Arts

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Ten Most Endangered Properties

The Columbus Theatre makes the list of the one of the most endangered properties in Providence this year. Trigphotography image taken by Frank C. Grace.

The exact month we moved to Providence (August 2009), the Columbus Theatre on Broadway was ordered closed by city inspectors. Apparently the theatre was overdue for fire code upgrades that would cost over $100,000, which owner Jon Berberian couldn’t afford. As one of the few independent theatres in the city, they had hosted the Rhode Island International Film Festival and Picture Start Film Series. Ever since its closing, the theatre has sat dark with an “opening soon” sign hanging outside.

This past week, the Providence Preservation Society released its annual “Ten Most Endangered Properties” list and included the Columbus Theatre. The purpose of the list is to generate a priority list of historic structures in jeopardy and to work with property owners, developers and other interested parties to effect a positive change in the building’s status. Some of the properties featured on past lists have been saved, such as The Foundry, now the apartment building The Promenade, or the Shepard Building, now home to URI’s Providence campus.

The Providence Preservation Society welcomes members and accepts donations to support their preservation advocacy work. Let’s hope this is the year for these buildings to be revitalized. I can’t wait to start shopping in The Arcade on Westminister Street…

Providence Preservation Society
21 Meeting Street
Providence, RI
www.ppsri.org

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Art by Avery Boruch

Ten-year-old Avery Boruch currently exhibits her work at the Newport Art Museum.


I’ll admit that sometimes I see a work of art, and I think — my kid could paint that. Ironically, that’s not what I thought yesterday when I saw the work displayed at Meeting Street Cafe by Rhode Island artist Avery Boruch, who as it turns out, is 10-years-old. Her works range from ethereal to passionate, not exactly what you’d expect from such a young artist, but then again she has been exhibiting her work professionally for six years.

Dancing Feet by Avery Boruch

You can currently see her work at the Newport Art Museum as part of the Newport Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition. Not surprisingly, she’s the youngest artist ever to be included.

Avery Boruch
www.artbyavery.com

Current shows include:

Solo Exhibition at Meeting Street Cafe
Providence, RI
www.meetingstreetcafe.com

Newport Annual Members’ Juried Exhibition (through May 22, 2011) at Newport Art Museum
Newport, RI
www.newportartmuseum.org

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Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art

Madeline experiments with the Cloth Waves exhibit.

This week, Madeline and I stopped by to see Metamorphosis: The Transfer of Energy, the exhibit created by the Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art. This “museum without walls” creates exhibits at available spaces and events, but aims to open a full-fledged museum (with walls) in 2012. The gallery space at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center currently features several interactive exhibits such as Cloth Waves, in which you try to launch soft balls into the center receptacle by creating fabric waves, or the Gear Table, in which you can arrange gears to your liking to play music or spin optical illusions. I think my favorite was Wooden Wave, a table that converts flat pieces of wood into waves through a crank.

Wooden Wave creates a wave effect from flat pieces of wood.

Of course, the challenge of a hands-on museum is maintaining the exhibits. The Water Wheel didn’t quite work properly and a few tubes in the Rainbow Drum were broken — all of which attests to the fact that a museum with walls (and a staff to maintain the exhibits) would be preferable. Fortunately, they seem to have the community’s backing — they’ve received a grant from RISCA and their recent Kickstarter campaign exceeded its goal. Of course, it’s a big leap from a $2,500 Gear Table to a multi-million dollar museum so they’ll need a lot more support to make it happen. So go check out their exhibit, offer your suggestions, and donate what you can (they’ll even take your old cameras and computers).

Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art
Their first multi-week exhibit Metamorphosis: The Transfer of Energy is currently open and free to the public through April 15, 2011.
Gallery at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center
175 Main Street
Pawtucket, RI
www.rimosa.org

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Gallery Night Providence

Gail Armstrong in her studio in the Deacon Taylor Studios.

Last night, we decided to go to the opening of the 15th season of Gallery Night Providence and boarded the “art bus” (aka school bus) for a tour of neighborhood galleries. Our “traditional” tour was one of four different ones offered (earlier tours included a “contemporary” tour and a “celebrity” tour with RISCA director Randy Rosenbaum).

Our first stop was Picture This Gallery, which in addition to offering custom framing services, exhibits watercolors and oil paintings by local artists. Painter Rob Rey was there to chat and answer questions.

Artists demonstrate egg tempera at Bert Gallery.

We then toured the Bert Gallery which featured the exhibit “The Magical Realism of Louise E. Marianetti” (through March 19), a re-creation of the artist’s original 1949 exhibits in Boston and Newport. A few local painters had set up a table there to demonstrate egg tempera (creating colors out of pigment mixed with egg yolks), a technique that Marianetti used in her work.

Next, it was on to the John Brown House Museum, where I discovered the most fabulous mural wallpaper (I wonder how much it costs to commission such a thing?) and a restored carriage originally used by the family.

Our last stop was the Providence Art Club and Deacon Taylor Studios, which combines the studio spaces of a number of local artists who often open their doors to exhibit and sell their work. This is one of my favorite gallery spaces in Providence, because you can speak with the artists directly and often can witness them creating new works.  Not to mention, I love a lot of the paintings there (like this).

The Gallery Nights continue every third Thursday of the month (see dates below), and you can choose to take the bus, your own car (there’s free parking available), walk, or even take a bike tour in nicer weather. Each tour is unique, so you can attend as often as you like.

Gallery Night Providence
2011 Dates (third Thursdays 5-9 pm): April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17
www.gallerynight.info

Bert Gallery at Corliss Landing
540 South Water Street
Providence, RI
www.bertgallery.com

Deacon Taylor Studios
9 Thomas Street
Providence, RI

John Brown House Museum
52 Power Street
Providence, RI
www.rihs.org

Picture This Gallery
48 Weybosset St.
Providence, RI
www.picturethisgalleries.com

Providence Art Club
11 Thomas Street
Providence, RI
www.providenceartclub.org

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Rock-a-Baby for Little Music Lovers

Melody, Rhythm and Harmony - the Rock-a-Baby puppets.


Combine a live band, familiar rock-n-roll songs, and three clever puppets, and you get Rock-a-Baby, a musical learning experience for babies and toddlers. The classes originated in New York City, although watching a video from one of the NYC classes makes me glad I live in the much more low key (and less populous) state of Rhode Island.

Madeline and I joined one of the first Providence sessions this fall with about a half dozen other children ranging in age from six months to three years. Each class, hosted by singer Kate, pianist Marc, and guitarist Benny, focused on a different ‘theme of the week’ with songs to match and a new instrument in the spotlight to explore. The format perfectly balanced the repetition kids need (starting class with the same song and ending with bubble time, for example), while offering some new exposure to instruments or musical concept. Even adults were entertained by the repertoire of songs and the Henson-like humor of the Rock-a-Baby puppets.

Alas, as much as I loved Rock-a-Baby, Madeline is getting a bit old for it so we may try some classes at the RI Philharmonic this spring. I mean, she could be playing Beethoven’s waltzes at four-years-old. As for our new addition, Lucy, I’m sure she’ll be a Rock-a-Baby fan as soon as she can stay awake long enough to attend a class.

The 2011 classes begin in January, but for a preview you can see the Rock-a-Baby group perform as part of the Bright Night celebration in Providence, RI on December 31 at 1:30 and 3:30 pm at the Providence Children’s Museum.

Rock-a-Baby
Classes in Providence and Warwick, RI
www.rock-a-baby.net

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Underland at the Providence Children’s Museum

Playing in the cozy caves of Underland


Last winter, the Providence Children’s Museum raised funds partly to launch two new outdoor exhibits — Underland and The Climber. Underland has since become one of Madeline’s favorite exhibits. The cave of gnarled trees and dark tunnels with a knotty wood table and wooden chairs appeals to children’s fort-building instincts. Not surprisingly, Madeline’s spent the bulk of her last few visits to the museum in Underland digging in the sand, dressing in animal costumes, and preparing pretend meals with slices of wood and carved cups. She’s been so busy, she hasn’t even yet noticed The Climber…

Underland at the Providence Children’s Museum
100 South Street
Providence, RI  02903
www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/underland.asp

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RISD Art Sale

There was ideal weather for an outdoor art show this past Saturday.

This past Saturday, the RISD Alumni Spring Art Sale brought together dozens of artists for an outdoor showcase of paintings, photographs, glass and ceramics, jewelry, and clothing. Although many of the artists are local, the alumni come from all over the world to sell their art at the RISD sales. As you browse through the diverse collection, you might find some unique gifts — or like us, something for yourself. We purchased from three local artists — a collage from Carolina Arentsen, two small original paintings from Ann Rozhon, and a sketch from RISD student Jesen Tanadi (as part of the student art silent auction).

If you missed the sale, catch the next one — there’s three in Providence each year.

Upcoming Rhode Island School of Design Art Sales:

Alumni & Student Fall Art Sale 2010
on October 9, 2010 from 10am-4pm
on Benefit Street (rain or shine)

Alumni Holiday Art Sale 2010
on December 4, 2010 from 10am-5pm,
at Rhode Island Convention Center

For more information: www.risd.edu/alumni_sale.cfm

Related Artists:

Carolina Arentsen
www.hintstudio.com

Ann Rozhon
www.annrozhon.com

Jesen Tanadi
http://jesen-tanadi.com

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A Trio of Libraries: Providence’s Public Library, Community Library and the Athenaeum

The Providence Athenaeum children's section has a cozy reading area filled with children's books.

Let’s see if I’ve got this straight.  The Providence Public Library consists of the Central Library at 150 Empire Street in downtown Providence.  But since July 2009 due to fiscal problems, the other nine city branches (Rochambeau, Fox Point, etc.) have been overseen by a nonprofit organization called the Providence Community Library.  As unusual as this sounds, the two remain linked, so that one can take a book out of the Rochambeau branch with a Providence Public library card.

There’s also the Providence Athenaeum, an independent membership library housed in an 1838 Greek Revival building in College Hill, which shouldn’t be overlooked.  Although there’s an annual membership fee, you gain access to events, borrowing privileges from their collection and RISD’s, and the knowledge that you’re supporting a historic piece of the community.  If membership fee seems too steep, no matter — the library is open to the public and encourages visitors.

With all this variety comes one challenge — keeping track of events.  So if you happen to be looking for a children’s story time, for example, be sure to check the Cradles to Crayons series held at both the main and other branches, as well as the the Athenaeum’s story hours.

Providence Athenaeum
251 Benefit Street
Providence, RI
www.providenceathenaeum.org

Providence Public Library
150 Empire Street
Providence, RI
www.provlib.org

Providence Community Library
See a list of branches.
www.provcomlib.org

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Cable Car Cinema: Academy Award Nominated Live Action Shorts

"The New Tenants" is one of the short live action films nominated for an Academy Award.

There are quite a few things to love about the Cable Car Cinema — all-you-can-eat popcorn, several large cushy chairs for two, and a theatre small enough to share a more intimate movie experience. But perhaps the best reason is for its lack of Hollywood fare in favor of the sometimes weird and wonderful world of independent film.

This weekend, I stopped in for a packed screening of the Academy Award nominated short live action films presented by Shorts International. These shorts created without the muscle of Hollywood portray stories not often found on the big screen and offer an oft unseen side of the Academy Awards. And this year, one of the films The New Tenants, was co-produced by Cumberland, RI native Erika Hampson.

You can get free popcorn refills at the quaint candy counter at Cable Car Cinema.

Cable Car Cinema
204 South Main Street
Providence, RI
www.cablecarcinema.com

Shorts International
(list of screenings worldwide)
www.shortsinternational.com

2009 Live Action Shorts Nominees for the Academy Awards
The Door Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
Instead of Abracadabra Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
Kavi Gregg Helvey
Miracle Fish Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
The New Tenants Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
www.thenewtenantsfilm.com

Complete list of Oscar nominees at www.oscars.org

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2nd Story Theatre: Comic Potential

Paula Faber, Kevin Broccoli, Vince Petronio, and Laura Sorensen in Comic Potential. Photo by Rich Dionne.

I adore theatre. Granted, I’ve seen a few shows that I didn’t like (such as Smokey Joe’s Cafe which I had the misfortune of seeing on Broadway). But in general, I love theatres large and small and shows drama, comedy or musical.

The 2nd Story Theatre where I saw Comic Potential last night seems an especially great find. It’s an intimate theatre (not a bad seat in the house) with simple sets and great plays emphasizing writing and acting. It reminded me of the Lyric Stage, my favorite theatre in Boston. They even have a café downstairs serving salad, pannini, and soup. It looked charming, but Geoff couldn’t resist delicious fish tacos at Beebop Burrito next door.

The play — a mix of theatre of the absurd and futuristic allegory — had attracted a full house, which gives me faith that theatre is not dead, after all. Although I was a bit alarmed by the average age of the audience (definitely AARP status). C’mon kids (by which I mean those aged 25-45)! Go to the theatre! Avatar can’t be that good, can it?

2nd Story Theatre
28 Market Street
Warren, RI
2ndstorytheatre.com
Current play: Comic Potential (now through February 21)
Upcoming plays: The Voysey Inheritance (March 12-April 11) and The Underpants (April 30-May 30)

Bebop Burrito
40 Market Street
Warren, RI
www.bebopburrito.com