I participated in Gallery Night Providence on August 15th for the first time. There were 5…read moredifferent guided tours visiting different art spaces in Providence leaving from the Graduate Hotel at 11 Dorrance Street and the WaterFire Arts Center at 475 Valley Street at different times. I chose the 5:00 pm tour leaving from the Graduate Hotel with a friend. I registered through Eventbrite and made a donation to guarantee our spot on the tour. 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 those that reserve in advance via Eventbrite by making a donation. If you are reserving multiple tickets like I did, Eventbrite requires a separate reservation for each ticket since each order is only for one ticket. Eventbrite also charges a small fee ($0.03). A confirmation email was sent on the day of reservation and reminder email was sent earlier in the week about the event. On August 15th, my friend and I checked in at the podium with a Gallery Night banner near the main entrance. We were handed a pamphlet with a list of the different tours and all the galleries on view. Around 5:00pm, we met our Gallery Night Guide Jenn Wilson and walked to the mini coach. I'm glad we chose the trolley/mini coach tour instead of the walking tour, because there was torrential downpour of rain for pretty much the whole duration of our tour. Our first stop was at Galerie le Domaine at Domain Properties (a real estate office). At this gallery, we saw the works of Neal Walsh. Walsh's work is primarily abstract, inspired by seasonal shifts of light, the elemental forces of nature, and an everlasting faith in the elegance of ferns and the song of the wood thrush. This exhibit title "Our days are weatherworn" is from the poem, "The Goneness of Lost Things" by Don Domanski. Walsh hopes the paintings evoke invisible threads, a bit of mystery, a spark of recognition, and perhaps a lost memory of connection in the viewer. The pieces were interesting to see and definitely gave me feels. It was also cool to see artwork on a mantle and on top of a couch compared to the usual art studio or gallery. Second stop was Anahid Ypres Art Studio located on the 3rd floor of 118 N Main St. At the studio, we saw pieces by artist Anahid Ypres and guest artist Fior De La Cruz. There were big pieces with vibrant colors and even pieces using fluorescent paint. These pieces were beautiful. There were also cups of wine, mini bottles of water, and snacks (peanuts and pistachios). The third and final stop was Providence Art Club. We spent time looking at pieces by young artists affiliated with Riverzedge Arts of Woonsocket. The young artists are so talented! There was a reception with cheese and we had the opportunity to meet some of the artists and talk about their work. Around 7:00pm, we arrived back at the Graduate. Time went by so quickly and I had such a great evening. Jenn was a great guide and very personable and friendly. In between stops, she would talk about RISD, Brown, downtown Providence, and encourage us to think about the art setting and the artwork we were looking at. Each of the galleries we visited were different and stunning in their own way. I am definitely interested in participating in another Gallery Night Providence. It'll always be a unique experience since there are different galleries and different works displayed.

Gallery Night In Providence should definitely be on your bucket list. My friend got me tickets to…read moresee 3 different galleries and they were all so unique! It was nice to hear the artists explain the thought process behind the painting as well as speak with the artist if you had any questions. Paintings were for sale with reasonable value. Some galleries even had selections of wine, water, cheese and crackers which was a nice touch. I would definitely do this again since every gallery night is different.

A gem in the heart of the community. I have attended so many incredible art events here (Mayoral…read morecandidate art forum, FundaFest, etc.). I look forward to joining many more. It's centrally located and is a great space to host large groups indoor and outdoor (in the large parking area),

This is my 2nd time at the SCC. Both times for Dia De Los Muertos events. But about 10 years…read moreapart. Very different experiences. The event started at 4:15pm but when I rolled in it was a slow launch but whem I left it was picking up. Free face painting. Live music. A beautiful ofrenda. Private lot. People were very nice. They lead you in candlelight to the cemetery across the street where they also hold a small ceremony but both times I haven't been able to attend that part. There was food this time but I would suggest having it be lively from the start! I am not Hispanic but I love the idea of a day of remembering.

Dew Claw Studios is truly a Rhode Island gem! John and Kris are such kind, welcoming people that…read moremake ceramics accessible to all skill levels! The classes are relatively affordable and generally filled with diverse groups of people. Whether you're looking to hand build or throw pots on a wheel, Dew Claw Studios is a great pottery studio!

A bad place for beginners. The owner is extremely nice and affable, but his inability to actually…read moreinstruct (particularly for the price of these classes!) is absurd. I initially signed up for a hand-building class and noted that the instructor seemed to enjoy socializing with studio "regulars" more than spending a lot of time truly instructing. Indeed, one day the entire class (instructor included) spent the ENTIRE class talking and no lesson was provided at all. This was of course bothersome, but something that I could work through since hand-building can be fairly intuitive/self-taught. Also, I was motivated to learn and this is practically the only studio in the area that offers these courses. However, I then signed up for a pottery wheel course, at which point the cracks began to truly show in terms of the instructor's limitations in the teaching arena. Certainly, the pottery wheel definitely requires a LOT of practice in order to become proficient. But if the majority of your class can't even CENTER a pot--the foundation of pottery wheel work-- by the 4th or 5th lesson (and are being taught by a few of the other class members who have somehow caught on), that truly indicates there's a problem. I attended several open studio sessions in an attempt to hone my skills prior to additional lessons, but again, the instructor would spend the entire time socializing with others working in the studio. You felt as though you were dragging him away from his chit-chat with studio regulars in order to get instruction that you were paying him for. Two studio regulars sitting beside me at my first open studio session finally took pity on me and taught me how to center, which is certainly not their job. But there you are. I stuck out the wheel course for perhaps 5 sessions, in the meanwhile the majority of other students in my section stopped attending. I finally joined them, as I could certainly think of better things to do on my day off than try to wrangle a pottery wheel with little-to-no instruction. I imagine Dew Claw is a fantastic place for those with a background in pottery who are looking to build on their skill-set. But whether they realize it or not, this studio is truly taking advantage of new students who pay a reasonable amount of money and spend a large amount of their time for little return.

I was invited by the owners to come check out The Bubbler, as they are also the new location for…read moreStackhouse PVD. This is definitely going to be one of my new lunch spots! I tried a dirty soda (this is the only spot you can get one in Rhode Island), and I got the "Pikachu" which was really good. I also tried their chicken and waffles along with the french fries, and everything tasted so good and well seasoned. My favorite dipping sauce was the jerk chicken barbecue sauce.

We had such a great time at this gaming lounge! My husband frequently games and uses virtual…read morereality (vr) equipment and he was very impressed with their set up and large selection of games! We each played a variety of VR games and I really enjoyed the driving simulator! The staff was very friendly and helpful, guiding us along and making sure we were set up. They also have a soda fountain to make custom drinks with boba and all sorts of add ons. They also have computer games in case you get sick in VR like me... great gaming spot!

We called Catherine's Canvases for a private paint party and WOW! What an amazing time! Catherine…read morewas so awesome, she worked with us on date, time, location, even worked with us to select a great piece we could paint from a really wide range of choices. She was on time, super friendly with everyone, very skilled and a super great teacher! We could not have imagined how amazing this experience would be. We very highly reccommend Catherine's Canvases to anyone! Thank you!

Best place ever!! I remember when they first started many years ago!! I used to actually volunteer…read morethere for quite some time and had a lot of fun!! And went to there free art classes on Saturdays so much fun!!

PeaceLOve Studios is a wonderful non-profit in our community that helps people create peace of mind…read morewith expressive arts programs. Wonderful People.

Held on the weekend of September 8-9, this was the first year for the Arts Marketplace, and I'm…read moreglad I came upon the flyer for it earlier this week. Held in the same space as the Foundry Holiday Market, the Arts Marketplace has the same vibe: artists ranging from painting and photography to jewelry, clothing, and sculpture. What I liked about this event was that it showcased different artists than most of the art festivals I have been to. I think in the end I only recognized 2 of the vendors. I was happy to see new life breathed into the Rhode Island arts scene. I also found that most of the vendors had more reasonable prices than the Foundry show and other arts fests. I don't know if this is because they are newer artists or what. Some of my favorite vendors included the handwoven rugs from Flying Shuttles (made by weavers with intellectual and developmental disabilities) and the wood cutting boards of Michael Gadsby. I look forward to the 2nd annual Pawtucket Arts Marketplace next year.

As an artist at the event, I found the founders to be organized and helpful at every turn. Set-up…read moreand tear-down were easy and fast. The entry fee was reasonable. The event itself was well attended (Saturday better than Sunday). I sold smaller items (around the $30 price point) and was happy with my success. I will do it again.

I love this place. Lots of fun community events throughout the year. The people who work there are…read moregreat. The community of members is wonderful. There is always someone greeting you with a smile. Some Fridays...there is food...good food...call first. Drinks are so cheap!!! Join today!!!