Spotlight Interviews

Spotlight on...Sara Ladds!

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This month our spotlight is on textile designer Sara Ladds. She will give a short presentation on her work during the 6 pm tour's stop at Kreatelier, and tour-goers will be able to ask questions and browse the fabric and wallpaper showroom. You can also visit Kreatelier on your own anytime between 6 and 8 pm on April 18 Gallery Night.

Q: You were trained at RISD as a graphic designer. What's the difference for you between designing on paper vs. fabric?

A: As a graphic designer, one uses information to create a design with a specific message, such as a poster or a book cover. There are choices in type, image, and color which are arranged on a given dimension to inform. The similarities between graphic design and fabric design are the designing of similar elements such as pattern, color, and size/dimension on a flat, two-dimensional plane. But fabric is a moving, pliable medium that takes into consideration light, shape, function, style, trends, taste, etc. It has a longer presence where graphic design has a short window of purpose. And when it comes to interior fabrics, the fabric is part of a complex array of other elements such as rugs, artwork, furniture, etc. and they all need to "talk" to one another as a unified group. If it's done correctly.

Q: Art and design are often used interchangeably.  Is there a distinction?

A: I am of the opinion that yes, there is a distinction. Art is an expression of the soul. It comes from a place of having something to say and the artist completely drives what is said and how it's conveyed. Design has a purpose. To communicate and inform (graphic design), to be functional (industrial/furniture design), to live in society (fashion, architecture design), and so on. There are many designers who are artists and artists who are designers in both life and work. The two principles can intertwine and there are a few who have mastered it brilliantly. But for me, there is a distinction in the "why" something is created which separates art from design.

Q: Do you have  a favorite palette?  A favorite design or one  that you're most proud of? 

A: I love color! It's the number one driving force in how I design. I have always gravitated towards the warmer hues - red, orange, pink - but my new collection is with a lot of blues and greens. Whatever the color, I tend to go for a lot of saturation. I would say one of my favorite patterns is the "Peony" pattern. It's graphic and soft in style, bold, and colorful. 

More about Sara Ladds Design:

Sara Ladds Design was launched in early 2015 and is based in Providence, Rhode Island. The collections combine a particular style of bold pattern and vibrant color with attention to proportion and balance. Sara Ladds Design uses eco-friendly printing methods, including water-based pigment ink, regional production and sustainably sourced materials and all fabrics are produced in the USA. 

More about Sara Ladds:

Sara Ladds grew up in New York City where fashion, art, architecture, and culture influenced her sense of style and design. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, Sara spent many years as an award-winning graphic designer. She was owner of Bachleitner Design and in 2005 she became the art director at Brown University. In 2012 she moved out of Providence to the beautiful coastal town of Little Compton where she began to rethink her life’s work and decided to fulfill a long-time dream of being a textile designer. Thus Sara Ladds Design was born and one need not look far to see how Sara’s years as a graphic designer has strongly influenced her textiles. Her attention to detail and color are complemented by bold, graphic patterns and her work offers a strong and refreshing addition to the world of residential textiles. 

Spotlight on...I Will Not Bend an Inch exhibit

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We're excited to feature a new show at one of our Partner Galleries, the RISD Museum, this month!

Nancy Elizabeth Prophet: I Will Not Bend an Inch celebrates the work and legacy of this underrecognized 20th-century sculptor who is best known for her contributions to expatriate culture in Paris during the interwar period.

Prophet (1890-1960) was one of the first known women of color to graduate from RISD and her work reflects skills developed through academic training with a distinctly Modernist sensibility. The first museum survey will feature three-dimensional sculptures of marble and wood, painted wood friezes, and watercolors as well as photographic presentations of archival documents and lost or destroyed sculptures.

“We are thrilled to share the story of this underrecognized artist, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, RISD’s first known woman of color to graduate. The exhibit features three-dimensional sculptures of marble and wood, painted wood friezes, and watercolors.”
— Deborah Clemons, Director of Public Programs, Education Department

Can’t make it on a Gallery Night? You have plenty of time to plan your visit to Providence and to the RISD Museum. The show will be on view February 17 through August 4 2024. For information on how to visit the RISD Museum, visit their website here. 

Spotlight on...Our November Guest Guides!

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Gallery Night Providence is pleased and honored to welcome two very special guest guides who will join us on two of our November 16 tours. Meet Crystal Williams, President of Rhode Island School of Design, who will be a guest guide on the 5:30 pm tour, and Joe Wilson, Jr., Director of Providence Art Culture + Tourism, who will be a guest guide on the 6:00 pm tour.

Photo of Crystal Williams. Photo credit, Jo Sittenfeld.

Crystal Williams, RISD’s 18th President, is a teacher, leader, advocate and poet who believes that education, art and design, and commitments to equity and justice are essential to transforming our society. 

As a faculty member, she has focused on advancing artistic inquiry and engagement. As a leader, her work has ensured that institutions are more effective, mission-aligned and diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Prior to coming to RISD in 2022, she was Boston University’s inaugural vice president and associate provost for community and inclusion. Williams held similarly catalytic roles at Bates College (2013–17) and Reed College (as a faculty leader from 2000–11 and as a dean from 2011–13). She began her academic career at Reed as a professor of English.

An award-winning poet and essayist, Williams has published four collections of poems. She is the recipient of several artistic fellowships, grants and honors, including a fellowship from the MacDowell Arts Colony, an appointment as the Distinguished Visiting Professor of University Writing at DePauw University, and a Master Poet residency at Indiana University. Williiams’ poem Elegy for Us, in response to Faith Ringgold’s American People Series #20: Die, was commissioned by and is part of MoMA’s Poetry Project, a tour of poems responding to pieces in the museum’s permanent collection.

The daughter of an educator and a musician, Williams was raised in Detroit, MI and Madrid, Spain and holds a BA from New York University and an MFA from Cornell University.

Joe Wilson, Jr.  is currently the director of Providence Arts Culture + Tourism. Many will recognize him from his previous role as a member of the Resident Acting Company and Artistic Staff at Trinity Repertory Theater, where he founded Trinity Rep’s Center for Activism and Performance. He has shared his knowledge of the arts through lectures at educational institutions and conferences around the country.

He has an extensive background in theater, holding an MFA in Acting from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre Training Program. He has worked both on and off Broadway (2000 Tony Award-nominated production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and 2018 Tony Award-nominated Iceman Cometh starring Denzel Washington).

Joe has received many honors, including from the Rhode Island Black Heritage Foundation, and received the City of Providence 2020 MLK Hall of Fame for Outstanding Service. In awarding Joe the Rhode Island Council for Humanities Public Scholar Award, the Council stated that, "Joe Wilson Jr. is a force who uses his skills, his talent, and his passion to enact, concretely, what the humanities can do to change the world."

Joe serves on the boards of the Providence Tourism Council, the Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and WaterFire Providence. 

Spotlight on...Adèle and Antoine!

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This month, The Gallery at City Hall will be featuring the work of two talented artists, Adèle Saint-Pierre and Antoine Soued in an exhibit titled "Mondes cachés / Mondes cochés." Catch it as part of the 5:30 pm guided tour, or stop by City Hall on your own anytime between 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Gallery Night. The exhibit is on view during regular City Hall business hours, Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, through January 17.

Q: Antoine, you are a native of Beirut, and worked in Tokyo, and Adèle you are from Quebec City.  How did you each come to make Providence your home?

Adèle: I moved to Providence in July of 2021 from Brooklyn, NY, where I had been living and working since 2010. Prior to that I lived in Boston, Québec City, and Le Mans (France). Though I was born and raised in Maine, my soul is in Québec City, the heart of both my paternal and maternal heritage and ancestry and the cradle of the French language I grew up speaking. I spend my summers there, and the academic school year here in Providence.

Antoine: Born and raised in Beirut, I studied architecture and spent my early professional years working in various studios that were developing interesting projects and ideas. I traveled the world quite a bit and landed a job in Tokyo in 2019. After Covid I headed to the United States to discover the wonderful town of Providence. I fell in love with this city and its people, and it has been my home ever since.

Q: Adèle, your artist statement says that your watercolors are inspired by "stains and cracks" in Providence sidewalks. Please tell us more about that!

Adèle: For as long as I can remember, animals and human figures have been jumping out at me from things like creases in fabric or wood grain patterns on floors. The water stain on the ceiling of my childhood bedroom, for example, was a big wolf howling at the moon. After reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way in the months leading up to Covid, I started taking pictures of the stains and cracks I was noticing on the sidewalks during my walks in Brooklyn and then painting the worlds of animals, humans and fantastical creatures they contained. Since moving to Providence, it is the stains and cracks I see on the sidewalks here that inspire my work, including the pieces I will be exhibiting at the Gallery at City Hall. I have been writing about this process and exploring what my earlier pieces communicate in my weekly blog.

Q: And Antoine, you are an architect by day.  How have architectural drafting methods influenced your work?  

Antoine: My illustrations are a natural extension of my profession and design process. I work based on models and images, extracting the essence of their atmosphere by abstracting the subject to its bare essence. I rely heavily on the contrast of shadow and light.

Q: Tell us more about the name of your exhibit, Mondes cachés / Mondes cochés, and what visitors can expect to see.

Adèle: Hidden in the stains and cracks of the sidewalks are entire worlds of people and animals doing everyday things, hence the first part of the title Mondes cachés. My show will feature an eclectic collection of new pieces ranging in themes from weight lifting to bread making, as well as a series of portraits of the quirky personnel of the imaginary Pharmacie Vachon. Finally, one of the walls will feature a cigar-themed work in collaboration between Antoine and me. 

Antoine: By changing the a of cachés to o, we get cochés, which means “to (make) check (marks),” a movement that loosely describes the process behind the pieces that make up my show. The work I will be exhibiting depicts scenes from daily life in the different cities I have lived in or visited. These scenes are suspended in time.

Spotlight on...The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking!

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This month we are spotlighting The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking located in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence. Learn more about the story behind Sprout in our interview below with Shari Weinberger, the gallery's founder, curator, and manager. 

Q: Can you tell me more about the Gallery at Sprout CoWorking's backstory? How did it start?

A: My husband Zachary is a compensation consultant. He has a lovely home office, but he found it a little isolating and he missed the collegiality of working around other people. So he looked for a coworking space in Providence.

In 2015, when he learned that Providence was too small a market to attract WeWork, or any of the other national coworking chains, he and his business partner John Kevorkian decided to open Sprout. After a bout with breast cancer, I decided to leave the education world where I’d spent the bulk of my career, and put my Bank Street master’s degree in museum education to work, so I agreed to Zachary and John’s business plan with the stipulation that I could open a community art gallery in the space and be the manager.

Before Sprout even opened its doors to the public, the first thing I did was join Gallery Night.

Q:  Having a gallery in a coworking space is a departure from the traditional white-walled gallery space. How is your space unique?

A: Sprout provides a professional environment for remote workers to work that is not their kitchen table. The monthly changing exhibits in the art gallery provide a dynamic, creative work environment.  Because we are a CoWorking business, we sell office space, meeting rooms, and event space. This provides me with the financial flexibility to show new, emerging and underserved artists. The artist does not have to make any financial contribution to have a show. We take only a 20% commission on sold works (way below industry standards), and that money is rolled back into the gallery to purchase hanging materials and provide gallery night snacks.

Because of the nature of the Sprout gallery, I often show local artists new to the Providence art scene. I take particular pleasure in shepherding artists through their first shows, teaching them about the process. There is nothing like seeing the excitement on the face of an artist as they make their first ever gallery night sale.

Q:   I've noticed a lot of your exhibits have community-based organizations or causes that have a larger purpose than just aesthetics. Can you speak to this element of the gallery?

A: I am a very socially conscious person and I want to use my position as the Sprout gallery manager to do things to give back to our community.

As an out of the box thinker, I’m always looking beyond the walls for new ways to show art, hang art, engage artists, engage the public and build a stronger Providence. This is why I love creating exhibits that benefit nonprofit organizations. Over the years, I learned how to throw a great benefit party for Gallery Night. Recently I’ve kicked it up a notch and applied the same party principals to nonprofits like the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resources Foundation, or the RI Bike Coalition. These events, along with all Sprout Gallery events, are always free, fun, and open to the public.

Q: What's on display at Sprout in May?

A: For the month of May Sprout is partnering with the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, a Rhode Island Nonprofit based in Pawtucket. The joint exhibition, "ScART," enables cancer survivors to tell their stories, share their cancer journeys through painting, and find community and emotional healing with other survivors.

The gallery will also showcase ceramicist Rick Martell's Raku pieces for the tea ceremony, including flower vases, water jars, and tea bowls. This process produces a very distinct glazing and lets the potter have intimate involvement with pieces from start to finish.

A third artist, Richard N. Eugene, is showing as well! A Haitian American artist based in Providence, Richard's artwork reflects the cultural richness of his background and upbringing. Come and wish Richard a Happy Birthday on Gallery Night on May 18th! You can stop by Sprout on your own that night, anytime from 5 to 8 pm, or as part of the 6:30 pm trolley tour.

Q: Anything else you want to add?

A: Sprout CoWorking and Gallery is staffed every M-F, from 9-3pm by Joe, our business manager. Stop by 166 Valley Street and say hi! Additionally we are open on the 3rd Thursday of every month until 8 pm for a gallery party. If you are an artist, or you know an artist, if you like art, or you don’t like art and want to learn how, you can reach me at gallerymanager@sproutcoworking.com.

Spotlight on...Elise Fortier!

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April is National Volunteer Month, a time to recognize all those who give their time and energy to causes they care about. We at Gallery Night are grateful for the many volunteers and the hours they've spent, directly or indirectly, helping us bring people to art spaces in Providence. This month we are spotlighting volunteer Elise Fortier, who organized the silent auction and raffle for our fundraiser in February! 

Q: When and how did you first hear about Gallery Night?

A: I was first introduced to Gallery Night in October of 2019 by my dear friend Mike Ryan, who is one of the board members. I had just moved to Providence and would arrange my social calendar by what was advertised in his publication Motif Magazine. He and I went on one of the tours and I was hooked. 

Q: What made you want to go on a tour? What keeps you coming back?

A: I grew up surrounded by art. Both my parents and my godmother were talented artists. My parents made a point of bringing us to museums as children, and taking us to cultural events and encouraging an appreciation and interest in art. I studied graphic design, drawing and art history in college. It’s just always been a part of my life. I can easily walk into a museum and pass five hours as if it was nothing. I become mesmerized. The Gallery Night tours appealed to me because I could visit so many spaces in one evening that I would most likely never go to on my own. Some studios can feel intimidating, especially if you’re solo. With Gallery Night, I’m with a group and we are warmly welcomed. There’s an abundance of art in varying mediums in interesting spaces. There’s nothing I don’t love about it. It always feels fresh and new, regardless of how frequently I go. 

Q: What is your favorite part about Gallery Night? 

A: Along with all of the amazing artwork being shown at some truly spectacular venues, is the sense of camaraderie that is present amongst everyone attending. There’s an element of shared awe, appreciation and joy that permeates the group. The tour guides are knowledgeable and informative and in some cases you get to meet the artists and learn about their work firsthand. 

Q: What motivated you to volunteer to organize the silent auction and raffle for our fundraiser?

A: I love the city of Providence and our community. I have done a good bit of volunteering in the past and it had been my desire once I moved here to find an organization that was aligned with my values and interests.

I knew Gallery Night was something that resonated with me personally, as art has always been integral to my life and I believe it should be accessible to all. I fully and wholeheartedly support the mission of Gallery Night Providence and it was my honor to be able to help out in whatever way that I could. I thoroughly enjoyed my role and it was an absolute pleasure meeting all the talented artists who generously donated to our cause and to be able to familiarize more people with their work by including them in our auction and raffle.

Thank you to intern Justin Medeiros for interviewing Elise and writing up this feature!

Spotlight on…Quang Hong!

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Quang Hong is a glassblower, ceramicist, painter, sculptor, and designer who recently moved to Providence and started his own gallery and studio, QzillaBlue. Gallery Night’s Outreach Coordinator Sarina Mitchel had the pleasure to visit Quang at his space, see his art, and ask him a few questions!

Q: You're new to Providence; where were you based before? 
A: I’ve lived in Chicago, Japan, San Francisco, and most recently Brooklyn, before moving to Providence. I’m always working in the studio, so I don’t travel much. Instead, I do this thing where I move every 5 to 10 years.

Q: What drew you to come relocate to PVD? 
A: I went across the US for 6 months just traveling, looking for where to move. At one point one of my old professors suggested Providence. I was like, “Providence? Where’s that?” The next day, I saw an ad for this space right in Providence on Craigslist. I went to see it and immediately knew I wanted to take the leap and that this space would become my gallery and studio. People here seem happy.

Q: I saw some of your work on Instagram and am interested to learn more about it! Tell me more.
A: Because the world is intense, I try to keep things lighthearted, but there’s also a bit of dark comedy in there. I believe you have to choose to laugh at the absurdity of life. I look for the balance of humor, storytelling, and technical skill of painting, while not being too preachy. I find beauty in the struggle, in the sincerity of people. I hope to bring back positive imagination and levity in my work. My images are open ended and so they ask you questions. These are the tools to develop your story. 

Q: What made you want to start a gallery here?

A: My main motivation is getting back to painting in Providence. In Brooklyn a friend and I ran a high end furniture company. It was very successful, but being a boss and running your own company comes with all sorts of stresses. I wanted to get back to the fun part of art, and we wanted to end on a high note, so we closed the company when the pandemic started. Being here and painting, that’s my dream! 

I also put in a ceramics studio, complete with a kiln, in the basement of my gallery, where I create mugs, plates, and bowls (including a shallow bowl/plate hybrid that I designed specifically to be able to eat pasta while sitting on the couch!).

Q: Who do you think is the audience who comes to your gallery? Is there a specific audience that comes to your gallery, or who you are aiming to reach?

A: I end up shipping a lot of my art to Chicago, because I have a good base there, and have found the people who like my work there. I’m also involved with galleries in Texas and Louisiana. I’m still exploring the landscape here in Rhode Island to find the folks who find resonance with the work I make. I’m hoping being part of Gallery Night will help make those connections! I believe for every painting there is a person out there who is meant to connect deeply with that work.

Q: Favorite artists / artistic influences?

A: I grew up spending so much time reading art books at the public library. Influences include anime, comics, children’s book illustration, old masters. I’m a big student of art. I value discipline, technique, and craftsmanship when creating art. 

Q: I hear that high schoolers are stopping by after school–I’m curious what they think of the art? Any hot takes?

A: They often ask, “Do you teach?” and I say no, because I curse too much. Some of the high schoolers are regulars and like to check in on the paintings they like, saying they’re going to save up to buy their favorites someday. Some show me their art or sketches they’re working on, and are curious about painting techniques, like oils versus acrylics.  Others tell me their interpretations of my work. 

Q: How did you hear about Gallery Night Providence?

A: I had a lot of people who came through the gallery and mentioned gallery night. Eventually someone had the website and so I checked it out. I attended a tour and love that you get to see so many different places in one night!

Sarina and the rest of the team are looking forward to having QzillaBlue be part of Gallery Night this season. Even before the start of the Gallery Night season, you can visit QzillaBlue, located at 745 Westminster Street, on your own. Gallery hours, free and open to the public, are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 5 pm, or by appointment through direct message on Instagram @Qzillablue.