"Pretty little legs, I want to draw them Like a Degas…read moreballerina Pure white skin, like porcelain She's a work of art and I should know I'm an art lover" (The Kinks) We were taking a leisurely stroll along Thames Street when we saw a nice gray and blue art gallery with big signs that read "Retirement Sale". Well, that was all we needed to head inside. The store is gorgeous with framed canvases, unframed canvases, and hundreds of frames everywhere. The store has a huge inventory, but it was super-neatly organized and felt uncluttered. We saw art styles of every description - landscapes, seascapes, abstracts, realistic and stylized human and animal portraits, a very deep variety of colors, artistic approaches and sizes. We had recently remodeled a bathroom and wanted a piece of artwork to hang there. We both agreed on a 12"x16" oil painting of a gray seascape with a lighthouse, beach/ocean scenery, moored boats and a full moon. The color themes perfectly complemented our wall color, and what's even better is that we could choose whatever frame we wanted. We went with a grayish/white distressed frame that reminded us of driftwood. Man -- it was perfect. The store will be closing soon because the owner is retiring, so there are some very sweet sales going on right now. For the oil painting and frame, we paid $84.53 and had the pleasure of working with Gallery manager Lisa Amado to transact the purchase. She packaged everything up so carefully and gave us such detailed hanging instructions, you'd have thought we just bought the Lost Ark of the Covenant!

Nice gallery with a lot of art that seemed duplicated in some sort of way and was available in…read moredifferent sizes and very affordable. It's a 1 story gallery and easy to walk through and navigate. They offer shipping for pieces which is cool. We came from out of town so this service would have been ideal especially if we wanted large items that would not fit into our bags. They also allow you to pick a frame for your art for the price you see on the piece (the frame is included with the price.) They had a sign that they are closing and the art was marked down.

I usually read reviews before I go places but this time I didn't. I did however read the reviews…read moreafter I left the location, and everything that was said was spot on. I assumed what could possibly go wrong with a gallery or anything art related? Art is beauty, positive....all good things :). The gallery was clean and bright. Great location right off the main road. The pieces displayed were beautiful. Prices were on the high side, so not affordable for the everyday person. The service on the other hand was a bit questionable. When we walked in, not sure if we were greeted but we were asked if we needed/or looking for something and then the entrance/exit we came from was closed almost immediately by the gallery person. We were also told that we can't take pictures and not in the nicest manner. There was a sign on the wall toward the bottom that no pictures were allowed. Then we were followed a little randomly and awkwardly. The whole experience was weird because of the individual working there. I give it 2 stars because I love art and the art was beautiful and the place was clean.

I just visited the gallery.. they have a nice variety of artists and the staff is very welcoming…read moreand knowledgeable.

Paid almost double the price at this store for what you can get on Amazon for a watercolor set…read more Paid $37 at Arnold Art Store. $19 on Amazon. Wish I had checked prices on Amazon first! This store has marked up prices for location convenience. I get that. But I did not think the mark up would be double the price! Also bought a brush set and water color paper here. Prices for those things seemed reasonable. Salesperson seemed nice but wow prices are not nice at all!

Always friendly folks, knowledgeable in what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a #4 quill (lettering…read morebrush), right now, got my fingers crossed!

Local art displayed and local guy who was friendly and helpful about the neighborhood and…read morerestaurant recommendations. Stop in and support - we did!

We were looking to pick up something for our new apartment and came across Blink on our walk along…read moreThames. My fiancée found a print that she loved but unfortunately they were out of it in the size she was looking for. Gigi (sp?) from the gallery told us that the owner, Alexander "Sandy" Nesbitt, was out at the Newport Folk Festival with many other pieces and that we should check back after the Festival to see if our piece was among those he took with him. We came back the next day, and a different woman (apologies for forgetting your name) kindly looked up our piece in the inventory and told us there was one left at Sandy's main gallery at the other end of Thames St. She was able to have us purchase it at Blink and have it put aside at the other studio. When we got to the other studio the piece was nicely wrapped waiting for us, and we were able to have a great chat with Sandy about his art, the festival, and much more. We will be back, and are very appreciative of everyone at Blink for their help.

A smart art gallery. No tourist art here. Mostly beautifully painted landscapes at this Newport…read moreArt Gallery. Also has some sculpture and semi-precious stone jewelry. The art is traditional to contemporary. A must see. Be sure to check the times to see that they are open.

I've never bought a single piece of artwork in my life…read more Call me a boor, but I suppose I just never saw the point. But today, I am a proud owner of a small and humble piece of art. And for that, I have to thank Alexander "Sandy" Nesbitt. Nesbitt is a self-made photography entrepreneur working out of a small studio in Newport, Rhode Island. When you walk into his studio, you see the usual things you'd expect to see in a photography gallery: framed pictures hanging on the wall, canvas prints of boats in still water, collages. But as you delve deeper, it's hard to tell where the gallery ends and where the "lab" begins. He's been all over the world in his decades long photography career, but he's a Newport native and so he's transitioned into doing a lot more local work. I had the pleasure of chatting with him for a good hour and a half before I made my purchase. I really didn't think I would buy something, but at some point in the middle of our conversation, I knew I was going to walk out of there with something--I just didn't know what. In any case, he definitely made my experience worthwhile and I recommend that anyone in the Newport area pay him a visit.

We were looking to pick up something for our new apartment and came across Alexander's Blink…read moreGallery on our walk along Thames. My fiancée found a print that she loved but unfortunately they were out of it in the size she was looking for. Gigi (sp?) from the gallery told us that the owner, Alexander "Sandy" Nesbitt, was out at the Newport Folk Festival with many other pieces and that we should check back after the Festival to see if our piece was among those he took with him. We came back the next day, and a different woman (apologies for forgetting your name) kindly looked up our piece in the inventory and told us there was one left at 89 Thames Street (Sandy's main gallery). She was able to have us purchase it at Blink and have it put aside at the other studio. When we got to the studio the piece was nicely wrapped waiting for us, and we were able to have a great chat with Sandy about his art, the festival, and much more.

Such an amazing store and Kristen is so nice!! The art and home decor is incredible. I highly…read morerecommend stopping in here!

I love the Kristen Coates store. The variety of merchandise makes me want to peruse around all day…read more I enjoy the candles, the pillows, the creative art. It is at a very convenient location next to other lovely shops and close to the Bellevue Ave where the Tennis Hall of Fame, the Audrain Auto Museum and the Historic Mansions are. After the first time I went into her store when she was on Thames St, I started to follow her on Instagram. Sad when she closed on Thames St., I hoped she would relocate. And she did! I'm so glad we can still enjoy her charming store with carefully curated merchandise, a lovely dog and her welcoming self. If you are around Newport, be sure to stop by and support local businesses like Kristen Coates.