our community. I have done a good bit of volunteering in the past and it had been my desire once I moved here to find an organization that was aligned with my values and interests.

I knew Gallery Night was something that resonated with me personally, as art has always been integral to my life and I believe it should be accessible to all. I fully and wholeheartedly support the mission of Gallery Night Providence and it was my honor to be able to help out in whatever way that I could. I thoroughly enjoyed my role and it was an absolute pleasure meeting all the talented artists who generously donated to our cause and to be able to familiarize more people with their work by including them in our auction and raffle.

Thank you to intern Justin Medeiros for interviewing Elise and writing up this feature!