WaterFire Arts Center

01/15/2025

Last Thursday night y’all packed in! Over 200 community members came to experience and support the incredibly talented winter residents!! Come visit this Thursday for an artist panel, 1/16, we’ll gather at 6pm moderated by MJ Sanqui Residency Coordinator.

The exhibition features work by
Traé Brooks ()
Katie Han ()
Nyala Honda (.art)
Dana Heng
Anne Pyne Irving
Prinshu Gautam ()
Kit Grindeland ()
Alex Tum ()

01/08/2025

Kicking off 2025 with the amazing Hank Gilpin! 32 years ago we had coffee in his kitchen and I asked what he thought of the idea to do a show that featured furnituremakers! He said go for it! This will be the 30th year of the show and he promised to keep being my cheerleader! He even has his own "parade of chairs" around his table and I instantly recognized Brian Boggs Chairmakers! Hank always recharges my battery: Shows, books, cooking, trees, wood, shop tour, landscape and garden design and more! I adore him! (though was a bit of a reluctant selfie subject) Save the date: 30th Fine Furnishings Show, Nov. 7-9, 2025 WaterFire Arts Center

12/19/2024

Hey Providence! 🎨✨ Our show closes on January 4th, and prices are on sale TODAY! Even if you’ve already stopped by, come back for these hot holiday deals. Snag a small, one-of-a-kind piece from a local master’s craft – perfect for your collection or a gift! ❤️

Our hours are Wed-Sun 10 to 5 and open late on Thursdays….

….Happy Holidays ! 😁

12/06/2024

Fresh from the print shop! is the best!
2025 calendars by , and + holiday cards ++ the best wine bag in town! 🗓️🎁🍷

The store + gallery hours are Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm and until 9pm every Thursday.

12/04/2024

Tomorrow night is for sipping & shopping! 🍷🛍️ BuyArt on Thursday, December 5, 5-9pm. Both the BuyArt small works holiday show and sale in the gallery as well as the Chazan Collection in the offices will be open. The offices have works from the Chazan Collection for sale where 100% of the proceeds go to support WaterFire. ⁠
⁠
December 5th is the first night of 's Three Nights of Lights and as part of the night and have partnered up to run art tours throughout the city - with a stop .⁠
⁠
In the offices, among the artwork for sale to support WaterFire, there will be special screenings of *A Night to Remember: Dr. Joseph Chazan*. This new (9 min) episode from the original series ART inc. reflects on the life and legacy of Dr. Chazan. The episode captures the unforgettable opening night of WaterFire’s summer exhibition, and the Chazan Collection: A Half-Century of RI Patronage, which became an extraordinary reunion of the Rhode Island arts community.

11/25/2024

BuyArt for the holidays ya'll! Our staff and volunteers are closing up the shop and gallery for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. We're here Wednesday, 11/26, 10am to 5pm, and back open on Small Business Saturday 11/30 and Sunday 12/1 both 10am to 5pm. Come out to shop & support!⁠
⁠
Your purchase in the store and/or gallery support WaterFire and local artists and other small businesses all in one gift! We hope you'll consider buying art for the holidays. You CAN make a difference.⁠
⁠
Books are great gifts too! Our friends have selected some bestsellers to add to your gift giving, and will donate 25% of the proceeds back to WaterFire. ⁠📚❤️🔥
⁠
Looking ahead come out the first three weeks of December, before we close between the week of Christmas and New Years.⁠
⁠
We're open weekly, Wednesdays - Sunday, 10am to 5pm and late Thursdays, until 9pm.
⁠
special events:⁠

✨Stop by to Sip + Shop on the first night of 's Three Nights of Lights on December 5th and enjoy🍷while you shop in the gallery, store, and office gallery + a trolley tour with ⁠
⁠
Plus there's 2 more 2-day weekend markets to come out for:

on Sat 12/7 and Sun 12/8, 10am to 4pm ⁠

on Sat 12/14 and Sun 12/15, 10am to 4pm

11/10/2024

final day! Open until 4pm.
Incredible work by local craftspeople for your home.

11/08/2024

Thank you to all who came to last night’s artist panel in the gallery — the conversation weaved through common threads of grief and loss and reflected on memory, texture, the stories of objects, and the artists’ practice itself. Thank you to , , , and () for sharing your practice and work. A special thanks to Courtney Lau for guiding the conversation.

Don’t miss stopping in to see — Yard Work — open until this Sunday (11/10). Also happening this weekend in the Makn Hall — !

11/06/2024

10/31/2024

Meet us next Thursday, November 7, in the gallery , starting at 6pm, to hear from participating artists in Yard Work. Meet the artists who make up part of the administrative team as well as instructors.

Also don’t miss the Iron Pour this Saturday, 11/2!! Come to after!! A night of friends, art, and community! 🔥

The exhibition is free and open for all until Sunday, November 10.

Hours: Wed-Sun. 10AM-5PM and Thurs until 9PM*
*expect for tonight 10/31 because we’re trick-or-treaking!

and have collaborated on Yard Work to showcase the artists behind impactful nonprofit programs, emphasizing the importance of community-driven creativity and the vital role the arts play in Rhode Island, with both organizations serving as anchors in the Valley neighborhood of Providence.

📷: The Iron Pour and ceramic studio and works by and

10/23/2024

Did you miss the opening reception for Yard Work in the gallery? Stop in, we’re open 10-5 today through Sunday.

🔥Want a chance to meet the artists?! Mark your calendar for the artist panel on November 7 at 6pm. The exhibition is up until Sunday, November 10.

10/10/2024

🚨Today is the LAST DAY to purchase your tickets to the hottest event in Providence, FireBall!❤️‍🔥🚨

This year’s event is the most exciting yet, with the theme of elements, honoring 5 of Providence’s most impactful leaders, food, drinks, dancing all while supporting WaterFire all night long! You are NOT going to want to miss Providence’s first Met Gala happening at the WaterFire Arts Center on Thursday, October 17. 🌎🌬️💧🔥

If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, it’s not too late - go to the 🔗in our bio to secure your tickets today. Ticket sales end at midnight. ⏰

10/09/2024

Please join us on Wednesday 10/16 at 6:30 pm at the WaterFire Arts Center for our next Symposium Books () x WaterFire author talks as David Daley () discusses his book “AntiDemocratic: Inside the Far Right’s 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections.” 📖

This book is an exploration of the Reagan administration and the Republican motivation to control American voting legislation. David’s book speaks about a riveting yet disturbing history of the fifty-year Republican plot to hijack voting rights in America, its profound implications for the 2024 presidential election, and the crucial role that Chief Justice John Roberts has played in determining how we vote. 🇺🇸

WaterFire is pleased to partner with Symposium Books to host and co-curate this series of public diaglogues that are presented for free and open to all.
The views and opinions expressed by speakers/presenters at the WaterFire Arts Center are those of the speakers/authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of WaterFire Providence or any of our partners, sponsors, or supporters.📚

10/09/2024

Next up in the gallery , Yard Work! A month-long exhibition produced through a creative partnership between and featuring the work of The Steel Yard’s administrative team and instructors. ⁠
⁠
Please join us for the Opening Reception on Friday, October 11, from 6-8pm.⁠ AND! Mark your calendars for an Artist Panel on Thursday, November 7, 6-8pm. The exhibition of up through Sunday, November 10. ⁠
⁠
This exhibition celebrates the artistic contributions of The Steel Yard’s administrative team and instructors, who are not only master craftspeople but also educators shaping the next generation of makers and artisans. Their work spans a variety of industrial arts, representing the innovation and dedication that define their approach to both teaching and creating. ⁠
⁠
Participating artists are: Addie Boyd (), Alison Bruun (), Anna Highsmith (), Asaad Miller, Charlie Corley (), Haley Peters (), Harry Cassell (), Howie Sneider (), Isabel Mattia (), Kit Grindeland (), Lindsay Weitzman (), Lyric Johnson (), MJ Sanqui (), Moy Chuong (), Nyala Honda (), Rena Rong, Seth Rainville (), Ti Dinh (), and Zooey Kim Conner ().⁠
⁠
The Steel Yard and WaterFire Providence have collaborated on Yard Work to showcase the artists behind impactful nonprofit programs, emphasizing the importance of community-driven creativity and the vital role the arts play in Rhode Island, with both organizations serving as anchors in the Valley neighborhood of Providence.

10/04/2024

Stop in today! We’re open until 5pm. The closing gathering last night was lovely and there’s still a chance to see the exhibition before it closes officially Sunday.

Bonner’s work offers a clever commentary on the intersection of art and the physical world making his work both accessible and profoundly engaging.

10/03/2024

Last chance to experience, Evolution! (Heh Heh), a solo exhibition of works by Jonathan Bonner (). Join us tonight (Thursday 10/3!) for a closing gathering 6-8pm to see Bonner’s clever, meticulous, playful and intriguing works on paper and sculptures that explore themes of balance, form, and perception.

09/17/2024

We are officially 1️⃣ MONTH AWAY from our yearly fundraising gala, FireBall❤️‍🔥

New York has the Met Gala… Providence has FireBall! We encourage guests to lean into the theme of FireBall Elements: Fire 🔥 Water 💧 Earth 🌎 Air 💨 & Flair 🪩 Paparazzi will be in attendance and the night’s highlights and best-dressed guests will be featured in a future edition of RI Monthly!

Doors open at 6:00 for our VIP guests and at 7:00 for the main event. Bring your dancing shoes: the night concludes with an exciting announcement about the future of WaterFire, a live band, dessert, and dancing to celebrate. 💃🏽

Make sure to secure your tickets NOW because they will go fast!!! 🔗 in bio