*Gallery and Art Night Trolley Thursday, July 11, 6-8 PM
with signing for Sarah Lawhorne’s photo book Mystery and Manifestations
Artists’ Roundtable Thursday, July 18, 5-7 PM
Hark now, hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly Into the mystic – Van Morrison
Our July exhibit features the work of photographers Ron Caplain,Michael Day, and Sarah Lawhorne, clay artists Paula M. Guida and Rick Martell, and artist RoseAnn LeMaster. The show’s title, Into the Mystic, suggests the ways in which these five artists are inspired by the mystical and magical, from the patterns of the natural universe to the spiritual elements found in daily life.
Longtime DeBlois Gallery member Ron Caplain began as a landscape photographer, and in the 1980s moved into people and street photography, work for which he has won many distinctions. More recently, he has been taking his photography to new levels in printmaking, with monoprints, encaustic, and image transfers. His work in this exhibit features collage techniques juxtaposing images from Japan, printed on Asian papers.
Ron Caplain – Untitled – Collage on Asian Paper
When Caplain and photographer Michael Day realized that they both had spent a lot of time in Japan and had collected images of Japan over the last four or five decades, they decided to show their work together. A wildlife photographer usually more interested in birds, animals, and insects than people, Day took a series of photos of the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) in Kyoto Japan in 2022, and noticed, in the light, color, figure, and background of the costumed parade performers, a similarity to the colors, patterns, and shapes of the birds he usually photographed. Also featured will be a collaboration of photographic collages of Caplain’s and Day’s work.
Michael Day – Ancient Armor – Color Photograph
Clay artist Paula M. Guida began working in the medium thirteen years ago after a thirty-year career in education. She produces wheel-thrown work, as well as hand-built slab designs. Her range is wide, from functional pots to more architectural and figurative forms. Through the techniques of carving, texturizing, applique and piercing, as well as a wide range of firing methods, her finished forms are exciting and beautiful. According to Guida, “Nothing about working with clay is entirely predictable and that is part of what makes working with it so exciting.”
Paula M. Guida – Marble House Tea House – Clay
Photographer Sarah Lawhorne’s series of photographs represents Taoist and Zen concepts that she tries to live by, including presence, noninterference, simplicity, and harmony. The images are an exploration of spirituality and our relationship to the world in which we live. “Witnessing the Tao in action, even through a photograph, can be eye-opening,” says Lawhorne.
Sarah Lawhorne – Firmly Rooted – Black and White Photograph
Ink and paint artist RoseAnn LeMaster can’t remember a time when she wasn’t an artist. “Even as a very young child I was passionate about being creative, capable of sitting for hours drawing and painting, losing myself in colors and lines. As I grew up, expressing myself through art continued not only to be a desire but evolved into a necessity as well; It was a natural part of me that had to be nourished and cared for.”
RoseAnn LeMaster – Goddess Park – Technical Pen on Illustration Board
Her recipe for happiness?
“Ink, paint, nothing but time.
Served deep in thought on a rainy night.”
Clay artist Rick Martell focuses on surface and colors. He says, “I like to work clay by stretching and pulling it almost to its breaking point. Round, large forms allow me to use the stretching and pulling process to its fullest. I prefer simple shapes, so I have a surface where I can lay on color and glaze it painterly. My focus is wood and Raku firing, which allows me to become more involved with the piece through completion. My pots can be funny with colors light and airy, or serious with colors of the earth’s changes — reds and blacks of volcanoes, white ice of glaciers, the yellow of the sun and the blue of the sea.”
Rick Martell – Untitled – Wood Fired Clay
Follow us on social media for specific dates, times, and artists featured in these events.
The DeBlois Gallery is located at 134 Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown and is open 1-5 PM Wednesday through Sunday. All welcome; ample, free parking!
*DeBlois Gallery will be participating in the Newport Artists Collective Gallery Trolley Tours departing from Perrotti Park (near the Brenton Hotel) on Thursday, July 11, 6-8 PM. For more information on stops and times, email debloisgallery@gmail.com.
Coming In June – 2 new Exhibitions at OVERLAP, located at 112 Van Zandt Avenue in Newport, RI
“Peripheral Decoys” is a solo exhibition by Boston-area sculptor Cathy Della Lucia.
“Same Rain, Same Stars,” a collaborative immersive installation consisting of wall paintings, ceramic sculptures, and vessels by Providence artists Eamon Brown, Judd Schiffman, and Athena Witscher, will be on view from June 19 to July 27, 2024.
Both exhibitions will have an opening reception on Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 4 to 6 p.m.
“Cathy Della Lucia Trolling (strawberries and burnt tongues), 2023, Fishing rod mount, tennis overgrip, wood, ceramic, glaze, underglaze, stain, paint, acrylic rod”
Cathy Della Lucia
In the lower exhibition room, “Peripheral Decoys,” Cathy Della Lucia creates sculptures from interlocking units of carved wood, ceramic, and 3D-printed forms that are juxtaposed with utilitarian items from work and play, such as deep-sea fishing pole mounts, motorcycle repair stands, and gym equipment. Her modular sculptures bridge the gap between fragment and whole. Made up of found, altered, and fabricated forms, they display a variety of distinct surfaces that range from an array of smoothly sanded and polished hardwoods and laminated plywood to lustrous and matte ceramic glazes, soft translucent gradients of airbrushed dyes and dense opacities of industrial paints.
Built through repetitive assemblage and disassemblage, the sculptures reflect on the fragmentation and the subsequent gamification strategies we employ to navigate and focus in everyday life, as well as the concept of sculptural objects as decoys that embody both action and form, and exist simultaneously as imitation and reality. She says “To recognize a decoy requires deconstruction— a peeling back of sensory layers to detect misalignment of familiarity.
Also on view, on the upper level, “Same Rain, Same Stars”, an immersive collaborative installation by Eamon Brown, Judd Schiffman, and Athena Witscher, will consist of ceramic vases, ceramic relief tiles, and full-scale wall drawing and paintings. Considering the shared natural world as raw material, “Same Rain, Same Stars” is a playful intervention with the gallery and each other’s creative practice: Brown’s psychedelic patterning and sculpture, Witscher’s utilitarian pottery and textiles, and Schiffman’s ceramic relief tiles. In this experimental exhibition, these artists collaborate through the common experience of being artists, friends, and parents.
Cathy Della Lucia has exhibited her work in the US, Denmark, and South Korea.
Recent exhibitions include Radial Gallery, University of Dayton (OH), Kniznick Gallery,
Brandeis University (MA), Abigail Ogilvy Gallery ( Boston, MA), and Piano Craft Gallery
(MA). She has completed residencies at Vermont Studio Center and The Blue House
(Dayton, OH). Cathy holds a BA in Studio Art from Xavier University and an MFA in
sculpture from Boston University. She currently teaches sculpture as an Assistant
Professor of Studio Art at Boston College.
Athena Witscher (b. 1984) is an artist, youth educator and mother living and working
in Providence, RI. With a BFA in ceramics from RISD, Athena works with clay to make
functional objects for everyday use. Athena’s simple, expressive aesthetic reflects her
Japanese heritage as taught to her by crafting with her mother and grandmother.
Judd Schiffman (b. 1982) is a Providence, Rhode Island based artist. He has lectured
at Harvard University Ceramics and Brown University, and participated in residencies
at the Zentrum fur Keramik (Germany) and Millay Arts (NY). Schiffman earned his MFA
from the University of Colorado, Boulder and his BA from Prescott College. Schiffman’s
work has been exhibited throughout the United States, including at The Valley (NM),
Oddkin Gallery (RI), Jane Hartsook Gallery (NY), Maake Projects (PA), 1969 Gallery
(NY), Headstone Gallery (NY) and Inman Gallery (TX). In 2016 he received an emerging
artist award from the National Council for the Education of Ceramic Arts. Schiffman is
currently Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Providence College.
Eamon Brown (b. 1973) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Providence, RI. He earned
an MFA in sculpture from RISD and BFA from Umass Dartmouth. He was assistant
professor at Boston University and visiting professor at MassArt and Brown University.
He has had residencies at The Mattress Factory (PA) and Yaddo (NY) and his solo and
collaborative work has been exhibited at Biennale d’art contemporain de Lyon (France),
Deitch Projects (NY), Stairwell Gallery (RI), Grounds for Sculpture (NJ), Stockton
College Gallery (NJ), and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (CA)
Featuring 3 New York Artists and Fine Jewelry Launch
Reception Saturday, June 15, 4:30-6:30 pm
Newport, RI, June 5, 2024 – Gallery Sitka, celebrating their ten year anniversary, announces “Summer Lights” exhibit featuring New York artists Beth Barry, Barbara Groh, Shira Toren and a fine jewelry launch by New York City jewelry designer, Always, A. The opening reception is Saturday, June 15 from 4:30-6:30pm at Gallery Sitka on the corner of Spring and Franklin Streets. The artists will be in attendance at the reception, which is free and open to the public. The show will be displayed through July 15.
Art New England magazine will be at the exhibit opening reception (and bearing cake) to celebrate their 45 year anniversary. Publisher Rita Fucillo stated, “Art New England is so happy to celebrate its 45th in Newport with Tamar and Gallery Sitka. A summer birthday pop-up amidst the gorgeous work of Beth, Barbara and Shira is quite special. Please join us as we toast the next 45!”
Tamar Russell Brown, Gallery Sitka owner stated, “Gallery Sitka is beyond excited to host Art New England, three of our incredible abstract-represented artists, and the debut of a jewelry designer’s summer line – a first for our gallery. This summer celebrates 10 years that Gallery Sitka has been showing art in New England so this opening is one not to miss!”
Artists in the exhibit include:
“Sunrise in Napeague”, Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20″
Beth Barry
Beth Barry’s themes range from celebration to reinterpretation to immediate reaction to impacted landscapes. Barry’s artistic influences include the coastline (as she was born in New Bedford) and the concept of rebirth is a recurring reference. Barry shares, “I characterize my paintings as landscapes with emotional concepts and feelings. Yet the works are often devoid of literal landscape references. I opt for transparent layers of primitive structures, loose gestures, and energetic color combinations.”
Barbara Groh, “The River”, Acrylic and lapanam on canvas, 55” x 59” x 2″
Barbara Groh
Barbara Groh is a visual artist who has immersed herself in the creative process for over four
decades creating highly personal abstract works. Many travels inform her visual language as her sense of place, space and time. Featured are works inspired by India, Costa Rica and the Connecticut River by their proximity to water. Materials include acrylic, natural herbal paste, oil, graphite, ink, watercolor, and cold wax. Ms. Groh states, “It is a synthesis of location, perception, physicality, freedom and meditation. My art may reflect a quiet practice, a calligraphic meditation, or an energetic expression of freedom.”
Shira Toren is an American-Israeli visual artist based in Brooklyn. Her work explores personal and global themes that reflect upon the environment. The abstract monochromatic paintings are process-oriented, using a method developed by Toren whereby she rubs graphite powder, pigments, and ink onto Venetian plaster substrates. Toren offers, “I tend to toggle between additive and subtractive practices, masking certain layers while peeling away others. This lends to an array of textures and pigments, often exhibiting bursts of energy alongside instances of stillness.”
Jewelry Launch by New York jewelry designer, Always A.
Jewelry designer Autumn Hope Kirby introduces “Chapter 1: The Quintessentials” a debut jewelry collection which Kirby describes as “capturing the essence of New York’s chic vibrancy.” Everything is solid gold and natural diamonds. The collection is a mix of rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces, ranging in price from $1,000 to $10,000.
At a Glance
WHAT: “Summer Lights” Exhibit featuring New York Artists Beth Barry, Barbara Groh, Shira Toren, and Fine Jewelry Launch by Always, A. at Gallery Sitka/Newport
WHEN: Reception Saturday, June 15, 4:30-6:30pm; Show thru July 15; Gallery hours:
Gallery Sitka™ is a woman-owned and operated art entity with galleries in Newport, RI; Shirley, MA; Saratoga, NY (by appointment); and additional periodic pop-ups around the Northeast. With a focus on abstract art, Gallery Sitka represents the work of more than twenty painters, sculptors, encaustic artists, as well as jewelry designers from New England, New York, Brasil, France and Italy. The Gallery is committed to local art and the creative economy. Gallery Sitka opened in 2014 and has been featured in publications such as Art New England, Newport This Week, NorthCentral Mass.com, Harvard General Store, ChooseNorthCentral.com, among others. For more information visit gallerysitka.com.
Art Trolley Night Thursday June 6th, 5-8.30 PM (debloisgallery@gmail.com for stops and timings)
Performance by Guitar Virtuoso Mychal Gendron Sunday June 9th, 2-3 PM
Gallery Night: Thursday June 13th, 5-7 PM
Our June exhibit features the work of painter Michael Pekala, multimedia artists Manjula Padmanabhan, Bettie Sarantos, and Virginia Stone, as well as book artist Kathleen Morton. The show’s title, BOOK, connects work by illustrators of books, writers, and artists who use book imagery and have a connection to the world of books.
Kathleen Morton has been a member of DeBloisGallery and Beach Studios for over 15 years. Known for printmaking, encaustic, and collage work, she more recently ventured into bookmaking. As a self-taught bookmaker, with the help of some instruction books and the computer, Kathleen has refined her craft. Her love for working with papers and textures allowed for a natural transition to designing books, many of which have become memory makers for herself as well as others.
Artist and author Manjula Padmanabhan says that, as an illustrator, her drawings are usually detailed and realistic with a touch of comedy. As an artist, however, her work tends towards bright colors and surrealism. For this show, Manjula is presenting drawings and reproductions that will echo some of her book illustrations. She will also have a few copies of her published books available.
An illustrator who primarily paints on stretched upholstery fabric with acrylic paint Michael Pekala looks for ways to incorporate the fabric’s pattern and texture into his work, which often infuses the piece with a sense of whimsy and wonder. Inspired by nature, wildlife and New England lighthouses, Michael started with pen and ink before evolving into acrylics on fabric. Being surrounded by bolts of his furniture upholsterer mom’s fabric at a young age led Michael to experiment with fabric as his “canvas.” The patterns to him are like clouds in the sky; he’ll stare at them and think, “What do I see?” as a way to jumpstart his creative process.
Multimedia artist Bettie Sarantos says that she paints intuitively and enjoys playing and experimenting with different media. She loves the meditative feeling of getting lost in the process and going with the flow. Chinese art is her passion; she has explored this lifetime learning experience through the process of grinding ink, using unique brushes, natural pigments, and Asian papers, embracing the symbolism, calligraphy and philosophy behind this special art form. Bettie also has a passion for printmaking and especially monotypes. She often transforms prints into collages or multimedia pieces, using found objects and textures.
Virginia Stone was inspired to create this group show to honor books. She was in line at a Habitat for Humanities store one day when she began to discuss the novels in the cart of the lady in front of her, explaining the plots and recommending which books she liked. At some point the lady finally stopped her and said, “I am not buying these books to read. I am an interior designer. I am going to cover them with white paper for staging.”
JOIN US!
All are welcomeand THANK YOU, friends of the gallery!
Gallery Hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 1 pm – 5 pm For the Address, SEE BELOW.
Visit our WEBSITE
Email: debloisgallery@gmail.com
Phone: (401) 847-9977
We are currently reviewing work for future shows.
If you are a regional artist and interested in showing at DeBlois Gallery
please visit this link: Work For Review.
Or call the gallery for more information.
The newly formed Newport Artists Collective is reviving the once-popular Newport Gallery Night with the first of the monthly events scheduled for June 6.
The free Gallery Night trolley service will stop at collective member galleries, including Spring Bull Gallery, Mariner Gallery, DeBlois Gallery, Alloy Gallery, Blink Gallery, and Jessica Hagen Fine Art + Design. Two trolley buses from Viking Tours will follow a mapped route starting at Perrotti Park at the northern end of the waterfront.
The collective, initiated by Curtis Speer of Cusp Gallery, has been hosting a weekly Artist Salon Series at the downtown Brenton Hotel, which is scheduled to run every week throughout the year. The collective obtained a $200,000 grant from Rhode Island Commerce to support its activities, which include a new website that publicizes exhibitions and events at member galleries and provides various kinds of support for artists, including advice about funding. The grant, part of $3.4 million in federal funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, is marked for the establishment of Gallery Night and an annual Newport Art Show. Speer said the Artists Collective does not have details about the outdoor exhibition.
“Looking to Elephant Rock” by Jill Madden at Jessica Hagen Fine Art + Design
The grant was part of $2.7 million in support for 24 organizations, including the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, the Newport Historical Society and Pride Newport. The money came from a second round of grants that brought the total to $3.4 million for events and attractions related to new and existing organizations with ties to the tourism industry.
Gallery Night will run on the first Thursday of most months, from 5 to 7 p.m., through December, and will coincide with that week’s Salon Series. The Salon Series began last fall and has featured local and regional artists, gallery owners and others. Speer said the audience for the series has steadily increased.
“We had over 100 people come through at our most recent event,” he said. “People are finding out what we are doing.”
After retiring this year from 22 years of teaching journalism at the University of Rhode Island, John Pantalone, the founding editor of Newport This Week, is happy to be writing for the paper again.
When the collective began research and outreach last year, Speer said, they discovered 42 actual gallery spaces in the region, though some are working studios for artists either in their home, a garage or an out-building. He said most of the artists have not publicized themselves, but many are eager to gain more attention.
Speer serves as chairman and president of the collective’s board. Tamar Brown, owner of Sitka Gallery, is vice president. The 20-member board includes well-known local artists, such as Sandy Nesbitt, Lisa May and Cory Silken. Gallery representatives on the board include Susan Matthews of Overlap, Jessica Hagen of Jessica Hagen Fine Art + Design, and Tamar Kern of Alloy Gallery.
NOTEWORTHY:
– DeBlois Gallery opened a show last weekend featuring five artists
including long-time locals Bettie Sarantos and Virginia Stone. They share the space at the gallery on Aquidneck Avenue near the beach with Michael Pekala, Manjula Padmanabhan and Kathleen Morton. The group show continues through June 26. Check www.debloisgallery.com for more information.
– As it has for several years, Jessica Hagen Fine Art on Bridge Street welcomes summer with a show of paintings, sculpture and photography inspired by summer scenes. Artists include Penny Ashford, Diana Bardorf, Christopher Benson, Diana Bunting, Rob Diebboll, Jeff Fischer, Patricia Davis Ganek, Sam Green, Pamela Granbery, Whitney Hagen, Karen Iglehart, Jill Madden, Lorraine Mainelli, Vince Natale, Patrick Pierce, Jolie Stahl and Tom Vieth. All the artists are represented by the gallery. The show continues through June 23. Find more at: www.jessicahagen.com.
– You have one more week to see the exhibition at Gallery Sitka on Spring Street entitled “Art with Sitka, “which has again brought together several artists from the National Association of Women Artists for this show, which runs through June 13. For more information, visit www.gallerysitka.com.
“Sante Fe” by Jeanne Borofsky at Gallery Sitka
– This is the final weekend for “Dreams of a Common Language” at Overlap on Van Zandt Avenue. The show features work by Elizabeth Duffy, Lu Heintz and Anna McNeary. It will be followed by two exhibitions at the gallery opening June 19. “Peripheral Decoys” features the sculpture of Cathy Della Lucia. “Same Rain, Same Stars” has three Providence artists sharing space: Athena Witscher, Judd Schiffman and Eamon Brown. Visit www.overlapnewport.com for details.
Spring finally feels like it is in full force now here in Newport, even with all this rain. Everything is getting busier, including the events here at Overlap.
We are starting in with an exciting new endeavor in the shop. Our Artist+Designer+Maker Series begins this week. This series will spotlight artists who are innovative, have a deep knowledge of their medium and create unusual and usually use-able objects. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to begin with the incredible glass work of Laura Kramer. Laura’s cabinet-of-curiosities installation of exquisite blown, cast and torched pieces has taken over one wall of the shop until July 6th. She will also be here in person so you can Meet the Artist onJune 6th from 5-7pm during Newport’s first gallery night in a long time. Bring your questions and your curiosity! Kramer’s work has been featured in Elle Decor, New York Times Magazine Home Edition, Los Angeles Times Magazine, InStyle, Architectural Digest and more.
And- on Saturday, June 1st from 6-8pmElizabeth Duffy, Lu Heintz and Anna McNeary will share another layer of insight into their work with readings from “The Dream of a Common Language” by Adrienne Rich, a performance, speaking informally about their work within the context of the installation, and engaging in some Q & A.
These events and the gallery itself is free and open to the public.
Shop Spotlight:
Artist+Designer+Maker
Laura Kramer
May 18th – July 6th
Meet the Artist:
Thursday June 6th 5-7pm
(Newport Gallery Night)
Laura Kramer
Laura Kramer holds BFA and MFA degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design and Ohio State University as well as an MA in Anthropologie & Material Culture from Columbia University, where she also studied archeology. She has worked on excavations in the Dutch Antilles, cast bronze at Paolo Solari’s Arcosanti, and has been an artist-in-residence at Kitengala Glass in Kenya.
Her objects bring together art and nature. Like barnacles on a boat hull or paper wasp nests they mimic and question the hybridity of made and natural materials. They seem to defy accepted systems of classification contained in a cabinet of curiosity and explore the liminal.
Kramer in the studio
Hours
Wednesday through Friday 11am – 6pm
Saturday 12 – 5pm and by appointment
I have been watching the birds from my patio these past months – a source of inspiration despite a rather dreary winter.
These are a few of the “Bird Watching” prints, 12 x 12 mononprints created with collagraph plates and stencils.
Exhibits
“Etched in Time”, an assemblage of Intaglio prints Land, Sea & Sky Exhibition Wickford Art Association May 24 – June 23, 2024
Spring Mist & Spring Explosion, 11 x 15 Monoprints 19 on Paper “Paperworks 2024” Warwick Center for the Arts June 29 – July 31, 2024
Drawing For Everyone Wickford Art Association
Mondays, July 8 – 29, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
For more information & to register go to www.wickfordart.org
Drawing below by Sara Wriston done in a WAA class
Open Print Studio – Thursdays, 10 to 1 at Beach Studios
To inquire about my work, classes or the studio please email feliciatouhey@gmail.com
June 30th, 2024, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm ~ Mariner Gallery, 267 Spring St, Newport, RI
Experience our world through the lens of Mariner Gallery’s roster of nationally renowned fine oil painters that will descend upon Newport the last weekend in June to draw inspiration from our iconic and historic community. These artists share a distinct yet harmonious mastery of classical realism that will be demonstrated through depictions of sea, sky, coast, and our city. Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate the live production of creativity and artistry. Many of the participating artists will be in attendance, offering patrons a unique opportunity to engage with the creative process firsthand. The artists include Frank Corso, John Cosby, William Davis, Donald Demers, Russell Kramer, Joseph McGurl, Patrick O’Brien, Sergio Roffo, Neal Hughes, Leonard Mizerek, and rookie Courtney Collibee.
The Mariner Gallery is open for the 10th season with updated works for the spring of 2024. From 19th century masterpieces to contemporary works, our collection spans a range from photo-realism to impressionism, with something to captivate all art enthusiasts. To explore the complete collection visit MarinerGallery.com and for inquiries, please contact 401.406.9531.
For those eager to see the collection in person, the Mariner Gallery warmly welcomes visitors to its galleries located at 267 Spring Street, Newport, RI hours of operation 12pm-6pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and at 170 Noroton Avenue, Darien, CT hours of operation 12pm-6pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Mariner Gallery.com ~ 267 Spring Street, Newport, RI ~ andre@marinergallery.com
