12/13/13

Many thanks to the Providence Tourism Council for giving Providence Art Windows a grant of $5,000 to upgrade it's web presence, documentation of installations and provide stipends to upcoming artists for the 2014 season. A very nice way to start the new year!

7/29/13






Providence Art Windows continues to exhibit installations for the conference of the Association of American Cultures, Open Dialogue: People, Places and Policy through the fall season. New for October in the URI Providence Library Windows, selections from  Keeping the Peace: One person at a time. Featuring the work of the late (Sister) Corita Kent, the late Christian Corbat, Dido (Rev. Bill Comeau), Saberah Malik, Cynthia Packard, Monique Rolle-Johnson, Anthony Tomaselli, Deanna Camputaro and Central Falls High School Students, The Peace Flag Project, Mathewson Street Church Peace Crane Project. 

Included in this Fall session of Providence Art Windows are Project Open Door, Quintin Rivera-Toro, Peter Green and Karen Rand Anderson.

Two Brothers Beauty Supply






Quintin Rivera-Toro


el pueblo habló, 2009
paint on canvas



About the Work

The painting "el pueblo habló" (the people spoke) - 2009 is part of the series titled "Weak Paintings" which were all made in reaction to the global upheaval caused by the 2008 market crash. The canvases are wrinkled, the text is crumpled, as if to say that these are discarded statements, like a piece of paper ready to be tossed into the trash.

About the Artist
Quintín Rivera Toro was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico in 1978. He holds a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Hunter College, New York - 2001, as well as B.A. in Communications and Film Studies, from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras - 2007.  He received his M.F.A. Degree in 2013 from the Sculpture Department at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island.
In his native Puerto Rico, he was awarded The Lexus Grant for artists; His public art project “Un espacio libre” originally shown in his hometown of Caguas, was invited to travell to El Museo del Barrio for the S-Files biennial and the art fair PINTA, both in NYC; It was also shown in the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and with F.I.S.T. ART in Dorado. His photographic work received an Honorable Mention from Puerto Rico's Museum of Contemporary Art and a First Prize award from the University of Sagrado Corazón's Contemporary Photography Contest, in San Juan. He co-founded and worked as the Director of ÁREA, lugar de proyectos in Caguas.
Quintín has been awarded the DAAD German Academic Exchange Travel Grant, with which he travelled to Cologne and Berlin in Germany; Full fellowships for residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson, Vermont and the National Academy of Design in New York City; He has also been an artist in residence at the Ox Bow School of Art, S.A.I.C., in Saugatuck, Michigan; He worked as an intern at the Chinati Museum in Marfa, Texas; Studied with the Escuela Internacional de Teatro de América Latina y el Caribe (E.I.T.A.L.C.) in Cuernavaca, Mexico; His work was selected by Zona MACO art fair as a focused work, and displayed his "Weak Paintings" in a solo booth sponsored by VH1; He was awarded an Achievement Scholarship from Transart Institute and completed their summer residency program in Berlin, Germany. Quintín is a Rhode Island State Council for the Arts (R.I.S.C.A. - N.E.A.) Individual Artist Grant Recipient, and has received a Sylvia Leslie Young Herman Scholarship Award, and Academic Honors from the Rhode Island School of Design.
He was included in refinery29.com's "Top 10 list of rising NYC art stars" curated by Casey Fremont.
Visit: www.refinery29.com/nyc-best-young-rising-artists
Most recently his artwork was cited in the New York Times Travel section as: "Striking Contemporary Art, like a monumental photograph...".
Visit: http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/travel/a-ritz-ups-the-ante-in-puerto-rico.html?pagewanted=all 

7/18/13

URI Library


Tamara Diaz



About the Work

URI PROVIDENCE CAMPUS AND PROVIDENCE ART WINDOWS present
TAMARA DIAZ ON CANVAS.  

Tamara is a social worker and a community based artist in Providence.  She has worked with young people locally, nationally and internationally creating community murals celebrating the life of the people.  Largely self taught, Tamara’s artwork reflects her Caribbean and Hispanic Heritage in the color choices, symbols, icon and folk art styling in much of the work.  Her themes are often an empowering voice speaking for women, minority peoples and the disadvantaged – giving voice, offering hope and Celebrating Diversity.

About the Artist
I was born in New York City on July 5, 1973 and lived with my Abuela, Mami, Papi and little bro, Rolando, for five years before moving to Barcelona, Spain. My mother grew up in the Bronx, New York, with her parents, who were Holocaust survivors.  My father’s family came from Cuba to America in 1962, leaving everything behind.  I began my first art portfolio and received a medal after entering an art competition in the 3rd grade. During these early years, I was moved by the art of Antonio Gaudi, an artist famous for his beautiful and funky architecture in Barcelona. After traveling with my family to England, France, Switzerland, and Andorra, I moved back to the New York City area at the age of ten and was part of the New York City hip-hop and graffiti scene throughout high school; Soon after, I had my first art exhibit featuring a series of marker designs in 1989. I was very independent and moved by the art of Keith Haring, and the cultural scene that NYC had to offer.

In 1991, I moved to Rhode Island to attend Roger Williams University, where I became involved with campus groups including the Women's Center, the Minority Mentor Program, Hillel, the Multi-Cultural Affairs Committee, and Dean's Diversity Council. I focused my academic work on a psychology degree, which led to a five-year employment at a shelter for teenaged girls. Working with these kids, I discovered that art and culture was a universal way to connect.  I suffered my own heartbreak while working with many young Latinas who had been removed from home, and as a result, were cut off from their cultural roots. I took trips to Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and did a semester exploring the Latino/a and Native American cultures of New Mexico, an experience that sparked my appreciation for pueblo culture, spirituality, and art. In 1998, I graduated with my Masters of Social Work from Rhode Island College, and began working with children at St. Vincent’s Home for Children, who had been abused and neglected. In 2000, I made my first painting, which was followed by about 300 or more paintings, and portfolios of ink, colored pencil drawings and photography.

I use art a form of healing for others and myself. Especially in the work I do with children and getting through my own growth and grief process, I feel lucky to be able to express my truth and stories through different art mediums. With children, I work mostly through collage, color pencil drawings, and watercolors. Some children seem closed off and art and breathing can help to open up. I try to model how to do this, and they seem to feel so validated and understood through the process since there is no judgment. At times, I have felt that if it weren’t for art, I would not survive, so I try to pass on that gift to others. I have been through some difficult times and the result has been a narrative of symbols that I could not even comprehend or verbally articulate. They came pouring out in an unconscious language, which at times helped me understand what I was feeling. That is pretty much what I want to pass along to the children; a way of coping, communication and self-expression.

I am very passionate about documentation, photography and seeing how different cultures and classes live, both here and in other countries.  I’ve done backpacking trips through Costa Rica, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Spain, Panama and also lived in Philadelphia for 3 years while working in North Philly’s Latino community. More recently, I have worked on two murals; one in Providence RI and the other in Azua, Dominican Republic while volunteering with a children’s program called Casa Ana in 2013.

My life philosophy is of unconditional love, peace, service and non-judgment. I currently work as a clinical therapist, doing trauma work and using art and other self-expressive therapies to assist in the healing process of children and families. In 2010, I opened my own therapy practice in Providence and am working primarily with the Latino community. Extremely passionate about my work with children/families, I feel so blessed and honored for these opportunities. One dream has been to travel to my homeland, Cuba, to meet my family and reconnect with my Cuban roots.


6/22/13


Early Summer Map. Enjoy the tour!

6/17/13


Peter Green

111 of 111
111 Photographs of 111 Westminster Street (taken with an iPhone)


Providence Art Windows has asked for the return of this work by Peter Green in light of Bank of America pulling out as a tenant of 111 Westminster Street.  Peter is a longtime resident of downtown Providence, a witness of nature and architecture coexisting seamlessly. He is a keen observer of the small moments of beauty that happen in urban life that may elude the casual bystander.



About the Work

This is the view from my desk, so I see the tower all day long and the constantly changing sky behind it. One day the sky was a deep shade of purple. It was almost unbelievable, so I took a picture with my iPhone resting on the window sill. Then another day the clouds looked like pink comets, so I took another picture. I shared them with a friend who works in the building and she replied “Isn’t 111 beautiful?!” -- I didn’t know people had referred to the building as “111” so that gave me the idea to continue the series through the year and create 111 pictures of 111 Westminster. Many of the pictures are beautiful on their own, but seeing them all together and comparing the changing colors is the most impressive way to view the series. If you look closely you can find a blimp, helicopters, airplanes, and the rare wild peregrine falcons who live on the tower.

About the Artist and to see more of Peterís Work:

111of111.com
providenceraptors.com



The Director, Rebecca Siemering, will be leading a walk on Thursday, June 20th, at 6PM from the University of Rhode Island Library at 80 Washington Street. Come and learn about the program, as well as view the most recent installation by Project Open Door students. The students in this program from across Rhode Island, took 15 windows and transformed them with creatures, animals and monsters referenced in mythology from around the world. Join us from 5-9 on this evening, and walk to other Gallery Night venues.

5/8/13

Above is the updated map for Spring and early Summer. More coming soon!

Karen Rand Anderson

Forgiveness Bower, 2010
black birch and beech saplings, altered chair, bronze wire, granite stones.
24" x 33"x 107”


About the Artist and the Work
Karen Rand Anderson graduated with honors from Rhode Island School of Design in 1977 with a BFA in ceramics, and received her MFA in mixed media in 2010 through the Vermont Studio Center/Johnson State College masters program in Johnson, VT. She has completed residencies in Bulgaria through the Griffis Foundation/Orpheus Foundation, at Vermont Studio Center, and at I-Park Artist’s Enclave in East Haddam CT, and shows regionally and nationally in juried, invitational and solo exhibitions.  Her mixed-media sculpture utilizes natural materials, appropriated objects and charred paper; her large-format works on paper relate visually to her sculpture. She states: "I am interested in posing visual questions regarding the nature of relationship between natural elements, physical and emotional tension, and metaphor. Creating metaphor by combining organic materials such as branches, moss, stones, bones, and vines along with paper, wire, and found and altered objects, I invite the viewer to address his or her own relationship to the energy, materials and imagery in my work."

Anderson lives in Providence, and has a studio in Pawtucket.
If you would like to know more about her work, and for sales inquiries, please go to her website karenrandanderson.com.

3/12/13

URI Gallery



Paintings and works in the URI Window for March are part of Creative Feminisms: Art, Activism & Everyday Action Exhibit, from March 4-9PM at URI Feinstein Providence Campus 1st and 2nd floor Lobby Gallery  

Bili Mason Ph.D. 
Greek Fisherman's Widow Mykonos Island 1977 (2004)
Young Girl in Carnival Costume Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1998 (2004)
Child in a Mountain Village, Annapurna Range, Himalayas 1988 (2004)
Quechua Indian Girl in Red Hat Andes Mountain Village, Peru 1998 (2004)
Elderly Hmong Market Woman Luang Prabang, Laos 2000 (2004)
Elderly Tibetan Woman Jawalakhel Tibetan Refugee Camp  Patan, Nepal 2000 (2004)

Also sections of the Rhode Island Clothesline Project.


Gallery Night Reception March 21, 5-9pm with a performance at 6:30pmby Colleen Cavanaugh and Part of the Oath, along with Mt Hope Learning Center

A mixed media exhibit focused on health, wellness and empowerment of women – finding their voices, speaking their truth in collaboration with The Hive Archive featuring works by Jennifer Antes, Sharon Armour, Nadine Almada, Samantha Assad, Deborah Baronas, Kameko Branchaud, Marlene Britto, Margie Butler, Eirinn Byrne, Tiffany Cabral, Jennifer Calhoon, Jill Cook , Elaine Devonis, Tamara Diaz, Jane Dillon, Melanie Ducharme,, Susan Fossati, Carolyn Jayne, Eva Jiminez, Linda King, Iwona Lapczyk, Saberah Malik, Titilola Martins, Bili Mason, Niloufer Moochhala, Kate Oggel, Elena Patino, Betsy Ritz, Hannah Resseger, Kate Salvi, Basma Samira, Rebecca Siemering, Jade, Erin Smithers, Emily Sorlien, Kathleen Sonier, Robyn Thomas, Simone Spruce, Jacqueline Sylvia, Jessica Thurber, Anita Trezvant, Leigh Waldron–Taylor, Marsha G. Wienck and Bolivian Artists: Rosario Moyano Aguirre, Minina Arce, Velia Calvimontes, Susana Castillo, Gladys Corvera-Baker, Joyce Martin, Judith Campos Ordonez, Luz Maria Poma Huanca, Martha Lola Poma Huanca, Victoria Poma Huanca, Kuka Pradel, Dafne – Roberty Art, Telarana Weavers, Jalq’a Weavers.