Newport, RI has a pretty vibrant gallery scene. Dwarfed by perhaps Providence, we feel that the intimate art galleries throughout Aquidneck (and Conanicut Island) don’t get quite the attention that they deserve. Maybe it’s just that there’s so much to do here—especially during the popular summer season—that these art house gems can sometimes get lost in the hustle and bustle of Newport. We visited some favorites recently and were impressed with what we saw. Here’s what we liked:
Jamestown Arts Center’s multimedia display
We weren’t sure what to expect from the description of Jamestown Arts Center’s latest exhibition, “This Collapsed and Expanding Breath,” billed as an immersive video installation that encompasses celestial mechanics, family dynamics, scriptural elements, astrophotography and the moon. But what we found at the opening night a few weeks ago was mesmerizing, and surprisingly relaxing.
Designed by multidisciplinary artists Megan and Murray McMillan, the major piece of the exhibit resides on three large video installations in the main gallery, each one offering a thoroughly distinctive scene. It’s a full immersion into the cosmic scenes that involve tango dancing, astrophotography from the dark sky in Far West Texas, the artists’ research at the McDonald Observatory, and astronomic video featuring the artists’ children, friends and families.
Go outside the main gallery space and you’ll discover a wall of thoughts. Look up and you just might find objects from space!
“We are captivated by the fleeting moment of the individual and the lasting power of a group moving as a communal whole,” said the McMillans in a statement. “Our work invites people into a world where movement, light, and space merge—where the gravitational forces between human relationships mirror celestial rhythms.”
We found sitting on a bench in the main gallery hypnotic and just took it all in. The immersive experience was soothing, and this exhibit is completely different from any other showing on the island. This display runs through June 14. Gallery hours are Wednesday–Saturday, 11 am–3 pm. JAC is located at 18 Valley Street, Jamestown, RI 02835. Exhibitions at the JAC are free and open to all. If you’re going to see one exhibit, this would be it.
Several artists will be on display for their next show, “Canaries in the Coal Mine,” opening June 7.
There’s a reason the Salon Series is so popular
The Newport Artist Collective’s “Salon Series in the Library of the Brenton Hotel” is a special contribution to the local art scene. Perhaps inspired by the Salon Carré in 17th century Paris, our modern version features a local artist each week. Spearheaded by the boundlessly energetic Curtis Speer (of CUSP Gallery), and sponsored by The Newport Artist Collective, it provides an opportunity to get to know a difference artist from the community each Thursday.
The atmosphere is casual and engaging, as social as it is demonstrative. The Brenton Hotel also supports the community event with wine and nibblies. It’s a great way to catch up with friends and discover new artists who reside right in the local community. The series is no slouch during the winter either: it goes all year round, an impressive commitment to the art scene within Newport. And it remains just as popular—often with a full house in the Library—during the slow months of the City by the Sea.
It’s a testament to the dedication that the Newport Artist Collective members have towards making art as accessible as possible in the neighborhood.
And the art on display varies from week-to-week. You might catch a painter one week, and then a jeweler the next, such as Kirstin and Karen Lewis, a mother-daughter jewelry and gift team duo who run Vitamin Seascape Newport, who showcased a few weeks ago.
The Salon Series highlights a different artist or gallery every Thursday night at the Brenton from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Vitamin Seascape is back in Sep. Other upcoming artists include Ukrainian painter Zoryana Tershovska (May 29), watercolor artist Brendan Flynn (June 12), an art talk with Mia Campopiano and Angela Gallo (June 19), and animator/graphic artist Jhen Kordela (June 26). For the full schedule, see Newport Artist Collective’s website.
JAC holds its first Annual Meeting
The Jamestown Arts Center (JAC) is mentioned here again due to its major accomplishment: conducting its first ever Annual Meeting with center and community members of the museum. Set amidst the captivating backdrop of its current show, “This Collapsed and Expanding Breath,” the Board and staff produced a celebratory and engaging evening that reflected the status of the institution.
Updates on the operational management of the center were shared. JAC also celebrated Devi Ross as Outstanding Volunteer of the Year and Brooke Erin Goldstein as 2025 Distinguished Artist. JAC artist and instructor, Kyle Canyon, shared his artistic journey, inspired by his work at the center, and who will now pursue a Master’s Degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago this fall.
The Annual Meeting marks a significant milestone for the gallery space, a year after the new Executive Director, Christine Cocca, came on board. She and other Board members and staff discussed some surprising boons to the finances, as well as where they continue to see post-COVID challenges. Overall, the outlook was very positive, even as they continue to face adversity.
“As we look back and document the events, challenges, and successes of 2024, I believe these qualities—our unique island community, being artist-centered, and our responsive audiences— explain our strength and resilience. They provide a solid foundation from which we will continue to grow in 2025,” Cocca said in her post-meeting statement.
Showcasing the area’s birds in art
One of our favorite art stops remains the DeBlois Gallery. It’s a little off the beaten path, sitting just outside of Newport, in its own plaza, in Middletown. It’s a fun gallery with a passionate following. This month’s exhibit is focused on birds—inspired by many of the local variety—and features a quartet of artists: painters Hilary Archer and Nick Williams, ceramic sculptor Jillian Barber, and wildlife photographer Michael Day. Titled “Birds of a Feather,” each artist demonstrates how they’ve instilled the beauty and energy of our feathered friends in their work.
“This time of year, birds are all aflutter returning from faraway places, finding mates, building nests, and sitting on eggs till they hatch,” Barber said.
Archer described why she was drawn to art: “I love just getting lost in it, being in the zone. That’s how you know anyone feels when they have a passion, that everything disappears when you’re doing it.”
It was Barber’s turn to do a show and she invited her fellow Jamestown neighbor, Archer, along for the ride. She also said it was a given to include Williams and Day: “We absolutely had to have him,” she said about Day. And Nick Williams “really painted some gorgeous birds for the show.”
“Birds of a Feather” runs through May 31 at the DeBlois Gallery in Middletown, RI, located at 134 Aquidneck Avenue. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 1 – 5 p.m. Next up at Deblois will be “Four Dimensions”, featuring the work of Elbert Baez, Marilyn O’Donnell, Michael O’Donnell, and Claudia Rowland.
Other notable events on the art calendar
There are two upcoming art shows at the Jessica Hagen Fine Art and Design space. We’ve always loved this elegant studio and the first of her exhibits will feature a group of artists for “The Effects of Sunshine,” which opens on Saturday, May 24, with a reception from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
The esteemed (and much in-demand) Hunt Slonem returns to Newport in a solo exhibit, “Field of Dreams,” with an opening reception June 28 (save the date). The gallery will be packed for that one.
Gallery Sitka is a darling of a gallery with a small footprint that packs a punch. They’ve got an intriguing exhibit which features scenes from world cities by Jerrell Angell, that opens June 1 at the space at 227 Spring St.
Sitka’s gallery also displays works at the Newport Wine Cellar located at 5 Merton Rd. The next show there, “Enter Summer: Summer Solstice,” opens June 13. We haven’t gone by yet, but plan to because we love this idea.
Running through December is “Newport 1775: Whose Side Are You On?” At the Newport Historical Society. An intriguing concept, it challenges viewers to explore the lives and choices of Patriots and Loyalists in a fractured society pre-Revolution (sound familiar?). The exhibit features interactive displays, period artifacts, daily reporting in local media, and a 17th century printing press. Admission is free and the exhibit is on display at the Newport Historical Society’s Richard I. Burnham Resource Center.
Currently on display at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum is an exhibit centered around Rhode Island’s coaches, “Rhode Island Coaches: In the Eye of Thomas Eakins & Contemporaries.” This is a perfect compliment to Newport’s famed coaching weekend, with the 19th century carriages descending August 15 – 17. Redwood’s exhibition runs through Oct. 31.
Sean Landers’ enigmatic and deeply personal seafaring works are on display at the Newport Art Museum, with his 28-foot “Moby Dick, The Whale” a particular highlight. Running through the end of the year, “Sean Landers: Lost at Sea” is not to be missed.
If you live in Newport or are just visiting this summer and like art, keep this list handy. There’s bound to be something here that whets your appetite.