In Providence this month:
For the month of August The Gallery at Sprout CoWorking (166 Valley St) is featuring textural works by Ann-Marie Gillett on nature: trees, leaves, flowers and more! Ann-Marie is a printmaker, painter and collage artist who works in a number of these mediums from observation. She records the experiences and rhythms found on the land in her environment. One popular and unique method of Ann-Marie’s creations involve hand-painted tape collages, arranging them into complex compositions. Some are bright, swirling botanicals and others explore a specific concept to express visually in abstract form.
My current work explores various themes that give rise to vastly different imagery but are born from the same source—the natural world that exists around me on my 12-acre homestead. What is often unnoticed fascinates me. My work often centers on encounters with nature that are not grand or majestic, but the smaller things that demand a closer look and contemplation.
Observing the subtle and dramatic changes that occur daily in my environment gives rise to a language of color relationships, textural surfaces, and morphing shapes and forms that I use in my work. Over the years I have developed a technique that involves painting different color gradations and textures on artist tape and then cutting and arranging the tape to build up an image. Colored pencil, watercolor, marker and graphite are sometimes used to enhance the work. The methodical and contemplative nature of this work suits my process to intuitively make decisions and revise what I make as the image takes form.
-Ann-Marie Gillett
About the Artist:
Ann-Marie began her art career with a BS in art education from R.I. College. She continued her postgraduate studies in painting, ceramics and printmaking at Rhode Island School of Design, Bennington College and Massachusetts School of Art and Design. After doing freelance illustration and operating a one-woman textile business (Softworks) she became a visual arts teacher (30 years) and department head (8 years) at the Wheeler School in Providence, RI for much of her professional life. While there she received the first Jason and Carly Siperstein Faculty Chair for teaching excellence. She also taught adult students in the Brown University MAT program for 10 years. She has returned to her studio practice full time and has won awards and exhibited her work in both group and solo shows in numerous galleries throughout New England. She is an active member of several art groups including 19 on Paper, Seekonk Artist Network, and the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. She also has been appointed to the Seekonk Arts Council because of her life-long involvement in the arts. You can find more of her work on Instagram @ambogillett or nineteenonpaper.com.
Gallery Night Providence August 18th:
Gallery Night Providence is back on the Third Thursday of the Month. Please join us at Sprout CoWorking Providence on Thursday August 18th 5-8pm for an opening celebration of artwork by Ann-Marie Gillett. Stop in to the Gallery at Sprout Providence anytime between 5-8pm on August 18th to enjoy the artwork, wine and appetizers. All are welcome to attend.
If you’d prefer a guided tour experience, Gallery Night Providence will have free free guided trolley tours available to visit the Gallery at Sprout as a stop on the itinerary. Self-guided tours are also an option with participating art spaces open across Providence’s art scene. We hope to see you! Visit us at 166 Valley Street, with free parking located across from Easy Entertaining.
Sprout is in accordance with the Reopening RI guidelines and is protected by Ocean State Shields. Contact: [email protected] for more information.