Hera Gallery

Friday, December 10, 7:30 – 9 PM Video works by Ambuja Magaji Sunday December 12, 3-4 PM Experimental Video Shorts by Nancy E. Wyllie Sunday, December 12, 4:15 – 5:15 PM Selection of Contemporary Indian Animated Shorts Hera Gallery will present a weekend series of films, video art, and animation by Rhode Island and Indian artists. The screenings will take place at Hera Gallery . On Friday, December 10 from 7:30 to 9:00 PM Ambuja Magaji will present her video art. The series will continue on Sunday afternoon from 3 – 4 PM with video shorts by Nancy E. Wyllie, and from 4:15 – 5:15 with a selection of animated films by artists living and working in India. AMBUJA MAGAJI will present her video art including an online collaborative video project with international artists titled The Exquisite Corpse Video Project . She will introduce her work and process. Magaji writes: “As an artist my work speaks in relation to socio-political roles that define human condition. My work also address...

On Sunday, December 5th at 3:00pm Susan Sklarek will discuss the inter-relationship of art, craft and design within thewide range of applications for weaving. Examples of innovative contemporary work, both handmade and industrially produced, will be shown. Susan Sklarek received an MFA in Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1978. Since 1980, she has been teaching weaving and textile courses at RISD at both beginning and advanced levels, including the use of 8-harness floor looms as well as 24-harness computer-interfaced dobby looms, training her students as both artists and designers. She worked for 8 years as the in-house designer for Stanley Woolen Mills, which produced fancy woolen fabrics for mens and women's apparel. Other freelance projects include working with the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation on the analysis and reproduction of Anni Albers' woven fabrics. In addition to design for industrial and hand production, her own work has also included wove...

Thank you to all who attended the Eccentric Fusion show on Sunday night! Although it was a short show, there was a great turnout and all seemed to enjoy the verity it had to offer. Thanks again to the contributing artists. Here are some photos from Sunday.

Here are some images from last months open mic night. This night features the work of local poets, musicians, writers, and more. It's held every third Thursday at Hera Gallery... Check it out!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 29th, 2010 CONTACT : Ryan O’Hara, 508.735.9007,  ry_ohara@my.uri.edu Islay Taylor, 401.789.1488,  info@heragallery.org Hera Gallery, 327 Main Street, Wakefield RI 02880-0336 Fall hours: Wednesday-Fri (1-5) Sat (10-4)  www.heragallery.org Hera Gallery Is pleased to present: ECCENTRIC FUSION November 14 th  – 16 th  BY APPOINTMENT Opening Reception: Sunday, November 14th, from 6:00 – 8:00pm Hera Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition featuring regional artists  Julie Mollo ,  Jennifer Cawley ,  Katrina Eugenia , Yong Joo Kim , and  Christine Kim . This show will illustrate unconventional looks that relate to the fashion world which do not conform to commercial standers but embraces a sculptural aesthetic. The artists will be representing an array of different media covering textiles, photography, painting, and jewelry. New Yorker, Julie Mollo , creates garments inspired by shapes, the 1950’s, the city of N...

In the October 21-22, 2010 weekend edition of The Narragansett Times, an article titled "Hera Gallery opens New Works show with a group exhibit" graced the Time Out section of the newspaper. You can read the whole article here .

The Hera Gallery's Not-So-Silent Auction that took place last Saturday resulted in a great time. As I walked in the gallery was filled with tables of auctioned items such as original art, jewlery, and crafts, hosted private dinners, local gift certificates, and so much more. While being stationed at the door to welcome guests, I got to meet many of the members and visitors of Hera. It was nice being able to put faces to the names I have heard all about. Everyone was so nice, and as more people filed in, the gallery became alive with life. The live music by Saddle Up The Chicken set the relaxing, yet upbeat tone for the night. Guests mixed and mingled, enjoyed food, conversation, and bidding. It was an exciting and successful night. Unfortunately, I departed at 7 and missed the live auction that began at 7:15. I hope all who attended enjoyed themselves, and congrats to all the bidding winners!

Hera Gallery member, John Kotula , has put together a phenomenal art project that is using the philanthropy website Kickstarter to help John accrue funding for his project. Below is a description of his project, Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man, which will present 25 portraits and interviews of Artists. From John: Dear Friends and Colleagues, There is an art project I want to undertake called Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man. It is an exploration of aging and creativity, consisting of 25 portraits and written profiles of artists over 65. In order to do this project the way I’d like to, I have to generate some funding. I have a couple of grant applications out, but I am also trying to raise $5,000 through Kickstarter.com. Kickstarter allows artists to post projects and then people who want to support the project can make donations as small as one dollar. It is also a way of spreading word about the project and getting feedback. However, it is ...

If you happen to be in Bristol this fall, be sure swing into the Bristol Art Museum to see the exhibition, Travel+ , which focuses on the Printmakers Network of Southern New England . Our member, Barbara Pagh is contributing to Travel+ . “Travel +” October 30- November 20 The Printmakers Network of Southern New England PNSNE, Travel Book Project is a three-book accordion collection of original prints and poetry created by fifteen members and three award winning poets. “Travel+” began as a concept to join artists and poets to select a subject over a period of time with creative results fused into a book collection in an edition of 30. The opening reception will be Sunday, October 31 st , 2-4 pm. Other events will follow at the museum at 2 pm on Sunday, November 7, a “Poetry Reading” with three nationally published poets, Vivian Shipley, Kim Bradford and Sue Standing; Sunday, November 14, a Gallery Talk with Carol Strause FitzSimonds on “21 st Century Technology in Printmaking-Solar...

Did anybody else catch this article on TODAY this morning? The show featured an 8 year old painter, Autumn De Forest, who has sold paintings for over 200,000! Her work is amazing, and I'm glad that I won't be going to college with her... she's bound to be a powerhouse once she gets older. Although, I guess she's a powerhouse now! This uncannily talented painter is a phenom with texture and color, but refers to these characteristics in an 8-year-oldish way... while talking about 'mixing fast' and dumping watery paint on her canvases to achieve her paintings she reminded me of a little girl playing princess twirling and posing in front of the cameras. The most impressive thing that struck me was that she takes weeks to work on her paintings, this dedication to time is unusual for someone so young. Below are some images of her work, otherwise be sure to click the link above to watch her interview with Matt Lauer! Goodnight Moon Autumn Colors Barbie Marilyn

This I Believe - Rhode Island , is hosted by Frederic Reamer, and shares many stories from the people of Rhode Island.  This radio show is an opportunity for people to share their own beliefs and experiences. Over this past week the discussion of art and its strong connection in Rhode Island came into play. Ana Flores, who has passionate beliefs about how Rhode Islanders can enhance their connection with the art that surrounds them, reviews the galleries, sculptures, museums and educational venues in the Ocean State. For more, click here . 

Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party" On October 12, 2010, host Jacki Lyden interviews Judy Chicago about the release of her new book "Frida Kahlo: Face to Face," with art historian Frances Borzello. You may know Judy Chicago from her 1970's piece "Dinner Party" an important icon of feminist art. It is composed of a large triangular table with thirty-nine place settings on it. Each place setting represents an important woman from history.The plates are painted china in styles that are appropriate for each individual they represent. Another 999 women are also honored in "Dinner Party," however, their names are inscribed in gold on the white tile floor below the triangular table. All together Judy Chicago honors 1,038 women at this table. Close up of "Dinner Party The book created by Judy and her collaborator Frances Borzello is told is told in the context of how female painters have been treated, not so much focusing on the life of F...

Over the past two days the Hera Gallery has begun and completed the process of hanging the new works for the next show, featuring Hera Gallery Associate Members. At first it seemed overwhelming with the amount of work that was in the gallery. With six artists being shown, many with different mediums, it was difficult to begin visualizing what would go where. The art was moved around, tested in different spots and laid out to see how the pieces would make sense on the walls. It was fun and interesting to see how organizing the art one way or another could really create quite a different feel on the empty wall. Painting the stands! So while the walls were white, bare and ready to get done up with work - I was learning how to hang the art at eye level. Not exactly the best with math, measuring sixty inches up on the wall, while subtracting half of the total of the frame size, and taking into account the wire hanger, was just a bit of a mind boggle for a few minutes. However, once a...

Hey everybody, it's Islay... I just went online and discovered that the exhibit that I curated in Providence, Chromophilia , has been reviewed in one of our local papers, The Providence Phoenix . The article, by Greg Cook, highlights some of the work in the exhibition and touches upon the aesthetic of the show. Personally, I'm always so glad to have contemporary art jewelry written about, because it hardly ever happens and I appreciate that critics are willing to learn about this emerging field and present it to a larger audience. I've posted Greg's review below, or you can read it here . Review: '10 Most Endangered Properties,' plus 'Chromophilia' The title of the "Chromophilia" exhibit at Craftland (235 Westminster Street, Providence, through October 10) focuses our attention on the bright colors of contemporary studio jewelry, which follows the 1980s revival — a la American Apparel — throughout fashion. But the bigger trend that curator...

Hera Gallery member, Carl Dimitri , will be showing his work in a one night exhibition in New York City on October 12th. The event (running in conjunction with a silent auction to support the Gulf Coast) is sponsored by the Tryst Collective . The show is titled BP's Black Plague: A Response in Art & Music, and it looks like it'll be a phenomenal lineup! The event will start at 7:00pm, the gallery information is below. It's at the R BAR NYC 218 Bowery (between Prince and Spring) New York, NY10012

It might be 'north of the tower,' but I highly recommend heading to Pawtucket this weekend to visit the artist studios up there! On September 25 - 26, 2010 from 11 am to 5 pm more than 80 artists in the historic mills of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, are opening their studios to the public during the city's celebration of the arts, the Twelfth Annual Pawtucket Arts Festival. You'll also be able to find Carl Dimitri in the 560 Building on Mineral Springs. .. He has recently relocated to Pawtucket, and will be displaying his work in conjunction with the festival.

We are so pleased to have Michael Yefko as a new artist member at Hera Gallery. Michael has exhibited at Hera numerous times in the past, and you may remember his work from the recent exhibition, Money . Michaels' sculptures and 2-dimensional works tend to reference concepts of dreams, loss, house, and home; he utilizes the symbol of the house as a stand in for the self and as a means to exercise his anger over the loss of the natural world for the sake of the built suburban spectacle . By incorporating loaded symbolic objects such as a house, Michael stimulates the viewer to have a personal connection to the work that carries such a potent context with it. Michael is also a carpenter, a nd has spent much time in his life working on his own home . Considering his attention to detail, craftsmanship, and in-depth knowledge of carpentry and construction, we are elated that Michaels' membership is a sweat equity one. It will be nice to have a capable and informed member to he...

Please join the opening this Thursday at the Knight Campus Art Gallery, CCRI Exhibition featuring the work of students and faculty from the National University of Art in Bucharest, Romania; Worcester State College; Quinsigamond Community College; and The Massachusetts College of Art & Design. Opening Reception: Thursday, September 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. ( The gallery is located in Room 3500, on the third floor of the round building at the CCRI Warwick campus, 400 East Ave. Enter the library on the fourth floor and go down the stairs to right). Artist talk 6 p.m. followed by refreshments This collaborative project showing approximately 20 books with 900 pages covered in drawings, writings and collages initiated by artist and former Community College of Rhode Island student Joanne Luongo, will be on display from Sept. 14 to Oct. 14. Luongo said her art “relies heavily on the engagement of various community groups and each one is different and quite unique. Of all my shared exp...

Altered Landscapes September 3 – October 14, 2010 Corridor Gallery, Fine Arts Center, URI This selection of color photographs is from the ongoing series Altered Landscapes with work dating from 2007 to the present. As a photographer of the landscape Broches explores our culture’s view of nature and the ways in which we occupy and alter our world. She writes: “The landscape as subject is traditionally viewed as picturesque. I approach and photograph the landscape as human construct. We ‘landscape’ and beautify our surroundings, preserve and protect our parks. We intervene and mold it, exploit and attempt to control and harness it, defy it, and neglect it. I value a sense of place, collective and individual memory, and identity in relation to the land. I’m interested in the domestic, private, and the ‘small’. My photographs document and report on ‘our’ sense of place. These images are amusing, ironic, and puzzling; some imply social and political consequences that are of immediate, if ...

We here at Hera Gallery are excited to be welcoming a new member, Susan Hayward to our midst. Susan is a local artist, working out of Shady Lea studios. She has been a supporter of the gallery for quite a while now, participating in past fundraisers such as the recent Paint By Numbers Lottery (her creation for that event is posted to the right). Recently, Susan has been working with photography as well as creating incredibly intricate beaded jewelry. No matter what media she works in, her attention to detail is exquisite. Look for more information about her on our home page, as well as in the next exhibit at Hera featuring our Associate Members.

Hello everyone! My name is Ryan O'Hara and I am the Hera Gallery's newest intern. I look forward to meeting many of you as I work at the gallery through out the fall! So, let me tell you a bit about myself... Myself at the Atlantic-10 Rowing Championship 2010 I am a 5th year Art History student at URI. The past four years I spent on the URI women's rowing team. This experience was one of the best I could ever ask for. I loved the feeling of being a part of something great and contributing to a program that just keeps growing. The team has had a lot of success and will continue to do so. Although I still spend time with the team, now teaching new girls how to row, it is time for a new chapter in my life so I am transitioning from athletics to the art world! One of my drawings from high school Creating art is something I have always loved. Whether I was a little girl with my crayons, in my high school’s drawing classes, or taking studio class at URI it’s something...

Works by gallery artist members Troy West and John Kotula will be on view at VIEWPORT, an outdoor exhibition of sculpture and installations at King's Park on Wellington Avenue in Newport. West has installed a totemic sculpture entitled OIL. (See below) VIEWPORT is sponsored by Project One/Public Art Newport. The exhibition opens September 11 and runs through October 10, 2010. Ten local artists were selected to participate in this event. Please join us for the opening reception from 1 - 6 PM tomorrow.

Hera Gallery is excited to be welcoming a new member to our community! Mara Trachtenberg is an artist and educator focusing predominantly on photography. Her work depicts highly saturated vignettes, documenting surreal moments of seemingly picturesque fantasy. Upon further inspection these idealized glimpses reveal a darker side dealing with impermanence and mortality. The images below are from her 'The Suspense of Reanimation' series, which illustrates the specific moment in a fairy tale when the protagonist is hovering in a space framed by 'the metaphoric death of an inadequate self and rebirth to a higher plane of existence (Bruno Bettleheim).' She uses a rabbit corpse to portray these moments, making her metaphors more accessible to the viewer. Sleeping Beauty , digital C print, 2005 Princess, Digital C print, 2005 The images below are from her series 'A Decadent World,' which blends the realm of culture an nature together into a decadent confection. ...

Michael Yefko, a local artist and friend of Hera Gallery, will be exhibiting artwork at the Borderland State Park in Massachusetts. The opening reception will be on Saturday, September 11th, from 7:00 - 10:00pm in the Ames Mansion. The park is just a 30 minute drive from Providence, and would be well worth the trip. You may recognize Michael's name from the previous show at Hera, MONEY . Michael exhibited a series of exquisite sculptures that focused on issues in our contemporary fiscal culture. You can learn more about the park here .

Originally posted on Evocative Objects. I took a trip up to Boston yesterday morning to visit the Dr. Lakra exhibit at the ICA . The show is only up for another week, and I'm disappointed that I didn't get in to see it sooner because I'd like to experience it again. As it turns out, I'm really taken with Dr. Lakra's work. Dr. Lakra is a Mexican born tattoo and fine artist based out of Oaxaca. Dr. Lakra transposes his tattooing craft onto the idealized figures found in vintage 1950's magazines, onto pinup girls, luchadors, medical educational drawings, and even onto the iconic cupie doll. Lakra reassigns identity by tattooing and enhancing the original subjects with bats, demons, spiders, gang insignia, and traditional cultural body markings. He even uses a real tattoo machine to achieve a believable image on some of his pieces. Dr. Lakra deals with concepts of beautification and social identification. His works are a carnival of the grotesque, a medley ...

I got to the gallery today, and was greeted by some beautiful new blooms in our garden. Apparently, Alexandra has been getting her hands dirty and showing off her green thumb at the same time! It was a lovely surprise, and does a great job of cheering up the front of the gallery. Thanks, Alexandra!