Category Archives: News

May HopArts News

The 25th Regional Art Exhibit at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly (ACGOW) features works by three HopArts artists – Cathy Mansell, Nina Briggs, and Susan Shaw. This exhibit us on view until May 27th at ACGOW, 7 Canal Street, Westerly, RI www.westerlyarts.org.

Shown below is Tree Reflections, ink and wax, 16”x12” by HopArts artist Cathy Mansell, one of three works by Cathy included in ACGOW’s  juried exhibit.

Nina Briggs received the Alice Clark Hubbard Award for Fine Craft for her piece Rhumba Line. Shown below.

Nina forms each half of the pendant (front and back) individually, then joins them together. The pendant is then glazed and fired to 2200 degrees. Next, Nina lusters the hollow form and fires it once again. The silver applique is sculpted onto the surface of the pendant and fired for a third time, fusing the silver to the porcelain.

Also on exhibit at ACGOW is an oil by Susan Shaw, Estuary Elegance, 17”x17”. Susan’s painting captures the striking stance of the Great White Egret in its environs.

HopArts artist Rae Ferguson will show her work Summer Marsh, pictured below, in the Wild and Still exhibit with two West Coast artists at the Siskiyou Arts Museum in Dunsmuir, California this summer.

Featured in a poster for the federal “Wild and Scenic” designation of Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed (WPWA) is a watercolor painting by HopArts artist Susan Shaw. The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed is an area encompassing a large part of Rhode Island and adjacent Connecticut. Photo below shows Susan Shaw presenting RI representative Jim Langevin with a signed poster at a press conference this past week to announce the formal application, with RI Representatives Jim Langevin, David Cicilline, and Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse in attendance.

 

The Art Life

The Art Life, a three-part panel discussion program sponsored by Hoparts at Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association begins on Sunday, March 4th, at 1 PM.

HopArts, a non-profit organization dedicated to working artists in southern Rhode Island through showcase events and educational support, is sponsoring a three part program, The Art Life, at Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association’s Welcome Center, 203 Arcadia Road, Hope Valley, RI. This series is funded by a Grow Hope Grant from the Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs of South County. The first panel discussion will be held on Sunday, March 4th, at 1 pm; all are free and open to the public to attend. Dates for the following two The Art Life programs are Sunday, April 8th, 1 PM, topic/mid-stage artist; and Sunday, May 6th, 1 PM, topic/mature artist. For more information on HopArts, visit their website.

This series of panel discussions will focus on the many dimensions of a career path in the arts, its evolution and stages of development – from the emerging artist, such as a person making a career choice or career change, to the mid-stage of artistic development, and on to the mature artist at the height of their artistic development.

Our program on Sunday, March 4th, 1 PM will be lead by Susan Shaw, painter/ceramic artist and Sara Kaplow, administrator/writer. Panel participants are Kathleen Carland, Executive Director of South County Art Association; Rae Ferguson, URI Associate Professor of History and painter; Jane Loomis, banking and painter; Claudia Hartman, ceramic artist and educator, and Mike Lynch, antiques restorer/furniture maker/woodworker.

Focus for this first session will be the skills of managing a regular, typically non-art related job with a part-time career in the arts, challenges in transitioning from one career to self-employment in the arts, and planning artistic engagement post-retirement. All attending are welcome to share in this conversation.

Interior mural at WPWA Welcome Center by artist Christine McIntyre Hannon

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA), handicapped accessible, is dedicated to protective and educational work in the environment and ensuring high standard of water quality. Their work and services impact a large portion of Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut.

At top, HopArts artist Rick Devin at work in his studio.

 

Up Coming Classes

Laura Travis: Stone Carving Classes

HopArts artist Laura Travis will host two stone carving classes this Fall, one at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI, Saturday and Sunday during Columbus Day Weekend, and one in the winter studio at 30 Cutler Street in Warren, RI, every Tuesday night starting September 12.

For more information, facebook.com/lauratraviscarving

Christy Sherman: Polymer Clay – Baby Seal Sculpting Class

HopArts artist Christy Sherman will be teaching one of her favorite classes in October. Sign up at the Wickford Art Association. wickfordart.org/art-classes-current.html.
The Wickford Art Association is disability accessible.

Learn to sculpt and handle polymer clay in 3 dimensions as you sculpt an adorable baby seal. You’ll learn how to create fur texture and how to use paint to bring out the texture and highlight your seal.

Your seal can be a free-standing figurine, a hanging pendant, or an ornament.

No experience needed.
When: October 28, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Where: Wickford Art Association, 36 Beach Street, Wickford, RI 02852 | 401. 294.6840
Cost: $55 Members of Wickford Art Association,  $90 Non-members,  $10 Material fee

 

Open Studio

HopArts weaver, Joyce Hoffman is opening her studio at The Old Rockville Post Office:

Tuesdays and the 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month
from 10 am – 2 pm
June – September 2017     (CLOSED JULY 4th)

335 Canonchet Road
Hopkinton, RI
(The Old Rockville Post Office) Map

I invite HopArts members and their friends/relatives to drop by. They can bring hand work to do –  Knitting,  Crocheting, Sewing, or Weaving projects. Or just come to visit. I have my floor loom at the Studio as well as a Frame loom. I am working on items for HopArts weekend!

Looking forward to seeing folks.