Arshile Gorky was a significant Surrealist painter and a father of the American Abstract Expressionist movement. He was a refugee from Armenia in 1919, where Turkish forces engaged in a mass genocide of the Armenian people.

Gorky, originally named Vosdanig Adoian, was born in Armenia around 1902. His father and half-brother immigrated to Providence around 1908, while Gorky, his mother, and sister remained in Armenia. In 1915, the three Adoians fled Van in Armenia as a Turkish siege threatened mass murder. After years of living as refugees, Gorky's mother died of starvation in 1919. Gorky and his sister, with the assistance of family friends, fled to America. For a number of years, Gorky lived on Pond Street with his father and half-brother. He worked in a factory on Elmwood Avenue while attending the Old Beacon Street School, then the Samuel Bridgham Middle School, and ultimately the Technical High School. Gorky moved to his sister's in Watertown, Massachusetts before eventually settling in New York City, where he studied and taught drawing and painting. Gorky became a practitioner of Surrealism in the 1920s and 30s and was a father of the American Abstract Expressionist movement.

Tragically, plagued by the turmoil and upheavals of his life, Gorky committed suicide in 1948.

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Eva Belle Clemence lived and worked in Providence as an independent artist, a difficult space for a woman to find success in early 20th-Century America.

Clemence was born in Worcester, Mass., in 1869, but her father Martin was from Rhode Island, tracing his lineage back to 17th-Century Providence. He had made a career as an actor, but ill health forced him to give up acting and take up graining, a popular faux finishing treatment in many 19th-Century homes. He had encouraged his daughter to act as well, and she was remembered for her childhood roles in stage plays like Uncle Tom's Cabin, Rip Van Winkle, and William Tell. Like her father, Eva Belle gave up acting and eventually took up painting.

In a profile from 1913, Eva remembered a family friend showing her how to paint flowers on porcelain, something she excelled at and which became a focal point of her career. She painted Colonial clock faces, belt buckles, hair pins, even rocks. Recognizing the difference between work as a commercial artist versus the fine arts, she said she didn't have time for headaches. She was a member of the Providence Art Club, the Providence Watercolor Club, the Handicraft Club and the Basement Studio Group.

In 1913, at the age of 44, Eva married John P. Evans. When Central High School was being built, her family home at 17 Spring Street was purchased by the city and demolished. Eva Belle and John moved to boarding houses and later an apartment on Providence Street. She died in 1947.

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Since 1978, contemporary artists and art enthusiasts have enjoyed the use of the Bannister Gallery, located within Roberts Hall at Rhode Island College. The space is named for famed African-American landscape artist, and Rhode Island resident, Edward Mitchell Bannister. While the gallery bears his name, it does not focus on his art. Rather, the gallery serves as an open space for various modes of contemporary art, and also as a learning space for students and visitors to study artistic forms and conventions.

Born in Canada in 1828, Edward Bannister is celebrated as the first African American artist to have received a major award for his work. He earned national recognition for his Bronze-Prize contribution, “Under the Oaks," at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial (an award that was nearly “reconsidered” by judges upon learning Bannister's racial background).

His professional artistic career began in the 1850s and continued well into the 1880s, despite hostility from contemporary white critics who believed that African Americans, while capable of appreciating art, were most definitely incapable of producing it. However, to many within Providence and the greater New England artistic community, he was celebrated as among the most notable landscape painters of his time. Though Bannister was actively committed to the abolitionist movement prior to and during the Civil War, and later to the greater fight for African-American civil rights, he kept such themes and political issues out of his painting, choosing instead to explore pristine beauty and rich detail through solemn impressionism and other classical styles.

The Bannister Gallery emerged out of the newly found acceptance and appreciation for African-American contributions that grew out of the Civil Rights Movement. The Gallery’s dedication in November 1978 was a major event that, in effect, made a public vow to acknowledge and value the contributions of art and artists from all backgrounds, racial or otherwise. Looking to emphasize Rhode Island solidarity in this effort, the ceremony was attended by various public officials, along with representatives of the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities.

The gallery presently hosts monthly exhibitions during the academic year and one exhibit during summer. In addition, the gallery regularly hosts presentations by artists, curators, performance artists and other guest lecturers. Above all, the overarching theme might be said to revolve around the countless utilities of art, and in particular its use in stimulating socio-political dialogue and critical thought.

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Founded in 2002 on the former site of Providence Steel and Iron Company (PS&I), the Steel Yard’s 3.5-acre site has become a community gathering space for people interested in creative, industrial arts. The design of this former brownfield site embraces the property’s urban industrial history while incorporating innovative approaches to sustainability.

Founded in 1822, PS&I built precision iron castings, water meters and architectural ironwork. In addition to installing pipes in numerous local buildings, such as the Pawtucket Times Building and the William Fletcher Building, PS&I produced ironworks for the iconic Library of Congress. PS&I purchased the 27 Sims Avenue site in 1902 to accommodate its growing manufacturing output. The complex expanded over the next forty years, eventually absorbing the former Providence Brewery site. PS&I was an early adopter of electrical power in the 1890s and utilized electrically driven movable cranes and hoists to manage heavy materials and parts in their fabrication and assembly process. Technological innovation in steel manufacturing resulted in increased output of large industrial products such as bridges, trusses, girders, stairs, fences, railings, and grillwork. After 179 years of operation, PS&I closed in 2001.

In 2002, two local artists and entrepreneurs purchased the property. The owners formed the nonprofit Woonasquatucket Valley Community Build, which operates as the Steel Yard, and began to actively rehabilitate the facility. The first priority was to address the site’s toxic environmental legacy. As part of their operations, PS&I sprayed lead-based paint onto steel beams. Overspray resulted in elevated lead levels in the soil. In 2007 the Steel Yard began a brownfield cleanup in compliance with the EPA, the RI DEM and the Narragansett Bay Commission, which it completed in 2007. The Steel Yard’s cleanup is a showcase for regenerative design. What was once two acres of unusable space is now a de facto public park, home to over 100 trees, a half acre of green space, and storm water-managing wetland plants.

As part of the transformation, old PS&I buildings have been converted into over 9,000 square feet of workspaces for artists, classrooms (for education and job training), and office space. The Steel Yard is the recipient of the 2010 Providence Preservation Reuse and Neighborhood Revitalization Award, the 2011 Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the 2013 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.

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Charles Dowler was born in Birmingham, England in 1841, and came to America in 1863 to make munitions for the Union effort during the Civil War. After the war ended, Dowler embraced the “American Dream,” deciding to abandon his profession as a gunsmith and pursue a career as an artist. He had a successful career working in numerous mediums including sculpture, woodcarving, plaster, and jewelry making. His notable public, local works include the John Sparks Monument in Bristol and the Collyer Monument in Pawtucket. Additionally, his smaller wooden carvings are highly regarded in the Folk Art community and are sought after by collectors. Dowler built his home in Smith Hill around 1872 in the cottage ornee style, a highly detailed, decorative style of the time -- perfect for a working artist. The mansard roof dwelling is typical of the 1870s form and few of these homes remain in Providence today in such a well preserved state. The National Registry did an assessment of the home in 1984, thoroughly documenting details of the property. This assessment provides an in-depth look at the exterior and interior of the home, showing what is still intact from the original construction. The exterior is reminiscent of a modern day appearance. The roof has fish scale slate shingling, an oculus window over the entrance, and a narrow front porch with Corinthian columns, prominent bay windows, and dormer windows with incised details. By all accounts, the exterior is has remained intact to its appearance from the late 1800s. Upon entering the home, it is slightly altered with principal front rooms remaining intact, the four-panel, double-leaf entrance with etched glass accesses the central stair hall, and the curving staircase has a massive newel post that rises to the second floor. The two parlors provide detailed architecture work to give decoration to the home. The southeast parlor has a wooden mantel centered on the north wall, a molded plaster cornice is on the floriated-relief ceiling and, in the center, a framed tapestry of cherubs finish the decoration. The southwest parlor has similar but more elaborate designs. In particular, the ceiling’s decorations are simple in design yet elegant. It has a wide plaster cornice ornamented with floral motifs and high-relief busts of cherubs’ heads and in the center is a large, multi-foil, gilt panel with bucolic scenes painted in each of the foils. A private residence when first lived in by Dowler, it remains so to this day. Walking past the property now, it would seem like an ordinary house used as a private residence but behind those walls, it was a home for a local artist who had an impressive career in Rhode Island’s art community. Dowler’s sculptures remain intact in other parts of Rhode Island, and his home is a surviving example of architecture that remains well-preserved in Smith Hill’s community.

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One acre of water in the four-acre park here today represents a vital part of early Providence history. The water is a reminder of the hundreds of acres of brackish water that covered the area that Roger Williams knew as the Great Salt Cove. Over time the water was drained, the land filled, and by 1898 all water had been drained to support laying railroad tracks for a booming transportation industry that supported the successful commercial businesses of Providence. Times changed; businesses declined; the downtown area languished. However, the River Relocation Project of the 1980s and 1990s brought life back to the Providence city center and with it a reimagining of the water that once ran through it. Today, Waterplace Park and the surrounding areas are home to walking paths, restaurants, concerts and WaterFire.

Imagine the smoky smell of bonfire fire, the crisp sound of wood crackling, and the warmth of thousands of people gathered around the rivers to witness the city’s star attraction, WaterFire. The performance art piece first opened in 1994 with eleven braziers lit on the water. By 1998, 81 braziers were installed and thousands of people a night came to see the mesmerizing performance credited with bringing pedestrians back downtown.

Following decades of industrial decay in downtown Providence, few people made their way to the heart of the city. Artist Barnaby Evans wanted to create a space where people could gather and walk together along the newly engineered Rivers that flow through downtown. The newly unveiled River Project was a blank canvas for Evans to work, and as a city dweller he was dedicated to making the space a destination for pedestrians. "By design, there is no point where you can see the whole installation at once, so you mingle with other citizens as you walk," said Evans. "It is designed so people can interact with each other, with the artwork and with the urban environment.” Using public art to rethink urban space, Evans made Waterplace Park a destination for locals and tourists alike.  Over a million visitors have walked along the Riverwalk to see Providence’s star attraction.

Today, over eighty wood burning fires, a music program, and street performers lure visitors and residents alike to Waterplace Park and the Providence Riverwalk on WaterFire evenings. Former Mayor, Buddy Cianci, once said, “There is nothing like it anywhere in the world, even in Florence or Venice.”

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No organization embodies Providence’s moniker, “The Creative Capital”, more than AS220. Founded in 1985, this organization supports artists by providing housing, studio, exhibit, and performance space in downtown Providence. AS220 began in one room above the Providence Performing Arts Center at 220 Weybosset Street, when Umberto Crenca and friends decided Providence needed a space dedicated to supporting artists and artistic expression. “AS” stands for artists space or alternative space and 220 honors the room at PPAC where it all began.

Today, AS220 houses four rotating gallery spaces, a performance stage, a black box theater, a print shop, a darkroom and media arts lab, a fabrication and electronics lab, a dance studio, a youth program, 47 affordable live/work studios for artists, a bar and restaurant, and is a destination for over 51,000 people each year.

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The Rhode Island School of Design, most commonly known by its acronym RISD, is an internationally acclaimed leader in art and design education. Established in 1877 by 34 members of the Rhode Island Women’s Centennial Commission, the school embarked on a radical experiment in education: combining the study of art, craft, and design, from sculpture and textiles to furniture making and glass production. The red brick Waterman Building (1893) is a Venetian Renaissance landmark that was built to house art galleries, classrooms, and studios. At the base of the hill is the Metcalf Building (1915), created to look and function as a textile factory to teach students about the practical manufacture of fabrics, as well as their design. RISD offers more than a traditional fine arts school education, with an emphasis on creative thinking, industrial design, and superior craftsmanship. RISD’s campus, which began alongside the Brown University campus on College Hill has since expanded into Providence’s downtown area.

Founded in 1877 (the same year as the school), the RISD Museum boasts one of the country’s finest collections of art from across many cultures, time periods, and media, from ancient Egyptian artifacts and early American decorative arts to French Impressionist paintings and cutting edge film and video. The museum supports the school’s original focus on industrial arts education in many forms from textiles to jewelry design. The museum’s groundbreaking exhibitions, educational outreach, and extensive public programs continue to form the foundation of a thriving creative culture in the city of Providence and beyond.

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Providence’s tightly-knit community of artists and collectors created the Providence Art Club to congregate, create, and display art. It is the second oldest art club in the country after the Salmagundi Club in New York City. The westernmost of the club’s four buildings is the Fleur-de-Lys Studio (1885), built by Sydney Burleigh as workspace for himself and fellow club artists. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the studio is a masterpiece of Arts and Crafts architecture with finely rendered detail. On the street level corner is inscribed the phrase “Fair among the Fairest.” Not everybody appreciated this building; H.P. Lovecraft found it so revolting that he set his horror story “The Call of Cthulhu” (1926) there.

Among the founders of the Providence Art Club was Edward Mitchell Bannister, a celebrated African American landscape painter. Bannister’s work Under The Oaks earned him first prize at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, although he had to overcome prevalent racist attitudes. Bannister discovered from a newspaper that he had won the prize, and when he arrived at the gallery to claim it, the clerk demanded to know “what it was to [him].” Bannister later wrote: “In an instant, my blood was up: the looks that passed between him and others in the room were unmistakable. I was not an artist to them, simply an inquisitive colored man; controlling myself, I said deliberately, ‘I am interested in the report that Under The Oaks has received; I painted the picture.’ An explosion could not have made a more marked impression. Without hesitation he apologized, and soon everyone in the room was bowing and scraping to me.”

Bannister’s wife, Christiana Bannister, is historically significant in her own right. An entrepreneur and self-proclaimed “hair doctress,” Bannister ran successful hair salons in Boston and downtown Providence which allowed her husband to pursue his art career.

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In 1873, an economic depression gripped the country and threatened the future of the Gorham Manufacturing Company. The company’s skilled metalworkers and innovative designers had a reputation for creating quality goods, but none of these things mattered if people couldn’t afford to purchase the company’s products.

Suddenly, Gorham received a commission to create a silver service like no other in the world. Costing more than $1 million dollars to produce, this 24-person set of dishes, utensils, and decorative items consisted of 740 pieces, that, when completed, filled seventeen trunks. In all, it took nearly seven years to create this impressive collection for insurance magnate Henry Jewett Furber. The Furber commission defined the Gorham Manufacturing Company’s reputation as the country’s premier silver manufacturer for the next century.

The Gorham Manufacturing Company began in 1831, as a small partnership between two Providence silversmiths, Jabez Gorham and Henry Webster. By the 1860s, Gorham was the world’s leading producer of silverware. Even Mary Todd Lincoln purchased a Gorham silver tea service for use in the Lincoln White House.

Though the company initially focused on silver goods, Gorham also dramatically expanded its bronze casting facilities when it accepted a commission to cast “The Skirmisher,” a massive sculpture commemorating the battle of Gettysburg.  By the 1890s, Gorham had the world’s largest bronze foundry. Gorham’s bronzes include such well-known pieces as the 12-foot-tall “Independent Man” atop the Rhode Island statehouse, the statue of George Washington in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, and the 1893 statue of Christopher Columbus erected at this location.

In 1900, the company showcased its work at the Paris Exposition Universelle. Receiving a grand prix and five gold medals, Gorham’s amazing display was a highlight of the exposition. As the century continued, however, Gorham’s fortunes ebbed. Interest in silver flatware waned in favor of modern products. The Great Depression decreased the company’s sales even more dramatically.

During World War II, Gorham virtually abandoned its civilian industries to focus on producing goods for the war effort. These included small arms parts, tank bearings, torpedo components, and millions of 40mm shell casings. After the war, Gorham struggled to retain its preeminence, and decreased demand and increased production costs plagued the company. In 1986, the company’s Providence facilities closed after nearly a century of operation.

Today, Gorham’s legacy lives on through the hundreds of bronzes that dot the American landscape and the company’s unique and highly collectable silver products.

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