Come view new works by Hilary Merzbacher, recent graduate of the RISD Illustration Department and the latest to be LAUNCHed. (You can meet Hilary at a reception on Friday August 28th.) LAUNCH at the Gail Cahalan Gallery has been designed exclusively to bridge RISD senior students and recent graduates with the local community as an initial public viewing. Featuring works from graduates and seniors across all disciplines of fine art and design, LAUNCH offers an opportunity to view, connect, and witness the ripe transformation of emerging talent.

Gail Cahalan Gallery, Providence Piers (show will be up for Gallery Night this Thursday)

Part of the excitement of swimming in the ocean is the terror of the unknown underneath the surface of our churning, murky Atlantic. When my sisters and I were kids paddling in the waves, we would always end up singing a cheery, musical ditty we made up that goes “Swimming in the ocean, drowning in the sea”. To this day we sing our personal one-line melody when swimming. It innocently hints at the seductive mix of surreal beauty and dangerous grotesquery hidden below the water’s surface.

This inspired the new show “Mermaids: Urbane & Arcane” opening this Thursday at Firehouse 13 and running through August 1st. No cutesy Disney mermaids or tourist pleasing pretties here. It will showcase art work made for the show from Valerie Kitchin, Victoria Lockard and Jessie Lee Perry. My sisters are models in some of Valerie Kitchin’s luscious photographs. Expect an aquatic carnival vibe, with performance art by Awesome Science and a short film from Moira Brady and Brian Birch.

Party on from 9pm to 1am with electronic dance music and aquatic videography from DJs Christopher Wade (from LoveLife), Tim Howe and Danny Satori. The cover is $3 for those arriving after the opening show, cash bar.

6pm to 9pm, Thursday, Firehouse 13, contact; mermaids.providence@gmail.com

Milk and Cookies Gallery is pleased to present “The Rejects” Paintings and Drawings by Jesse LeDoux, on Saturday, December 6th.  Opening reception from 7 to 10 p.m.

Milk and Cookies
250 Main Street
Pawtucket, R.I.
401-499-3673

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Milk and Cookies Gallery, 250 Main Street (in the Grant), Pawtucket RI is proud to present the illustration, toys, and mayhem of Jesse Ledoux.

The Rejects will open December 6th, from 7 to 10pm. Jesse LeDoux worked for many years as an art director for Seattle-based Sub Pop Records where he created iconic album and poster artwork for such artists as the Shins, Iron and Wine and Death Cab for Cutie before leaving in 2004 to focus on his client-based and personal work. Parallel to working on commercial illustration and collaborative projects for such clients as Nike, Kidrobot, Giro, Penguin UK, Rome Snowboards and Target, he has exhibited internationally. Most recently, his work was included in the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial (2007) and an installation at the University of Maryland (2008). A large-scale mural of his work can currently be seen in downtown Denver, Colorado. He currently lives and works in Providence, RI.

Join YES Gallery in celebrating the ITTY/BITTY works of over 35 artists from around the country. All artwork is 9″x9″ or less and no more than $495.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Sara Argue, Rachel Austin, Marsha Balian, Mark Baker, Katie Burnett, Alyn Carlson, Cole Caswell, Macy Chadwick, Megyn Craine, Chris Crites, Doug Desjardins, Candis Dixon, Stephanie DosReis, Jyll Ethier-Mullen, Christopher Flanagan, John Foraste, Jenni Freidman, Jessica George, Jessica Gonacha, Kevin Gora, Yellena James, Bri Johnson, Cindy Kelly, Kathrine Lovell, Keith Maddy, Laura McCabe, Ceci Mendez, Karen Miller, Shannon Rankin, Justin Richel, Susan Schwake, Trey Speegle, Andy Suriano, Julianna Swaney, Sarah Symes more »

Straight up! Watch some movies about some local peoples you know. You can also rent them at the library, i think. For serious. Here’s the press release:

Networks 2008
Reception: Friday, November 21st 5pm-7pm
Reception free for Newport Art Museum Members, $10 for Non-Members

Griswold House and Cushing Galleries
The Newport Art Museum
76 Bellevue Avenue,
Newport, RI 02840

AS220
115 Empire St.
Providence, RI 02903

NetWorks 2008 is a multi-disciplinary exhibition of selected contemporary RI visual artists curated by Dr. Joseph Chazan & Umberto Crenca, Artistic Director of AS220. Networks 2008 includes fifteen videos that celebrate Rhode Island’s incredible community of artists. These videos will begin airing on Rhode Island PBS affiliates beginning Thursday, November 6th.

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HEY remember that one time the other day i posted a 4000 pixel wide image on the main page of the PDD because I momentarily forgot (or arguably never knew) how to use a computer??? Yeah that was AWESOME!! I hope I do it NINE MORE TIMES!!! Anyway here’s a charming reminder, with the official press release, about the Sustainability Show which opens this SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, 4-7pm, AS220 Main Gallery, 115 Empire St. Providence, RI. It’s also FREE, and there will be food pot-luck-style, so BYOwhatevs.
Press release following the jump.

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at FHXIII
Fortune at the Threshold
Nov 6-29th

Opening Reception
Friday Nov. 10th 7-11pm

• Zane Clavarie
• Shawn Gilheeney
• Kik Williams
• Quinn Corey
• Justin Coleman

A group show including a wide range of styles and techniques from five Providence artists. Ceramic, Painting, Collage, and Sculpture.

More info at the Firehouse 13 website.