2024 SCA Members' Invitational Exhibiting Artists

Exhibiting Artists

Thank you

South Coast Artists gratefully acknowledges the Board of Directors of Bristol Art Museum for generously welcoming our artists into their beautiful facility. We express a special thank you to Mary Dondero and the team of volunteers who handle the many unseen tasks needed to make the reception and day-to-day operation of the exhibition successful.

Robert Abele

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am dedicated to preserving the vanishing New England architecture, focusing on the delicate dance of light and shadow and the intricate interplay of form. My passion lies in capturing the essence of 2 and 3 family houses that once housed immigrant communities, enriching the industry and culture of New England. Through my work, I aim to honor the legacy of these structures and the stories they hold, shedding light on their historical significance and the beauty they embody. My art serves as a tribute to the resilience and contributions of those who shaped the fabric of our communities.

ABOUT

Robert Abele has dedicated his life to capturing the essence and beauty of architecture, particularly early New England homes. With a strong educational background, Robert's passion for art has been nurtured and refined over the years. Robert began his artistic journey at the School of Visual Arts in New York City where he pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Graduating in 1993, Robert pursued higher education and graduated from UMass Dartmouth in 2018, earning an MFA degree in painting. Currently Robert teaches HS Art in Plymouth MA. At Pilgrim Academy.

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25 Robert Street

Dartmouth, MA 02747

(914) 573-2962

https://robertabele.com/home.html

@robert_abele_gallery

Cali Almy

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work explores nature and landscape. Some pieces are intended to depict an expansive view across a marsh or coastline, and some are of a more micro perspective. These landscapes are inspired by places I have loved my whole life in southeastern Massachusetts. I primarily create work in clay on a potter’s wheel and at times add hand - built elements. I focus on the simplicity of form and enjoy creating contrast with expressive surfaces. My latest forms, the Rabbit vessels, examine a more narrative element and how certain symbols in nature have shaped stories in my life.

ABOUT

Cali Almy holds a BA in Studio Art from the University of Vermont and an MFA from UMass, Amherst. She has taught in school and community art spaces for over 2 decades. She moved away from full time teaching in 2019 and completed a twoyear Artist in Residence program at the Worcester Center for Crafts in ceramics. Since then, Cali has exhibited her artwork at a variety of museums, galleries, and festivals. In addition to time in the studio, she continues to enjoy being in community arts and education spaces as a teacher, student and artist.

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Cali Almy Ceramics 1138 Horseneck Road Westport, MA 02790 (401) 345-6882

https://www.calialmyceramics.com/

@cali.clay

Melanie

Anderson

ARTIST STATEMENT

Color is fuel for me; it's what drives my artistic passions. I am drawn to abstracting the shapes within the landscapes around me. Working in layers to transform values and colors, I strive to build depth and textures capturing an energy both felt and observed.

ABOUT

Melanie Anderson, a native Rhode Island resident, received her BFA from Syracuse University in 1985. Her career started in graphic design.15 years in, Melanie left to go to the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and became a Private Chef. During this time, she also created colorful textiles for her own line of outerwear and accessories. Still, painting was something she did off and on until one day a few years ago, it became obvious she needed to put her whole self into exploring her passion for color in painting! She believes everything she has done has led her to this point.

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Melanie Anderson

136 Peckham RD

Little Compton, RI 02837 (617) 448-3026

Diana Arvanites

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am compelled by our relationship with nature in a broad sense. The narrative, colors, textures, shapes, oppositions, weather patterns, invasive plants, and inclusion in literature, just to name a few. Experiments in r oundness is an ongoing body of work that experiments and explores the concept of roundness. Divided up into several series, each using a different process or concept that dives deep into what is roundness.

ABOUT

Diana Arvanites has been making and teaching art in both an academic and community setting for over ten years. Her artist’s books, drawings, paintings, installations, and writings explore the themes of environment, weather, growth, and fragmentation. She has been the recipient of grants and awards. Her work is in both public and private collections throughout the United States.

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https://dianaarvanites.com/home.html

Diana Azevedo-Carns

ARTIST STATEMENT

My abstract imagery exhibits a strong relationship to the natural world, especially natural formations and patterns. I often reference systems of growth or aerial views of earth and water. I explore these themes in reimagined colors and forms, using rhythms and variations of these patterns.

ABOUT

Diana Azevedo - Carns is a mixed media artist, with painting and printmaking in various media. Her abstract imagery exhibits a strong relationship to the natural world. Variations of natural rhythms and patterns provide a basis for color exploration using abstract and representational imagery. She is inspired by the challenge of creating art using mixed media and techniques in a kind of counterpoint. Diana Azevedo - Carns holds an MFA from UMass Dartmouth and a Doctorate in Educational Media from Boston University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is in private and public collections.

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88 Hatch Street #310 New Bedford, MA 02745 (508) 910-6472

https://www.hatchstreetstudios.com/diana -carns

ARTIST STATEMENT

I seek to express the magic and deep sense of connection I see and feel in nature . I paint in an abstracted or impressionistic style. Cats also find their way into my paintings. (They are magical creatures, after all. And I have willing models.)

I adore the brilliance of the pigments and the interplay of color made possible with pastel. I enjoy layering pastel over watercolor because I like the vibrant effect of the watercolor showing through. Currently , I am work ing in pastel, watercolor, and oil as I strive to share my delight and deep appreciation for our amazing world.

ABOUT

Bailey had no previous formal art training when she began taking pastel painting classes in 2009 with local artist Sarah Fielding - Gunn Ricci. She began learning watercolor painting on her own, and later oil painting as well. Her favorite subjects are the uninhabited landscape, birds, and cats. She occasionally ventures into abstract painting.

Bailey’s artwork has been juried into shows at the Portsmouth Arts Guild and the Little Compton Annual Summer Art Show. She has exhibited in group shows and has participated in the annual South Coast Artists Open Studio Tour most years since 2013.

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http://www.MicheleLBailey.com

@michelebaileyartist

Kim Barry

ARTIST STATEMENT

Through deep observation and my intimate response to the natural world, I find a bounty of inspiration. I ingest this experience and synthesize it into my own expression. My use of paint is visceral. I have an appetite for color, manipulation of paint and subject matter that grabs the eye and stirs the unconscious. Fruits, flowers, veggies and shells reference human form, gesture, memory, emotion, sensuality. In this painting of garlic sprouting, I am reminded that water is the force of all nature. The stored water inside these bulbs transforms the garlic from a cooking ingredient into a life force.

ABOUT

Kim Barry is a painter, potter, sculptor, and art educator. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Sculpture and from University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth with an MFA in Painting. Kim lives in the south coast of Massachusetts. Her work is informed by this beautiful, coastal environment.

“Through deep observation and my intimate response to the natural world, I find a bounty of inspiration for my paintings. My subject matter such as fruits, flowers, veggies, or shells can often reference the human form, gesture, memory, emotion, sensuality or simply capture the energy of a time and place.”

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Clay Trout Pottery

67 Acushnet Road

Mattapoisett, MA 02739

(508) 397-6405

https://kimbarrypainting.com

Paula Stebbins Becker

ARTIST STATEMENT

Memory is like a thread that is woven, unraveled, knotted, entangled, forming endless patterns and layers of experience.

I am drawn to textiles, photographs and objects that have a physical and personal history. Through the process of unraveling and weaving, the cloth takes the shape of a gesture and offers an impression of the mood and spirit found in the photograph. Through this work, I honor the fragility of life, and strive to express the memories and connections that people and textiles hold in our lives.

ABOUT

Paula Stebbins Becker is an artist, textile designer and educator residing in R hode I sland . She received her MFA in Fibers from Cranbrook Academy of Art and teaches Fibers at UMass Dartmouth. Paula has researched and handwoven a series of Loja Saarinen reproduction textiles for the Cranbrook Museum (19922022). She designs and weaves custom textiles and artworks and her weavings have been exhibited in the US and Taiwan. Her work has been featured in publications including “Mendings,” Megan Sweeney (2023), “Hot House, Expanding the Field in Fiber, at Cranbrook , ” and “Saarinen, House and Garden, Total Work of Art,” Gregory Wittkopp.

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50 Field Stone Ln Tiverton, RI 02878 (401) 595-5928

https://www.paulastebbinsbecker.com

@paulastebbinsbecker

Dot Bergen

ARTIST STATEMENT

Dot Bergen is an abstract encaustic artist inspired by science and nature. Formally trained as a scientist, she leverages her advanced degrees in Invertebrate Zoology and Marine Ecology to inform her point of view. The majority of her work references natural phenomena such as fossilization, mineralization, growth, cellular movement , and the natural world. Encaustics is the art of painting with molten beeswax and resin. She often incorporates natural fibers such as wool, silk, cotton and paper into her pieces giving them a sculptural look.

ABOUT

Dot received a BS in Biology from the University of Massachusetts, an MS in Marine Ecology from San Diego State University, and a PhD in Invertebrate Zoology from University of New Hampshire. Her work has been exhibited in m useums and g alleries including The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA; Spring Bull Gallery, Newport, RI; Bristol Art Museum, Bristol, RI; Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro, MA; Imago Gallery, Warren, RI and Dee Dee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA. Her studio/gallery is located in Little Compton, RI.

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Dot Bergen Art

8 Sakonnet Trl

Little Compton, RI 02837 (508) 921-0168

https://www.dotbergenart.com

@dotbergen

Helen Bryant

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am currently exploring abstract painting with acrylics, watercolors and inks. I am influenced by my connection with nature and excitement with colors and how they play with each other. I also enjoy the dynamic interplay of various values of black and white. I use a palet te knife and scrapers of various sizes to keep the work loose and uncontrolled.

ABOUT

As a life - long Yankee, Helen Bryant feels fortunate to be connected to the beauty and power of the n ature that surrounds us. It inspires her work. She attended f ine a rts c lasses at UMass Dartmouth as a part - time matriculated senior citizen as a painting major/printing minor for al most 12 years. She withdrew when the Pandemic hit us and did not finish the degree, but the exposure to multiple media and the principles and techniques that she learned guides her work. Helen works in acrylics, w atercolors , and Inks, and enjoys the feeling of freedom that abstraction brings to her.

Dianne W. Burns

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a plein air painter, and am comfortable doing oil painting demonstrations. On many occasions when on location, people walk up, watch for a while. I greet the visitors while blocking in the scene on my toned canvas, and describe the actions I'm performing, explaining why I'm making certain marks, or the colors I'm mixing. People are intrigued that I am able to get the beautiful turquoise blues and purples that I get – starting only with the three primary colors. People enjoy seeing the painting come together, to see how the shapes evolve to become the finished landscape.

ABOUT

D W Burns is an oil painter that enjoys painting on location, feeling the ocean spray, smelling the scents of a hillside farm. She has adapted her skills to include a limited palette, and a palette knife, which enables her to quickly capture the moment that inspired her.

Her scenes are familiar, illustrating with her marks and brush strokes, drawing the viewer in, to see what she saw, feel the essence of that place at that time. Whether she’s painting foggy harbors, sunshine across the marshes, or the slope of a mountain – her work is filled with painterly expression.

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1167 Russells Mills Road

Dartmouth, MA 02748 (508) 280-7270

Lisa Busnengo

ARTIST STATEMENT

Whether it be through dance, theatre, or film; poetry, music, or painting, I have been a lifelong lover of art. There have been many times in life when I have found my s oul in need of feeding. During those times, I have turned to art, in all of its wonderous forms for nourishment and renewal. For me, to live and love through the art of creative expression and manifestation is the ultimate joy.

ABOUT

Lisa Busnengo is an abstract acrylic and mixed - media artist. Spiritual in nature, Lisa's work reflects her connection to all that exists beyond our Earth - bound existence. Early on, her affinity for circles emerged and quickly became the geometric cornerstone of her work; as did her use of gold paint. Much like automatic writing, Lisa describes her work as automatic painting...the inspired and informed execution of higher messaging. Her studio and open - by - appointment gallery are located in South Dartmouth, MA

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Lisa Busnengo

1167 Russells Mills Rd

Dartmouth, MA 02748

www.lisabusnengo.com

@lisabusnengo

Don Cadoret

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a self - taught narrative painter with nearly 50 years of experience. My work reflects the interplay between nature and nostalgia. I love to work with patterns, painstaking details and saturated colors to help tell a story.

ABOUT

Don Cadoret is a story painter from Tiverton. His paintings have hung in public and private collections across the United States, Canada and Europe, including the White House, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Attleboro Arts Museum, Newport Art Museum and le Musée International d’Art in Montreal. He has worked with the Museum of American Folk Art, Visionary Museum, Shaker Museum, and the Battleship Museum in Fall River. He exhibited at Frank Miele Gallery, New York City and Gallery Americana in Houston for many years, and other gallery exhibits including the Providence Art Club and the Black Sheep Gallery in Toronto.

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23 Reed St Tiverton, RI 02878 (401) 862-6115

@doncadoret

Serena Parente Charlebois

ARTIST STATEMENT

These pieces are part of a larger collection entitled The Shape of Beauty . A celebration of the strong feminine influence that has surrounded me my entire life, and a remembrance to honor my mother, who introduced me to the beauty of the nature in our little wooded gardens. So, it is natural that I look to my environment for inspiration, for those wild places that have shaped me , and to represent what my heart feels when I view the world. Photography is my language, my form of communicating emotions, from grief and anguish to the growth of healing and renewal.

ABOUT

Photographic a rtist, Serena Parente Charlebois, established her portrait studio in 1991. Serena is an award - winning photographer specializing in fine art portraiture and alternative processes. She is certified by the PPA, and has earned both her Master Photographer degree and Photographic Craftsman degree. Serena’s Studio is a custom designed, northern light studio, in an oak forest of the tiny seacoast community of Little Compton, RI. The soft quality of the natural light that Serena works with allows her to capture the natural expressions of life and the soul of her subjects’ personalities.

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Serena’s Studio Classic Photography

313 Long Highway

Little Compton, RI 02837 (401)635-8880

www.serenasstudio.com

Celeste Chute-Wright

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am inspired with natural elements and enjoy painting in watercolor, oil and sometimes mixed media as in this piece. I am fascinated by the interplay and interconnectedness of man and nature and hope to create discussion on this topic with this painting.

ABOUT

Celeste is a r epresentational artist inspired by light, color and compositional elements and connections between these elements. She enjoys painting in a variety of media and for this piece , creates connections between them with the narrative subjects of a human and a bird. The middle section of the painting is a Native American symbol representing a person's journey through the life cycle.

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Celeste Chute Wright Art (401) 855-8581

https://www.celestechutewrightart.com

@celestecolorful

Dan Connolly

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am exploring the intersection of the basic elements of our world (GROUND - SKYWATER) by abstracting and simplifying their colors and forms. By so doing, I hope to deflect the mind's tendency to dwell on the concrete and elicit an emotional or metaphorical response in the viewer. Using an unusual photographic technique, I am taking a specific place and making it universal, allowing the viewer to more easily relate to the scene depicted, bringing their own memories and feelings to it. Aluminum printing allows the viewer to get closer to the work, removing the traditional glass barrier.

ABOUT

Embracing photographic art later in life, Dan Connolly has been creating abstracted photographic land - and seascapes since the early days of the pandemic. A long - time self - taught photographer, Dan has moved on from portrait work (corporate and school) to express his own vision of the world using intentional camera movement to create stunning combinations of color, shape, and light.

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Dan Connolly Fine Art Photography

8 Pine Cone Dr Barrington, RI 02806 (401) 474-8496

https://www.danconnolly.com

@danconnollyphoto

Susan Czernicka

ARTIST STATEMENT

After years of working in healthcare, I’m delighted to have time to paint.

ABOUT

Susan Czernicka learned to paint at the Brookline arts center 30 years ago and has worked in many mediums. She states that w hat she loves about encaustic is that, “Everything I’ve ever done has a place here now ”

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1414 Drift Rd

Westport, MA 02790

(617) 835-8175

Robert Dec

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have continued to experiment with a variety of styles and mediums of painting throughout the years. My work ranges from very realistic, to abstracted, to completely abstract with much of my work inspired by landscape, the environment and music.

My latest works feature nature conveyed in a unique and expressive manner. My intention is to express and embellish the subject with paint and other materials, using surface textures, glazes and color while still retaining the recognizable and organic elements of the motif.

ABOUT

Robert Dec received his BFA from UMass Dartmouth in 1975 and MFA from Columbia University in1977. Robert has exhibited in art galleries and museums in New York City and New England. His work has been shown in several group, oneperson, two - person and three - person exhibitions. After teaching art for over 40 years at various schools, museums and colleges, he recently retired as Chair of the Visual Arts Department at the Bancroft School in Worcester, MA to move to Westport, MA and concentrate more time on his art.

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2 Elise Michelle Way

Westport, MA (774) 264-9142

https://www.rdecart.com

@rdec_studios

Iria DeValles-Vieira

ARTIST STATEMENT

When I started this painting, I was painting 2 to 3 other paintings. I had this one leaning on the wall and would go and add some paint. The process was just to put paint down. I would walk away and come back and say compositionally what does it need? How did I react to the value and the harmony and so forth?

ABOUT

Iria DeValles - Vieira ’s artistic journey has taken her from crayons to color by numbers, from watercolors to pen and ink, as well as charcoal, scrimshaw, and burning on wood. She has had an extended interruption and now is back experimenting with different mediums and textures, but focusing mostly on acrylics.

Iria received an MS from UMass Dartmouth and BSN from Salve Regina University. Her career was in the nursing profession. While in college, she did attend some art classes. Recently she has taken online line art classes and locally in person art classes.

Christy DeWitt

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work is inspired by my deep - rooted fascination with patterns, nature, change and the reusing of materials. My artwork is a reflection of the natural world around me documenting that moment of time before it changes. It is a personal expression of the intimate lessons that nature has taught me. My new collection of Tinted Natural Prints is a process that uses leaves to print on paper and then I enhance each work by hand with watercolor. This process is an ongoing experimentation because the seasons, temperature and weather can all affect a change in the process.

ABOUT

Contemporary artist Christy DeWitt creates hand - tinted natural prints that blend nature with design and are rich in color and texture. These captivating renditions of leaves are designed with contemporary contact printing, watercolor painting, and historical and natural dye techniques. DeWitt’s need to create is as instinctual as breathing. Her artwork is not a literal reproduction of nature but a visual interpretation or translation of the world around her. DeWitt began her studies at the Emma Willard School, continued through the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), obtained an MAE, and continues to feed her studio studies.

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Christy DeWitt Studio

East Freetown, MA 02717

www.christydewittstudio.com

@christydewittstudio

Kris Donovan

ARTIST STATEMENT

Whether working on location or in my studio in Little Compton, I continually strive to capture the delightful impression of the Sakonnet landscape and other magical coastal venues. My still l ifes reflect my passion for expressing the light and feeling of the simple joys life has to offer. I often paint at the beach, directly experiencing the patterns, shapes, and colors of the ocean. As a traditional painter, I try to maintain a consistent voice by using keen detail and bright colors to evoke the joy and beauty in my classic coastal scenes.

ABOUT

Always an artist, Kris Donovan earned her degree in Art Education at Roger Williams College, and studied with a number of prominent artists. She has taught for decades with several local art groups and held “Making Art Master Workshops” for 11 years in Little Compton. She ran the Donovan Gallery for 31 years before retiring in 2013.

Kris was a member of the Sakonnet Painters Cooperative of Little Compton, the RI Water Color Society, Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, the Connecticut Pastel Society, and the Westport Art Group. She is known for her iconic watercolors, pastels, and oils.

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Donovan Studio

9 Donovan Way

Little Compton, RI 02837 (401) 683-8308

https://www.krisdonovan.com

@krisdonovanart

Bradford D Drury

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a lifelong sailor and love to draw and paint the people, places, and creatures of the coast. The interplay of light and shadow are my focus. The marine environment offers incredible opportunity. Whether it is the reflection off the wet feathers of a cormorant and the water, the deep shadows of a coastal forest with a beam of sunlight on a fern on the corner of a shed, or the deep lavender shadows behind the mature plants a Peckham's nursery, these details lend me peace. That is what I am trying to share.

ABOUT

Bradford Drury sailed up and down the eastern seaboard . After retiring to Boston, the South Coast community of artists welcomed him. He moved to Westport last November and paints with the Westport Artists plein air group. He is a published cartoonist and authored and illustrated "A is for Anchor: B is for Boat" available at Partners in Westport. Coastal themes predominate in his work, with special attention to the details of the vegetation and animals. Musicians playing live are another topic of interest. Join him when he's doing charcoal sketches at Buzzards Bay Brewing.

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Bradford Drury Art

https://www.bradforddruryart.com

@bradforddruryart

Janet Dubuc

ARTIST STATEMENT

I concentrate my artistic efforts in painting, both with watercolors and oils. My realistic approach to painting my subject is enhanced to set a mood so the viewer can imagine her/his own story. I am attracted to the varieties of light and reflection, and my subjects often include water, boats and sea birds. I spend a lot of time boating around Mt Hope and Narragansett Bay, and often find inspiration there for my paintings. I paint scenes from places I visit and photograph, and during the milder months, I enjoy plein air painting with Westport Art Group.

ABOUT

Janet Dubuc is a local artist, painting in oil and watercolor. Her lifelong career involved teaching art to high school students. She studied a rt at Syracuse University and Art Education at Rhode Island College, as well as coursework at UMass Dartmouth and programs at the British Institute and The deMedici School of Art, both in Florence Italy. She exhibits with and is a member of Bristol Art Museum, Southcoast Artists, and Westport Art Group. She has recently won awards from Bristol Art Museum and Westport Art Group. She currently serves as VP for Education at Westport Art Group.

Lindsey Epstein

ARTIST STATEMENT

‘ Charlie ’s Tulips’ are a selection of vases made from a series of a larger piece representing the Holland Tulip Festival. The vases were the first pieces I created in 2024, and the first pieces made after the passing of my dog and friend, Charlie. Charlie helped plant thousands of tulips each fall which are in bloom this time of year. The vases are a loose interpretation of the tulip form and are glazed with a crystalline glaze. Charlie’s love, joy, and appreciation of nature are characteristics which I continue to hold dear through his physical absence.

ABOUT

Lindsey Epstein resides in Tiverton, RI where she now creates work from her studio. She has always enjoyed the outdoors, gardening, and nature. Over the past 20 years, she has enjoyed exploring the limits of clay only to find that there are few. She is constantly excited by new possibilities and glaze techniques. Nature and animals are a recurring influence in how the piece moves or is decorated. In her "spare" time, she tends to her gardens and vegetables, and trains horses.

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Lindsey Epstein Pottery

324 East Rd Tiverton, RI 02878 (508) 317-9292

https://lepottery.com

@lepottery

Penelope Finnie

ARTIST STATEMENT

As a younger painter, urban wastelands in an old master’s technique w ere what I painted. They had a De Chirico - esque quality about them. The time was the late 80’s and the decay of our industrial era was beginning with all of the environmental implications beginning to be evident beautiful but eer ie . Moving to Westport full - time 3 years ago definitely changed my work. It did become more about the natural world but always with an awareness that these resources are fragile and unbelievably amazing. I use pastels, photographs, watercolor, oil and possibly encaustic to create layers of reality.

ABOUT

BA in art History, Studio Art Princeton University. MFA Columbia University Adjunct Professor, Visual Thinking, George Mason University. Showed in galleries in LA and Washington, DC. Artist Residency, Centre Pompadour, 2016 and 2017. The past 6 years have been a bit nomadic so work has been done in a manner that can be packed into a suitcase!

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783 Gifford Rd

Westport, MA 02790

(510) 701-3472

@pennyfinnie

Mary Ellen Flinn

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a self - taught traditional folk artist. I began woodcarving 27 years ago. A quick tutorial provided me with the basics about wood, tools and a few simple techniques. After successfully carving a few simple pieces, I realized that they would need to be painted. I had no prior experience with painting and the journey began. After years of experimentation, I realized that working on my skills as a carver and a painter in tandem from ground zero was critical in developing my individual style.

ABOUT

MaryEllen began carving in 1997 not knowing that it would become a lifelong artistic journey. Early on she found time to retreat to her basement to carve before heading to work. In 1997, her first showing was at the Carpenter Museum show in Rehoboth and continued through 2020. She has exhibited at the Portsmouth Art Guild, South Coast Artists Invitationals, Open Studio T our at her workshop Little Compton, 6 ½ Street Gallery and Handy House Artisans Fair. Most recently , she exhibited at the Barrington Public Library and a two - person e xhibit with Don Cadoret at the Dartmouth Cultural Center.

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273 Long Highway

Little Compton, RI 02837 (401) 635-2212

Nadine Flowers

ARTIST STATEMENT

As a Rhode Island native, I have always gravitated to the ocean. My work is inspired by nature, and I find overwhelming beauty in the perfect smoothness of a stone, the intricate pattern of weather - worn driftwood, and the breathtaking shape and color of a blue crab shell. Every beach, river, and shoreline is waiting to tell its story. My collages explore the concept of possibility and what waits to be discovered. What I find most interesting is how the power of nature can turn everyday objects, left or lost by humans, into equally beautiful objects worthy of our attention.

ABOUT

Nadine Flowers has spent her life on the Rhode Island coast. Her artistic expression is a testament to her affinity for the shore, stemming from an early passion for beachcombing and collecting. For decades, she has curated a trove of weatherworn objects. Inspired by the beauty and details carved by sun, wind, water, and time her art encapsulates the coastline’s endless variety. Nadine’s exploration extends beyond the tangible elements. She delves into the nuances of negative space, juxtaposition, scale, and the interplay of texture, shadow, and colors. Her assemblages are a visual mosaic reflecting New England’s raw coastal beauty.

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Little Compton, RI

@hellofromgrow

David Formanek

ARTIST STATEMENT

Numina were ancient Roman spirits of sacred places. These small - scale sculptures, the Tivertonumens , are particular to Tiverton and actually made from it. Shaped in their quest for water underground, the roots of brambles from my yard suggest mysterious creatures of the Underworld. I color them with local minerals and use Museum techniques to preserve them. I cut and polish plinths from local bedrock to monumentalize them (though at a small scale). They may look casual, but have been made durable, and represent many hours of decisions and shaping.

ABOUT

David Formanek is a former city person from Vienna, New York, Albany NY, and Arlington MA. He lives by the Rhode Island shore where he pursues too many interests. He studied art, architecture, classics, archaeology, and geology at SUNY Albany and Harvard GSD. Classical art continues to inspire his works. His sculptures today are small figurines and reliefs, and these Tivertonumina , made of polished Tiverton bedrock and bramble roots from his yard, named for local spirits of Roman religion. In addition to making sculpture, Formanek also writes poems that earn publication.

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90 North Court Tiverton, RI 02878 (781) 910-8610

Stan Frankenthaler

ARTIST STATEMENT

I work in encaustic painting and printmaking. I work with my hands. I seek to create subject, not object: specific, beautiful. I am inherently drawn to the encaustic medium as it expresses my deepest aesthetic and visual sensibilities. When creating monoprints I paint directly on the hot griddle. The nature of the wax enables the formation of multiple layers; assimilating and accepting other organic materials. The narrative captured in the wax is the story I seek to share. The steps in the process heating, melting, melding colors, fusing reflect the inevitable inseparability of nature’s lifeforces. These elements are dynamic: everpresent, ever - changing.

ABOUT

Stan Frankenthaler is an abstract artist and chef, primarily working in the encaustic medium, as well as watercolors. Living on the south coast, he finds great joy and inspiration all around him. Stan creates encaustic mono - prints by painting directly on his griddle…laying down and moving colors with his hands and various tools before laying down paper. His encaustic bricolage contains found and gathered objects that he has collected for years and uses to enhance and expand the story he is working to capture. He endeavors to hone his creative and technical skills through continually learning and practicing.

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www.stanfrankenthaler.com

@stanfrankenthaler

Donald Fruci

ARTIST STATEMENT

Art should startle us awake so that our reality is redefined if only for a moment in time. Sometimes that awakening is to the sublime and sometimes it is to the uncomfortable or sordid. When we walk away, we should want to take one more look over our shoulder and we should be forever changed even if we cannot say how or why. And the world will never be quite the same for us ever again.

ABOUT

Donald Fruci is relatively new to the art scene, after what seems like a lifetime. Mr. Fruci left the corporate wo r ld to dedicate himself to the arts in 2021. He sates he never knows what his next paining or project will be; hating waste, he often uses and re - uses materials on hand. Mr. Fruci experiments with ceramics, abstract acrylic painting, and black and white photography. He is a resident of Dartmouth, MA.

William Marshall Gajda

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a craftsman working with wood and metal. I take wood and carefully bring out its beauty and natural accents in every item that I make. I add additional materials such as metal to give the piece beauty as well as functionality. My goal is to have every item I make be a pleasure to look at and to use.

ABOUT

William Gajda started his career as a Tool and Die maker by trade and woodworking as a hobby. William makes furniture along with other functional items. He creates dining and console tables, clocks, charcuterie boards, cabinets and specialty metal hinges for heavy doors. The wood he utilizes is typically sourced in New England. William has his own studio which includes a tool room and woodshop where he spends his time making and creating custom items.

Kevin Garbarini

ARTIST STATEMENT

Southern New England continues to amaze me with all of the natural beauty. I’m grateful to live in such an explorable place where I am able to sketch, photograph , and paint pieces that try to capture this landscape. I usually know right away when I see an interesting landscape or structure that I want to try to hopefully enhance the feeling of where I was at that time. I’m interested in composition and how our eye moves through a piece, bringing out color, thinking about value and shifts in temperature and where the light source comes from in my work.

ABOUT

Kevin Garbarini is a local Riverside, RI artist and member of the South Coast Artists’ Community. This is his fourth year as Events Chair on the Board of Directors and also has been on the installation team for SCA Member Exhibitions. He enjoys pastel medium for its pure color and closeness to the natural dry pigment, also enjoys drawing and acrylic painting.

Lynn Williams Gilbert

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. In recent years , I have been particularly drawn to nature for inspiration. In painting landscapes, I endeavor to capture the light and shadows, the colors and the essence of what I see. There is something to be learned in each painting and I am often challenged by the process. It is gratifying to work through a solution and come to a place of completion.

ABOUT

Lynn has been painting landscapes, in particular, for the past several years; a response to her love of nature and the inspiration she finds there. She has enjoyed photography for many years and finds the challenge of translating her photographs into paintings to be very rewarding. Capturing light, atmosphere and color is an endless challenge. Lynn enjoys painting and learning with others in her classes at the MFA in Boston and has had the privilege of studying under inspiring teachers.

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@lynngilbertartist

Joanne E Gregory

ARTIST STATEMENT

Each seashell tells a tale, each one uniquely beautiful. Once home to life, they now preserve memories of their intrinsic beauty. Working with this medium is a celebration of its inherent singularity; no replication is possible. My creative journey begins with a design concept, yet it’s the shells themselves that guide me, steering my work in its distinct direction. Placing them one by one, I eagerly anticipate the outcome. Whether crafting Sailors’ Valentines, bead embroidered pieces, or shell inspired jewelry, I find fulfillment in immortalizing these creatures through art, creating pieces to be shared, worn, and cherished family heirlooms.

ABOUT

Since childhood, Joanne's fascination with the sea and its treasures has been unwavering, collecting shells and sea life along the shore. Discovering Sailors Valentines at the New Bedford Whaling Museum sparked her passion for shell art, leading her to explore modern artisans' creations. Guided by award - winning artist Sandy Moran, Joanne delved into crafting her own Sailors Valentines, adorning her home with these intricate pieces. Joanne draws inspiration from fellow artists and visits to Sanibel FL, enriching her artistry with vibrant shells from its shoreline. Reflecting on her heritage, she honors her grandfather's craftsmanship, a legacy evident in her meticulous creations.

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Seascape Studio LC

37 Grange Ave

Little Compton, RI 02837-0322 (401) 662-3925

https://www.joannegregoryshellart.com

@seascape_studio_lc

Vidar Axel Haaland

ARTIST STATEMENT

I make pictures of what I love and want to remember. The best thing is the next painting. Watercolor painting has been my fascination. I seek to explore and experiment with pigments suspended in water, flowing from brushes over and into paper. It' s a great life to create and share this work with others.

ABOUT

Vidar Axel Haaland is a Norwegian American artist and retired p sychologist. He completed formal art training at the Lyme Academy of Fine Art in the 1980's. He and his wife Betsey LaMonte Haaland are following their passion; thinking, loving, breathing, planning, creating, collaborating, and sharing their art. “ The way to know life is to love many things .”

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1991 Main Road

Westport Point, MA 02791 (860) 235-0782

@haalandvidar

Heide Hallemeier

ARTIST STATEMENT

Feeling very lucky to live in New England, my creative impulse is to show different aspects of life in this beautiful area of the c ountry .

ABOUT

Heide Hallemeier is passionate about the medium of watercolor, she loves its fluidity and spontaneity. She savors the joy of painting outdoors with its unexpected discoveries, especially in the New England c oastal landscape and boating scene. Having received her art education in Austria and Germany, she is now a signature member of the Rhode Island Watercolor Society and active in the Westport Art Group, the Marion Art Center, and the Dartmouth Cultural Center. Her paintings have won numerous awards and were accepted in many national competitions. She teaches drawing and watercolor painting and juries competitions.

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23 Pardon Hill Rd Dartmouth, MA 02748 (508) 994-1312

https://www.heidehallemeier.com

Barbara Edlund Healy

ARTIST STATEMENT

My paintings are inspired by the diverse colors of light in the beautiful coastal landscape where I live. Paintings capture peace, and a connection with the natural world. I look for what is unique, to convey a sense of place, exploring shapes in the edges of where land meets water, or sky. Although often evoked by a fleeting moment, I translate in paint to transcend time. Brushstrokes over glimpses of color intentionally reveal some of the painting process and layering enables me to create luminous color. My process is a dance of discovery, capturing nature's essence, its spirit.

ABOUT

Barbara Healy is a contemporary artist working in oils and acrylics. A Connecticut native, Barbara fell in love with the South Coast, and her husband Shaun, while getting her BFA at UMASS Dartmouth and stayed. Her degree in textile design has given her a background in color but she often paints plein air to learn from nature. Her studio in Dartmouth, MA has been on the South Coast Artists Open Studio Tour for 13 years. She is a board member for Westport Art Group, a board member South Coast Artists 2016- 2023 and also teaches painting.

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61 White Oak Run North Dartmouth, MA 02747 (508) 717-2096

https://barbarahealypainter.com

@barbarahealypainter

Genevieve Hunt

ARTIST STATEMENT

DOLPHIN MARINA II is a watercolor on paper depicting a beloved marina and neighborhood of mid - 20th century vacation “ camps ” in Harpswell, Maine. It captures the unchanging charm of early summer in quaint harbor settlements, far from the beaten path of touristy places like Kennebunk and Freeport. These small hamlets are being replaced with shingle - style McMansions as people “ from away ” hope to buy themselves a piece of the authentic Maine waterfront experience. My palette of fresh, transparent greens, blues, and yellows on rough paper depicts the gentle warmth and freshness of a summer and the textured surface of vintage watercolors.

ABOUT

After 25 years as a metalsmith and jewelry teacher, Genevieve Hunt is a selftaught painter who started watercolor painting classes with local Southcoast artists Alison Wells, and Jay Ryan in 2020. Since then, she has devoted herself full time to watercolor painting with the intention of creating a visual record of local coastlines, preserving memories and experiences that are in danger due to climate change. She is a member of 6 ½ Bridge Street Gallery in South Dartmouth, MA where she currently exhibits her paintings. Genevieve teaches beginning watercolor classes and workshops at the Dartmouth Cultural Center in Dartmouth, MA.

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Genevieve Hunt Art

8 Sunset Ln

Dartmouth, MA 02748

@genevievehuntart

William

Kendall

ARTIST STATEMENT

I’m dealing with the power of color - using complicated layering of paint to create depth and movement.

ABOUT

William Kendall has a BS degree from the University of Minnesota and an MFA degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison; he presently holds the title of Professor Emeritus at Bridgewater State University.

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205 Brayton Point Road

Westport, MA 02790 (508) 636-0306

http://www.williamkendallpaintings.com

@williamkendall4725

Jill Law

ARTIST STATEMENT

As an artist I seek to explore the less obvious narrative. My images express ephemeral moments abstracted, distilled, and translated for individual reflection. With my work I offer an alternative perspective often not considered.

ABOUT

Jill Law is an award - winning visual artist. Her work has been exhibited in museums, galleries, and universities across the United States. Law is an elected Signature Member of the National Association of Women Artists and a certified NAWA juror. She is the Gallery Director at the Dartmouth Cultural Center and a founding member and former president. A professional Interior Designer of 28 years, Law is continuing her studies at the University of Massachusetts in the Bachelor of Arts painting program.

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J Law Design 17 Onyx Drive N. Dartmouth, MA 02747 (508) 951-8773

https://www.jlawdesign.com/home

@jlawdesign

Mark Lesaffre

ARTIST STATEMENT

I work closely with nature. I never intend to duplicate but to interpret what’s out there. My approach is spontaneous. I am never interested in detail, it’s irrelevant to where I am. My intention is to create the essence of nature with as little detail as possible.

ABOUT

Mark graduated from The Art Institute of Boston in 1975. He studied under the artist Jason Berger, both a mentor and friend. Mark traveled and painted in Mexico, Guatemala and Paris throughout the 70’s. In 1981 he founded Boston’s A Street Frames and ran the company for 42 years until retiring in January 2023. Throughout this period, he continued to paint, exhibiting in Boston, Hartford and Provincetown. While living at 249 A Street Cooperative he exhibited for many years at Fort Point Channel Open Studios. Now retired, and living primarily in Westport, he has rededicated himself to painting full - time.

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Carolyn Lock

ARTIST STATEMENT

My paintings often feature large - scale structures such as bridges, built to integrate people with their landscape. I photograph my subject - matter on site, then compose and paint in the studio. I use a bold color palette far removed from the grays of concrete and steel, to enliven the art and bring the viewer into places seldom noticed. Lately I have been considering what happens when these structures have to be replaced; the effects on people and on the environment; a path which has prompted a more abstract approach to convey these impacts.

ABOUT

Formally trained in fine art, Carolyn also studied and worked as a graphic designer of textbooks, and as an architectural renderer. Her early influences include 20th century American artists like Charles Sheeler, Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and her mother Barbara Romney. Carolyn now lives in coastal Rhode Island, where she finds a reservoir of ideas for her art. She is a past President and Board Chair of South Coast Artists; an Elected Artist of the Art League of RI; and a board member and artist at Four Corners Gallery in Tiverton, RI.

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Turtle Pond Studio

153 Quicksand Pond Road

Little Compton, RI 02837 (617) 823-6982

http://www.carolynlock.com

@carolynlockart

ARTIST STATEMENT

Welcome to my art world. Please note the soothing yet vivid colors of the moving clouds across the horizon. The storm had just passed after showering the landscape with its wildness, then leaving behind this warm and peaceful evening. Such beauty I can only hope to convey. Enjoy!

ABOUT

We all love Nature in our own way, and love it we must! This artist's paintings capture the personality and beauty of Nature, from sea and sky, to the creatures that inhabit this extraordinary planet with us.

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https://nluznancy.wixsite.com/artbynelizabethluz

William B MacGregor Jr

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a dyed - in - the - wool New Englander and proud to be so. I do enjoy traveling and visiting family in Colorado and Florida but I am always happy to get back to good old Rhode Island where I have lived for 22 years. Prior to that, I lived in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in wonderful little towns. I am a trained draftsman and mechanical engineer which might explain why I love drawing and painting ships, cars, buildings and places in New England which no longer exist except in some of our happiest memories.

ABOUT

William "Bill" B. MacGregor, Jr., was born in Medfield, MA, in 1947 to a World War 1 veteran and kennel master and a Canadian coal miner's daughter. Bill is a graduate of Wentworth Institute and Northeastern University. He retired as a mechanical engineer from Lockheed Martin. He has a passion for old cars and drawing and he has hiked all of the 4,000- foot mountains of New England. He is frequently commissioned by United States Navy personnel to create paintings of their ships on the appropriate nautical charts. He resides in Tiverton, RI with his wife and his dog.

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William B MacGregor Jr Watercolors 27 Hummingbird Lane Tiverton, RI 02878 (401) 595-9072

https://www.nauticalchartartist.com

@junkyardartist

Fiona M. Marques

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work is a reminder of our innate instinct towards danger, a primal urge that lurks beneath the surface of our civilized facade. And yet, despite the looming threat, there's also a strange allure, a magnetic pull that draws the viewer closer, compelling them to confront their own fears and vulnerabilities. My s teel figures serve as a potent symbol of the human experience fragile yet resilient, vulnerable yet indomitable. They embody the paradoxical nature of one’s existence, where danger and beauty intertwine in a delicate balance. The medium has become a metaphor for my own journey as an artist.

ABOUT

Fiona M. Marques grew up going to the MFA Boston and has always been inspired by artists such as Alexander Calder, Richard Serra, and Magdalena Abakanowicz. Her favorite art movement is the Russian Avant - Garde. While she is finishing her BFA in Studio Arts and BA in Psychology at UMass Dartmouth, Fiona is still working on creating large steel installations that address the interconnection between art, beauty, and danger.

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Acushnet, MA 02743 (508) 524-8336

@fmarquesarts

Gregoire L Marshall

ARTIST STATEMENT

As an Artist, I consider myself an Arsonist, to reinterpret the Evil and Ugly in the w orld to burn it down and create a Masterpiece of Beauty. To rid the world of Stigma and bring out the beauty of the Enigma that exist in all nature and creatures that exist in this world.

ABOUT

Gregoire Marshal is the founder of Invincible Truth. He is a Son, Brother, Partner, Father, and a Survivor, who grew up gay, with all the trials and tribulations that go with that life experience. Humbly g rateful for the Miracles and Manifestations, he spent the past four years in u niversity , to develop his online courses to find one's Invincible Truth, going back through the Inner Child's Journey. For more information check out his website for written stories, which lead by example to the depth of introspection needed to heal and forgive oneself and others in the trauma journey. https://www.invincibletruth.org/

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Invincible Truth, LLC

495 Old Westport Rd North Dartmouth, MA 02747 (781) 640-2098

https://www.invincibletruth.org

@invincibletruthgreg

Susan Medyn

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have always been fascinated by mythical creatures and fantastical worlds. Nautical maps and charts as well as primitive art inform my current work. This painting of the south shore of New England is based on a map drawn in 1675 by John Seller, “Hydrographer to the King”. I have added the names of the Algonquin peoples who inhabited this territory in homage to their right of place.

ABOUT

Inspired by her love of color and deep fascination for the work of Henri Rousseau, Susan Medyn began painting in watercolor 45 years ago. She found herself drawing fantastical creatures in imaginary worlds. Medyn's paintings balance humor, fear, and restrained elegance. Creatures, both real and imagined, inhabit her color - filled scenes. Over the past five years she has turned to antique maps and their sea monsters as a format for works about the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as New England.

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https://susanmedyn.com/

Karen Melanson

ARTIST STATEMENT

I experience painting as an expression of all I love...an expression of soul. Whether it be painting in my studio or “en p lein air”, I am inspired to capture the feeling of being outside...that feeling of air and sunshine, smelling the ocean or flowers, the sound of waves, birds, whispering reeds...to bring those feelings to life on paper in order to transport others to those fabulous places...to a place of happiness, peace, joy and solitude. I find pastels to be an exciting medium that provides the brilliant color, vibrancy, and texture to communicate the beauty that surrounds us.

ABOUT

Karen has always loved art and uses it to balance her work life and to express her creative side. Karen loves painting en plein air using the natural beauty of the local surroundings as her studio and has received many awards for her p lein air paintings. She loves to travel, often taking her painting materials on vacation or taking workshops in places like Key West, France and Italy. Her paintings can be found at Four Corners Gallery in Tiverton, RI. She is a member of Rhode Island Watercolor Society, Westport Art Group, and South Coast Artists, and Dartmouth Cultural Center.

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2 Miracle Lane Westport, MA 02790 (508) 951-8753

https://www.karenmelanson.com

Mary Monteiro

ARTIST STATEMENT

When I look at a landscape, I get a glimpse of nature's wholeness, a feeling that all things are connected. The mystery of nature is that it reveals something beyond us and brings about a perspective and a harmony that quiets the mind. This harmony is the subject of my art.

My goal is to create art that serves as a bridge from the harmony of nature to the harmony within us: images that can serve as inspiration and a gentle signpost to the way back when we lose touch.

ABOUT

Mary studied painting at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in the early seventies. She left after two years to study with a classical painter in Providence RI. During her time in Providence, she launched her career as a freelance illustrator working primarily in book publishing and giftware design. Several of her giftware lines sold as collectibles nationally and internationally. After her successful 40- year career in illustration Mary is now focusing her art on nature - themed oil painting and portraiture of homes, people and pets. She is currently working as a full - time artist from her studio in New Bedford, MA

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Monteiro Fine Art

New Bedford, MA

https://www.MonteiroFineArt.com

Robin D Nunes

ARTIST STATEMENT

My love of Nature has brought me to the love of painting e n p lein a ir. Whether it's painting seascapes or landscapes, using a palette knife adds an abundance of texture and a whimsical touch of lightheartedness to my paintings.

ABOUT

Robin Nunes is a full - time fine artist who is focused on a personal and playful approach to art.

Marquelynn Raposa

ARTIST STATEMENT

I discovered e ncaustics about eight years ago while exploring new materials and techniques in painting. I found it to be a fascinating medium that challenged me to let go of control and allow the fire and molten beeswax to create layers of new exciting works. I am able to experiment with transparent layers, carving and building texture, imbed objects into the surface, or even create sculptural pieces. Every day I am excited to create and experiment, not knowing where the final piece will lead me. It is a magical, hypnotic journey I will never tire of.

ABOUT

Marquelynn Raposa, an e ncaustic artist, is inspired by natural places and objects. She received her BFA, Swain School of Design and MAE, Rhode Island School of Design. She exhibited, taught design and cofounded Facets Gallery in Fall River, MA. Marquelynn moved to the Southwest Coast of Florida in 2001. She has exhibited widely, receiving many honors and judging several major shows. Marquelynn moved back to Fall River. She creates full time in her studio located at the Narrows Art Center in Fall River. Marquelynn was awarded Best of Show from The Westport Art Groups' exhibition Encaustic and Cold Wax.

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Studio at Narrows Center for the Arts

16 Anawan Street Fall River, MA 02721 (508) 965-6661

@marquelynn

James George Sidney Reitzas

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have been working on sculptures, mainly with found objects. I use old rusted metal and objects of all sorts. Much of my work is created as I go along. There are no drawings to follow, just objects laid out on a table and thrown together. I never know what is going to happen.

ABOUT

As a graduate of UMass Dartmouth , BFA 2001, much of his work has been centered around lost and found objects. His background is in textile design which he spent over 30 years doing before going back to school. After graduation, he worked with the Cambodian community creating Angor Plaza in Fall River. After that, he went back to school, graduated, and has been working in his studio creating sculptures out of discarded material.

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STUFF BY JAMES

257 Gifford Rd Westport, MA 02790 (508) 730-9687

Stephen Remick

ARTIST STATEMENT

I’m painting my back yard and the world beyond.

I paint mostly landscapes and some abstracts. In the spring of 2020, I took a turn from that and painted portraits from selfies of healthcare workers around the world in shock from caring for COVID - 19 patients. Landscapes have returned, along with veering off on tangents when they’ve stayed in my mind too long needing to be realized, like politics, a memory, or a self - portrait . On top of that, I have rediscovered plein air painting.

I hope to give empathy and understanding to whatever subject is on my canvas.

ABOUT

Stephen Remick, president of South Coast Artists, was born and raised in Vermont. He earned a BFA in Painting at Swain School of Design in New Bedford, MA, where he met his wife, artist, Anne Carrozza. They raised two children while Steve owned a painting and paperhanging company. He mostly paints landscapes influenced by their inhabitants. Winter used to dominate but other seasons are catching up, including plein air painting, as well as abstracts, memories, and self - portraits . Steve’s paintings are in private collections throughout the US and abroad, and locally at Four Corners Gallery in Tiverton, RI.

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Dartmouth, MA (508) 264-9345

https://www.stephenremick.com

@stephenremickart

Beth Russo

ARTIST STATEMENT

Abstract art for me , is a chance to invoke a wild, primal and unconventional style of expression full of color. I start each work with no real direction or plan and as the acrylic paint hits the canvas the story comes to life. Whether that story comes from a life experience or something affecting the world today, each work will become a window into a narrative once completed. My wish for whomever glances upon my art is to temporarily leave the conventional and glance into a gateway of a vibrant story.

ABOUT

Reflecting on her childhood, Beth’s earliest memories were of playing with color. She intuited her lifelong passion would be the artistic life. Now as a mature artist, Beth welcomes the powerful transformation of the unknown as it eventually evolves into a finished work. Beth revels in the individuality of each painting myriad vibrant colors and textures lead the way, shaped by subtle nuances of marks. She roughs up the canvas with her brushes, tools, and fingers, each contributing to her freedom of expression. Beth’s journey included photography and jewelry making. She currently works with acrylic and mixed media.

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(781) 249-1640

https://www.bethrusso.com

Cindy Sachs

ARTIST STATEMENT

As a practicing architect, my paintings are a juxtaposition between figures and the spaces created between them. Paintings are of live models, buildings and local seascapes.

ABOUT

Cindy’s art is a wonderful complement to her architecture practice. The goal of an architectural drawing is to describe what is to be built as precisely as possible, with no ambiguity, and no room for interpretation. Cindy’s goal with her painting is quite the opposite. “What I hope is that you, the observer, will resonate with some aspect of a painting and that the meaning of that painting will come into being through you.” Cindy has always been drawn to the vibrant colors of the French impressionists and pointillists, juxtaposing contrasting colors to create a luminosity in painting.

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Cd Sachs, Architect 18 Moreland Ave Newton, MA 02459 (617) 308-4853

https://www.cindysachs.com

Ara Sadaniantz

ARTIST STATEMENT

I don’t think. I look at something, and something happens, it moves me. I find it interesting - It would be neat to paint that - I like the way the light reflects off it, the shape, the color. Maybe images are a journal, maybe they foretell what we fear or hope it will come. But when I paint, I forget, I let go everything else. I just see what is in front of me. I like the way oil moves on canvas, the buttery texture of the oil. And when I’m done, I have created something.

ABOUT

Ara Sadaniantz is a recently retired cardiologist. He has been a member of The South Coast Artist since 2011. As a member of Providence Art Club, he studied figure drawing from 2010- 2016. Currently he is a certificate candidate in painting studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. He has been invited artist at numerous solo and group exhibitions.

Carol Scavotto

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a female , w estern , multimedia artist. I create silk thread paintings influenced by Shunga and Chinese s ilk e mbroidery. My western viewpoint adds humor while honoring the two ancient art forms. A westerner presenting this body of work creates an educational segue bridging east and west. This sensual - themed body of work grew as I recoiled from our acrimonious social climate. I felt the need for a figurative, collective, and supportive hug. The work is spoken from a sensual female voice, confident in her value and worth both to herself and the society at large, not one of objectification.

ABOUT

Carol Scavotto is a visual and performing artist based in Rhode Island. Her decades - long artistic practice has included sculpture, painting, needlework, fine jewelry design, and performance pieces. Carol earned a BFA in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and completed training at the Jewelry Institute of Rhode Island. She spent several years building various art - related businesses. Founding the Springfield Arts Center, creating her own jewelry line Casanna Design, opening and running an Art Cafe, and establishing an art gallery housed within a high - end furniture store. Since 2010 Carol’s work has been exhibited yearly in group shows nationally and internationally.

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Carol Scavotto Designs

Tiverton, RI 02878

www.carolscavotto.com

@carolscavot

Kitt Shaffer

ARTIST STATEMENT

I enjoy various media for representational works, primarily landscapes and figures. I paint in oils, use pastels and colored pencil with focus on bright colors and interesting shapes. I work from photographs, real life, and from past sketches and drawings, always trying to depict life as I see it in a loose style. I work quickly, which lends itself to plein air methods. My favorite sites for landscapes are in the South Coast area of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

ABOUT

Kitt Shaffer has painted in oils since High School, with an interest in ceramics beginning in 1998. She has spent time in Grenada in the Caribbean, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, China, and Calabria in the South of Italy, with many drawings and paintings of these areas. Recently, her work has focused on the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and now includes white line prints and painted furniture. Her work is displayed on her website: www.shafferarts.com

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shafferarts

Westport, MA

www.shafferarts.com

Kris Shaffer

ARTIST STATEMENT

I love finding the beauty in everyday things. Landscapes are my current passion. I find the simplicity of rolling hills grounding and so soothing. Our planet is gorgeous!

ABOUT

Kris Shaffer studied painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is captivated by the landscapes of the Midwest , where she grew up. She lives outside of Boston and spends time in Westport painting. She has lived in Kansas, outside of Santa Fe and San Francisco, but has spent most of her adult life in the Boston area and calls it home.

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Kris Shaffer Interiors

74 Dennison Avenue

Framingham, MA 01702 (617) 610-0657

https://krisshaffer.com

Michelle Smith

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am in my element when I am expressing my love of light, color and relationships. My photos and paintings uniquely interpret a place or person that inspire something beautiful to me. I believe all of life is in constant movement; no moment is the same. I use layering of colors and lots of paint to express the emotions that are inspired by my subject. My goal with my photographs is to create a depth beyond the two - dimensional image.

ABOUT

Michelle Smith ’s artistic style is informed by her connection to nature. When she is inspired by a place, her goal is to interpret the essence of the scene. Michelle has won numerous awards for her photography and her work was accepted into the 2024 Provincetown Art Association Member Juried Show. Her paintings have been accepted in juried shows at the Plymouth, MA Art Guild with two paintings honored by being chosen to represented in the Art in Bloom show.

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Heartsrock Healing Arts

49 West Street Plympton, MA 02367 (781) 812-3950

Taylor Smith

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have worked in Fall River since I opened my water business in 1998. Preceding that time, I painted houses professionally for many years. When I was motivated to paint artistically seven years ago, it was partly because I knew I had the knowledge on how to “push the paint”. One of my favorite past times is to explore the surrounding wilderness wherever that location might be. My work reflects the inspirational value I get from these encounters with nature.

ABOUT

Taylor Smith has been painting since 2016 when he joined a painting group at the Plymouth Center for the Arts. He is constantly on the lookout for places in nature with unique characteristics in order to engage the imagination of the viewer. His exhibits include member shows at the Plymouth Russell Gallery and the Provincetown Art Association Museum (PAAM), a two - person show with his wife Michelle at the Plympton Public Library in the fall of 2023, and a solo artist exhibit at the Caf é Gallery in the Narrows Center for the Arts in the winter of 2024.

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Taylor S Visualart

31 South of the Commons

Little Compton, RI 02837 (781) 934-2108

Donna St Amant

ARTIST STATEMENT

In my Medley Collection, I bring together seasonal botanicals and arrange them in a way that feels somewhat like organizing a group portrait. I place the individuals near one another in a pleasing and cohesive composition, intertwine outreaching elements to project a feeling of connection and then capture the moment. Placing a worn or unrelated “ treasure ” adds interest as the beauty of an old weathered shell or abandoned hornet nest contrasts that of the peak moment of a perfect bloom.

ABOUT

Donna ’s love of capturing images began back in the early ‘80s with black and white film and her own darkroom where she marveled at the development process. She now captures the close - up detail and beauty of elements in nature that cross her path on a high - resolution flatbed scanner in a process often called “ Scanography ”. To Donna, this process feels somewhat like organizing a group portrait. She place s the individuals near one another in a pleasing and cohesive composition, intertwines outreaching elements to project a feeling of connection, and then captures the moment.

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Donna St Amant Studio

https://www.donnastamant.com

@donnastamantstudio

Heather Stivison

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Asking Questions” is a work from a series of paintings created in an art/science collaboration with ocean chemistry scientist Noah Germolus, working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. I began by using acrylic paint thinned with clear medium to paint layer - upon - layer of semi - transparent colors. I used alcohol and various homemade tools to add subtle interest to these background layers. I then wrote questions and drew diagrams from Noah’s handwritten ocean research notebook with opaque paint. These were followed by a layer of fluid forms of transparent color suggesting the ocean surface and embedding the research questions in an impression of the sea.

ABOUT

Heather Stivison is an award - winning visual artist whose work has been exhibited in museums, universities, and galleries across the United States and in juried shows in Europe and Asia. She is an elected Signature Member of the National Association of Women Artists and serves on the Board of Directors the Massachusetts Chapter. Stivison is a former museum director, former president of both the New Jersey Association of Museums, and the Mid - Atlantic Association of Museums. She holds an MFA in painting from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. S he is represented by Pleiades Gallery in New York City and creates her work in Hatch Street Studios, New Bedford, MA.

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Heather Stivison Art

Hatch Street Studios

88 Hatch Street New Bedford, MA 02745

https://www.heatherstivisonart.com/

@heatherstivison

Susan Strauss

ARTIST STATEMENT

I make paintings that encourage you to look for a long time.

ABOUT

Susan Strauss makes her home and garden in Westport MA, spending the winter in northern Arizona. Susan is returning to the SCA Open Studio Tour this August.

• RI exhibitions - Newport Art Museum, Jamestown Art Center, Taste, Periphery Space, A Coastal Living Gallery, Van Vessem Gallery, and Gallery Four.

• MA exhibitions - Gallery NAGA, Grimshaw - Gudewitz Gallery, Boston University, Tufts University, U M ass, A.R.T., New Bedford Museum, Colo Colo Gallery, Dedee Shattuck Gallery.

• NY exhibitions - Art in General, Prince St. Gallery, Affordable Art Fair, Atlantic Gallery.

• Grants - Mass Artist Foundation, Mass Arts Lottery, Millay Arts Colony

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Susan Strauss

511 Sanford Road Westport, MA 02790 (617) 306 6617

https://www.susanstrausspainting.com

@susanstrausspainting

Stephanie Stroud

ARTIST STATEMENT

I work in fiber because I am a maker; I enjoy the process and tactile experience involved with assembling to create while appreciating the forgiveness and immediacy that wool allows. Texture and tactile experience are important in my process. Painting with fluffy bits of unspun colored wool incorporates both needle and wet felting processes and involves a delicate and deliberate layering of color to capture light, texture, and depth in soft impressionistic scenes, incorporating an element of the unexpected. The results are traditional landscapes created in an unconventional way that invite a second look.

ABOUT

Stephanie Stroud received a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design. A fiber artist who “paints with wool,” she creates impressionistic felted paintings. As a landscape artist, she draws inspiration from the varied and scenic New England landscape. She shows her work at regional shows including the South Coast Artists Open Studio Tour. Recently, she was awarded Best in Show for her interpretation of Van Gogh’s “Wheat Field and Cypresses” at the annual Fakes and Forgeries exhibit at Spring Bull Gallery. Stephanie is a Custom Framing Designer at Riverside Art and is currently the Membership Chair for South Coast Artists.

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Swansea, MA 02777 508) 493-0789

https://www.stephaniestroud.net

@stephanie.stroud.artist

Katherine Conkling Thompson

ARTIST STATEMENT

I make ceramic vessels to hold thoughts, hopes or flowers. My “Animal Vessels” honor the creatures that live amongst us here in the South Coast of Massachusetts. The deer, coyotes, owls, and crows have an iconic presence in their sculpted simplicity. Dress them up with a seasonal headdress of flowers or branches.

My “Haiku Moon Jars,” inspired by the Korean moon jar tradition, are hand built, somewhat irregular, cratered, and embossed with original haiku poems reflecting on the moon’s power, creatures of the night or humanity’s shy devotion to our silent orb. Pile them up and they become a totem.

ABOUT

Katherine Conkling Thompson works and lives in Brooklyn, NY and Westport, Massachusetts. She grew up in Boston but came of age in New Orleans where she studied at Tulane. Katherine is inspired by the nature in her midst, whether gazing at the sky, along the shoreline of Brooklyn’s East River, Westport River’s marshes or the rocky points of Maine where she spent childhood summers.

When she’s not in the studio, you can find her gardening in her local Brooklyn park, working with others fighting against climate change or sailing around Buzzard's Bay with her husband, Dewey, on their boat , Harmony.

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(917) 912-8504

@drwoodmotherpresents

Raquel Valcourt-deCosta

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a mixed media artist. I enjoy incorporating d ecorative p ainting techniques and mediums into my artwork. My work is accomplished by many layers of plaster, metallics, acrylics and sometimes stencils.

ABOUT

After receiving a Certificate of Decorative Painting from Rhode Island School of Design in 2002, Raquel started her business InsiDesign. Decorative p ainting, of course. You can tell some of her decorative p ainting applications have been incorporated into her artwork. She uses plasters, metallic plasters, stencils and acrylics in her works.

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15 Colebrook Rd.

Little Compton, R.I. 02837 (401) 625-1995

Amir Viskin

ARTIST STATEMENT

The Galapagos Islands remain one of a diminishing number of wild places in the world. Riding the waves along the cliffs of Fernandina gives me an opportunity to appreciate this precious and fragile landscape, and to commit to participate in the global efforts to address the many global environmental challenges.

ABOUT

Amir was born in a community farm in Israel, grew up in Mexico and returned to Israel where he completed a degree in Architecture, before settling in the US in 1989. Photography has been his primary creative outlet. Amir is inspired by the interplay of shapes, color, abstraction and composition. His photographs convey a sense of wonder and optimism.

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580 River Road Westport, MA 02790 (617) 966-0973

https://www.amirviskin.com

Pat Warwick

ARTIST STATEMENT

My abstract landscapes and collages endeavor to share my perspective on the Rhode Island coastal environment that has become my inspiration. Often times it is the broader picture of the beaches, sea and marshes, but just as often it is the small things that catch my eye, as in the flotsam and jetsam that washes ashore or collects in the seagrass.

ABOUT

After graduating from RISD in Graphic Design, Pat embarked on a lifelong career in visual art. She began as a graphic designer working with o ceanographers in Woods Hole, compiling their scientific lab work into maps, and illustrations for publication. Along the way, clay found its way into her hands and a 36 - year career was born making ceramic surfaces that became tiles, mirrors, tables and many commissioned backsplashes in kitchens and bathrooms throughout New England and beyond. In 2017, itching to satisfy a long - time desire to make abstract art, she closed her tile business and set to work painting.

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30 Cutler Street Warren, RI 02885 (401) 481-0721

https://www.patwarwick.com

@patwarwickart

Anne P. Wert

ARTIST STATEMENT

My paintings celebrate my love for nature and the world around me. My work is inspired by my travels, and by the coastal New England landscape which surrounds me. I paint from nature because it is such a calming and centering force. I think of the outdoors the way the poet Mary Oliver did, with reverence and awe. Rather than words, I attempt to use paint to convey this wonder. I hope people feel a sense of joy and peace when looking at my work because that is my experience when creating it.

ABOUT

Anne P. Wert is an artist and educator working in both oil and watercolor. She teaches painting at several locations in Rhode Island. Anne is an Exhibiting Artist member at the Providence Art Club, the Rhode Island Watercolor Society, and the Art League of Rhode Island. She is also a member of the New England Watercolor Society, and the American Watercolor Society. Her paintings have been shown and juried into galleries around New England, and are in private collections around the world.

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200 Arlington Avenue Providence, RI 02906

http://www.annepwert.com

@annepwert

Nancy R.M. Whitin

ARTIST STATEMENT

I started canoeing through salt marshes at the age of eight. My life has circled around salt water sand everywhere, wet dogs, boats, storms , and art. If you sit very still and drift, you will be amongst a world of awe - inspiring creatures, from periwinkles to egrets, to horseshoe crabs and sandpipers.

ABOUT

Nancy R.M. Whitin, a former publishing vice - president, has studied at RISD, and extensively with private instructors. She was juried in as a member of the prestigious Pastel Society of America in NYC. Both her rabbit painting Go Ask Alice and her donkey painting Not So Blue were awarded Honorable Mentions in Pastel Journal’s Annual International Pastel 100 Competition, and she was a finalist in the Artists Magazine Annual International Excellence Competition three times. Nancy was one of fifteen artists to participate in the invitational exhibit Our Shared Planet , at which time her artwork was featured in the Boston Globe’s Art Section.

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462 River Rd

Westport, MA 02790 (774) 930-5802

https://www.nancywhitin.com

About South Coast Artists, Inc.

South Coast Artists, Inc. works to connect artists and audiences as part of our mission to strengthen the awareness of the rich cultural life in our South Coast region. We offer educational programs that are free to the public as well as free and subsidized professional development programs for artists at all stages of their careers.

SCA is well-known for our signature Open Studio Tours which take place each July and August. These feature 75 local artists and offer visitors the opportunity to see artwork in the environment in which it was created, to watch demonstrations, and to ask questions.

Other public events include our annual holiday exhibition and our annual spring invitational member exhibitions that have been presented in Gallery X, New Bedford, Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, the Dartmouth Cultural Center, and more.

Always involved with the region’s art community, we offer free hands-on demonstrations, cosponsor free screenings at the Westport Film festival, and present a variety of art-based programs for all ages each year. In October 2024, we will offer a free program at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on American icon Andrew Wyeth, presented by his granddaughter, Victori Wyeth.

We are proud of the fact that we place no barriers to SCA membership anyone can join with a small $40 annual dues payment. Members continually support the work of other members with friendship and advice. Over the years, we have seen beginners thrive as they participate in member programs and receive guidance from successful professional artist members. Networking among members brings exhibition and training opportunities members could never find on their own.

SCA also supports emerging young artists, ages 16-21, with an annual competitive grant, funded by SCA’s Memorial Fund for Education. The initial funding for the grant was given in memory of Poole Barker, a young exhibiting member of SCA.

Now entering our 21st year, South Coast Artists, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit registered with the Attorney General of the State of Massachusetts. We are a hardworking all-volunteer organization with approximately 200 active artist members who hail from 31 cities and towns in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Hampshire. Our activities are sustained by donations from individuals, community leaders, businesses, as well as grants from corporations, foundations, and Local Cultural Councils.

This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Dartmouth Cultural Council and the Westport Cultural Council, agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. This program is also underwritten by a grant from the Westport Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust and Administered by Bank of America.