Westerly to Host Major RI Art Exhibit

Westerly to Host Major RI Art Exhibit

The event is a strong reminder that the arts in Rhode Island are statewide.

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts has announced that the RISCA Fellowship Exhibition - an annual event showcasing the works of Rhode Island artists recognized by the state for excellence in their disciplines - will be on display at the Artists' Cooperative Gallery of Westerly from January 26 through February 19.

12 RI visual artists featured

Cristina DiChiera, RISCA's director of individual artists programs, visited the gallery last week to begin planning the exhibition, which includes works of a dozen Rhode Island visual artists. The paintings of Thomas Lyon Mills, a Rhode Island School of Design professor noted for his work located in tombs and catacombs (as in Catacomb 22, 2008, below), will be on display, as well as works by Erik Carlson, Tzu-Ju Chen, Victoria Crayhon, Ruth Dealy, Joshua Enck, Natalja Kent, Joanne Luongo, Xander Marro, Sue McNally, Maria Napolitano, and Roberta Shapiro.

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The exhibition will also include music and video stations that will feature works by choreographers Mark Harootian and France Hunter, composers Michael DeQuattro and Chrissy Wohlpert, and filmmakers Lorelei Pepi and Daniel Sousa. Folk artists Erneste Ntahondereye and Luyi Shao will perform during the show's run as well.

Special events for the public

The public is invited to an artists' reception on February 2 from 5 to 8 pm. On February 11, a fellowship writers' night will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 pm when literature fellowship winners will read from their most recent works and the folk arts fellowship winner will give live performances. Closing night and an artists' talk will take place Feb. 19 from 3 to 5 pm, when fellowship artists will talk about their creative process.

Ntahondereye, a traditional Burundian drummer, dancer and singer, who formed and leads a drumming group of Burundian men and boys called Inziragukanya, will provide music on Feb. 11.

The RISCA Fellowship Exhibition, Jan 26-Feb 19, The Artists' Cooperative Gallery of Westerly, 7 Canal Street, Westerly, 596-2221.