Ilse Newbitt, the owner/artist, was born in Germany and grew up in Japan. You'll see a strong…read moreJapanese influence in many of her woodblock prints. After teaching at the Rhode Island School of Design, she and her late husband opened the press and gallery. She makes her own paper and prints her work on a 100+ year old press. The Press is a bit out of the way but well worth finding. Ilse is charming and clearly is more interested in meeting people and educating them about her work rather than making a quick sale.

What a cool space! I loved watching everything while I had ice cream next door. I'd love to come…read moreback and take a class at some point!

Had a great experience at Gather! The class was four people and we each made out pieces with the…read moreinstructors help. It was cool to see other make pieces that were different to what we were making and the process behind that. You do have to wait a day to pick up your pieces, but they do also ship and hold pieces for around 30-40 days. The drinking glasses my partner and I made turned out great! Definitely a great value and would recommend!

I visited the studio and it was buzzing with activity. I spoke with several of the artists and…read morefound a painting of sunflowers by the artist Alfred J. Smith at an extremely reasonable price! Alfred was very kind and I was able to observe him painting while I was there. I'll be back!

This place is amazing. It's an art studio run by Arc for people with intellectual disabilities to…read morecraft and create. The artwork is inspiring because it is completely absent of pretention. This place really moved me and means so much as I have a sibling who I would love to see have access to a place like this. I can't wait to go back and buy some artwork - I inquired about volunteering but later realized they're only open during daytime weekday hours.

My 13 year old recently attended a birthday party at Blue Door. Ample parking (in a mini-mall.)…read moreThey were prompt. My daughter left with one canvas she painted with instruction through BDA studio. She also received a goodie bag with a few things from blue door included. Overall a nice place, great alternative bday party option.

Blue Door Studio is a hidden gem located in an out-of-the-way strip plaza in Smithfield, RI. I…read morehighly recommend Claudia Venditto, the owner, who received a masters from RISD (WOW) and is passionate about art and teaching. This makes her an exceptional art instructor and you can see it in the work of her students! My daughter just started taking lessons from Ms. Venditto and I can already see a HUGE improvement in her techniques. There's a showcase at the end of the winter sessions (8 weeks total, 2 hours a week), but was able to take a sneak peak. I got the chance to introduce myself to the teacher today and talk to her a bit. She's warm, welcoming, and very easy to talk to. I also love the high level of professionalism of her business--very important to me. Online registration and payment are available online and confirmation is sent via email, which makes enrollment very convenient. FYI, she's currently a high school teacher in a different town and has to commute. Gotta admire her dedication! Luckily, we live close by. Students who get the chance to study under her are fortunate. Got my info from this article: http://m.valleybreeze.com/2017-05-31/observer-smithfield-west/blue-door-studio-expands-space-smithfield-move#.XD_EkaROmaM

First time exploring Providence, and while sadly was only here for one day, this was one of the…read morebiggest recommendations I got for an attraction to see. And coming through here, yeah, I can definitely see why. The RISD Museum has a really amazing and eclectic assortment of works from many different eras and locations, and you are certain to find something here to pique your interest. In one building, I went from seeing some ancient Egyptian, Roman, or Chinese statues, to Renaissance and early-modern paintaings, Victorian and Gilded age furniture, an assortments of modern and contemporary works, plus several rotating exhibits which had some very fascinating subject matters. The entire building has a somewhat strange floorplan, but this leads you to explore, discover, and find your path through the exhibits in different ways, almost like working through a puzzle to find some hidden treasures. And if you take your time, the museum can easily eat up half a day at least. As for a couple things to keep in mind; Parking can be a little tricky right close to the museum itself, as there are some street spaces nearby and paid parking garages. But frankly, downtown Providence is so nice that I'd advise parking further away and enjoying a lovely walk over along the canals. Admission price is very reasonable, but Sundays are apparently free entry days (or at least was when I visited). So yeah, if you only have a couple hours to kill in this town, the RISD Museum is very much worth a visit. Hope others can come and enjoy this amazing spot.

The RISD Museum in Providence is one of those places that catches you off guard with how much it…read morehas to offer, especially if you are not already familiar with it going in. I found the building spanning six floors, and the spaces were well organized throughout, giving each piece enough room to be appreciated properly without the galleries ever feeling sparse or rushed. It is the kind of museum where I could spend a couple of hours moving through it and still feel like I left things unexplored. The collection is the main reason to visit, and it covers a genuinely impressive range, from ancient artifacts and historical portraits all the way through to modern and contemporary works. The curation does a good job of making those transitions between periods feel intentional rather than disjointed, and the rotating exhibits add a reason to come back beyond what is already on permanent display. The Liz Collins exhibit drew a lot of attention during its run and was a strong example of how well the museum handles contemporary work alongside its more classical holdings. Staff were present and approachable throughout the floors, and coat lockers near the entrance were available, a small but appreciated detail on a longer visit. The building was easy to navigate even on a first trip, and the overall experience felt well managed without being overly structured. One thing worth knowing before planning a trip is that Sundays offer free admission to all visitors, which makes it an easy addition to a Providence weekend without having to think twice. Weekday visits run quieter if you prefer more space and a slower pace through the galleries. For a museum connected to an art school, it holds up as one of the stronger art museums in the region and is well worth the time.

I have been going to Clayart Studio of RI for few years now. I really enjoy my time there. Small…read moreclass setting which gives more of a one on one experience. Rena is a wonderful, talented and knowledgeable instructor. If you want to learn good techniques, it's the place to go!

Started with Rena about one year ago and her pottery classes have been incredibly relaxing and…read moreenjoyable. Her knowledge of clay is immense and I have made some beautiful pieces with her guidance. I would definitely recommend this clay class to everyone.

My son wanted to drop in and I've been wanting to go but I usually don't make it over here until…read moreafter closes so it was nice that I was able to make it before they close today. My son saw a cute acorn that he wanted it so I bought it for him and he absolutely loved it. This place has a variety of artwork for sale and it's also an art studio so people actually do art while you're in their shopping which is kind of cool.

My hubby and I were in Newport this weekend for a wedding and went to lunch at the Corner Café…read more(yum!) when we got into town on Friday. After lunch we decided to walk around the neighborhood and after a block or so of walking we saw a sandwich board which led us to this shop. We had no expectations going in and were both SO impressed. Along the walls and in glass cases were beautiful beaded necklaces, on the higher walls were paintings, and in boxes set around were photographs. The shop was nicely organized and welcoming. The woman working was very sweet and explained the story of the shop to us. Downtown Designs is a non-profit that was opened to provide adults with disabilities with a place to design, make, and sell their arts. Behind the main showroom is another room where artisans sit making their jewelry. I liked a lot of the necklaces but found two that I absolutely loved. Both were made by an artisan named Lilly who was actually in the 2nd room making jewelry while we were there so we got to meet her which was very nice. I bought one of her necklaces for myself and one for my mom. I love the two pieces I purchased and I love the mission of this shop. All necklaces were very reasonably priced and had the same price-point which was nice. The woman who ran the shop (Melissa) explained to me that they can do this because they are a non-profit. I am so happy with what I purchased and really hope to go back to Newport at some point to revisit this shop. I just loved it.

Every price point. Every medium. Collections for the home. Gardens. Inspiration…read moreeverywhere. A wonderful collection of accomplished local artists. And then there is Henry, the artist in residence whose sculptures of found wood is breathtaking. A warm and hospitable place and one of the best galleries I've been in. I would not recommend small children, as there are so many objects to tempt them.