August 2018 Gallery Openings

Providence

For the month of August, Sprout has 2 exciting bodies of work from 2 separate artists that blend well together. Please join us for a public art opening on Thursday August 16th from 5-9pm. The artwork is on view all month during business hours, M-F, 9-5, at Sprout CoWorking Providence.

JB Hack’s interest in photography began years ago while taking photographs to illustrate toxicology lectures.  While taking these photographs, he noticed most people’s obliviousness to the world around them—they were rushing to or from something—always looking ahead, but never looking around.

With this in mind, the underpinning of his work is to bring focus and attention to overlooked items that we pass every day.  Many of these are striking but to be appreciated, must be seen with consideration. This is the foundation of his Street Jewels series. Each piece is a fine art print in locally handmade custom frames or salvaged frames that the artist has refurbished.

JB Hack - Manhole
JB Hack – Manhole

Manhole covers in the street, like gems in the dirt, are overlooked and unacknowledged.  They share the common theme of being out in public but unseen from either a historical or contemporary perspective.

We walk over manholes, drive over them, cover them up in the name of improvement, replace them when they are too worn.  Although they only reveal one surface to the world and are restricted to certain physical attributes—they must be round, standard diameter, made of ducal iron, flat, must resist at least 40,000 pounds of pressure, and be exquisitely durable—when examined, each has an individual personality.  Like the human hand, their appearance and functional beauty are deeply affected by their history.  Designed with practical standard contours for uniform function, their individuality emerges through time.  Environment, placement, stress and the damage they sustain forces luster, patina and new patters—our modern Street Jewels.

To view these and other works by the artist, please visit his website: www.ToxinRI.com

Charlotte Borden is an emerging artist from Cranston, with a focus on semi-representational portraiture. She is earning a BA in Visual Arts and American Government with a minor in Philosophy from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Charlotte pursues the intersection of Social Justice and Visual Art. Promoting Visual Art as a method of self-expression and social change. Bringing art making opportunities to those who have not had access is what she hopes to continue in her career.

Charlotte color acrylic self portrait
Charlotte color acrylic self portrait
Charlotte b+w oil self portrait on paper
Charlotte b+w oil self portrait on paper

Charlotte’s paintings and drawings are created with a freedom and intensity that push the viewer to question their pre-conceptions of art-making.

More of Charlotte’s work can be viewed at her website – https://charlotteborden.wixsite.com/charlotteborden or instagram.com/charlotte_borden.

Warren

Dr Jason Hack is a Rhode Island state board certified toxicologist and emergency room doctor. Also a talented photographer, he enjoys taking photos of local poisonous plants. His interest in Photography began years ago while taking photos to illustrate toxicology lectures. Come and learn about what grows in your garden.

Sprout Warren Gallery