Small Artworks Stun at The Collaborative - Inside Art with Michael Rose

Small Artworks Stun at The Collaborative - Inside Art with Michael Rose

 

Exhibitions and sales of smaller and more affordable artworks are a staple of the holiday season throughout the region, with many galleries and organizations getting in on the activity. At The Collaborative in Warren, the organization’s Small Works Show is an opportunity for Rhode Islanders to experience little artworks by dozens of talented makers and to support them directly with their purchases. On view through December 31, the exhibition has many highlights.

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Asked about what makes the show special, The Collaborative’s gallery coordinator and exhibiting artist Sandy MacDonald says, “As a non-juried gallery, we provide access to exhibit to a wide range of artists at every level. This year, the Small Works Show represents 40 artists and over 120 pieces of work that are curated together as one large community show. We hope our visitors leave with a sense of fellowship with the artists and discover new, local creatives to follow.”

 

 

The exhibition is impressive both in the quality and quantity of works represented, but also in the wonderfully small scale of everything on view. Where other small works shows allow artists to share artworks that are of moderate size, The Collaborative is focused on truly tiny pieces, with submissions capped at eight inches. The result is a fun wall-spanning collection of affordable original artworks that might fit in a stocking, making them ideal for gift-giving this holiday season.

 

The Collaborative’s inviting gallery space at 4 Market Street in Warren is conveniently shared with Archive Books and Snackery and is close to many other venues, making for a great day trip. Their Small Works Show features plenty of standout objects. Two that jump out immediately are Michael Cabral’s shaped foam paintings which take the form of a disembodied fish head and a kingfisher clinging to a branch. Bright and sculptural, Cabral’s works are also inventive and unexpected.

 

 

Among the works on offer, there is a wide range of media, with two-dimensional artworks taking up the bulk of the space. Acrylic and gouache paintings by Kristin Divona have the restrained quality of a David Hockney. One of Divona’s small paintings, of a yellow clad swimmer about to plunge into a blue pool, is suggestive of mid century art history. Other pieces in her offerings include two enticingly mysterious nocturnes. Divona is not just a talented fine artist, but also a skilled illustrator and maintains a creative practice alongside a day job as Visual Information Specialist for NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

 

There are many inventive pieces in the mix. Artist Patricia Silvia is exhibiting a small mixed-media shadow box installation that features a miniature house and light-up window looking out on a miniature autumnal tree. Paintings by Joe Lytle bear something of a modern-day pointillist sensibility, with ample detail to illustrate flora and fauna. There are contemporary collages on display by Adrienne Wooster and small embroidery works by Sean Devin, including a miniature portrait of Nina Simone. Tiny abstract canvases by Leah Keith can be flipped over to reveal passages of the artist’s poetry. Gina Lerman’s acrylic “Prayer for Mindful Eating” is a minimal painting with striking graphic allure.

 

 

Unlike exhibitors at most galleries, the artists in The Collaborative’s Small Works Show do not have to pay commission, meaning they take home all the proceeds from their sales. Of this aspect of the show the organization’s executive director Sally Turner says, “For The Collaborative, it’s not about money, we receive no commissions from the work so that buyers are contributing 100% of their purchase to support the participating artists. Creatives work hard at their practice, and there is value to their work, therefore those that purchase the work of these independent artists are validating that value and demonstrating appreciation for the time and effort that goes into each and every piece.”

 

Prices in the show are incredibly reasonable, with artists offering small works for as little as $20. Many artworks can be found for $100 or less, making for an accessible price point for new collectors or last-minute gift-buyers. As works are purchased, they can be taken home immediately.

 

 

Alongside the Small Works Show, The Collaborative also offers prints and reproductions, a sale of handmade ornaments, as well as their monthly Youth Artist showcase, currently featuring gifted portraitist Jane Bryant whose impressive paintings show an emerging talent. For those interested in supporting local artists while also acquiring smaller artworks or finding unique gifts, The Collaborative is one of best venues in the region to patronize.

 

 

The Collaborative’s Small Works Show is on view through December 31 at their gallery at 4 Market Street in Warren. The gallery is open Thursday - Friday from 6-9pm, Saturday from 3-9 pm, and Sunday from 3-6 pm. For more information and to plan your visit, go to www.thecollaborative02885.org.