The Art of Providence

Aside from the privilege of being a part of the University of Rhode Island's children's illustration exhibit, it was an opportunity to finally explore Providence, a city that I've always been curious about visiting.  After all, RISD was the school I was almost going to go to, but at the time I had my heart set on being a successful fashion designer, and Pratt, being in New York, well, the rest is history.  Now, as a working illustrator and, ahem, aspiring writer, I found a concentration of creativity in the small, pristine city of Providence, RI.

Providence Art Club, Graveyard behind Cathedral of St. John, Episcopal (both Lovecraft and Poe were inspired by this graveyard), Fleur de Lys Studio (The Call of Cthulhu), Halsey House (served as the Ward house in The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, Lovecraft's only novel)

One interesting way to explore the city is to take a walking tour inspired by the works and life of H.P. Lovecraft, who was once a resident of the city.  I was accompanied by my husband and friends and we walked for hours around College Hill, strolling up and down some pretty steep hills and narrow streets. The tour lead us to uncover many wonderful things about the city, including its really old cemeteries (some headstones dated back Pre-Revolutionary War), graceful American architecture, beautiful libraries, and of course, the institutions of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design. We also stopped at the beautiful RISD Museum which housed an impressive collection of historical pieces and modern masterpieces in art and design.  I also highly recommend shopping at the museum's gallery, which includes works by RISD's alumnae and faculty. 

RISD Museum of Art, detail of one of my favorite etchings in their current exhibits by Pieter van der Hayden, a fun installation by Shih Chieh Huang, a room in the gallery which inspires me to create one like it in one of my living spaces by Paul Morrison, a Japanese monochrome print, a Degas

So go to Providence, even if you don't have an exhibit to attend like I did, because Providence is, itself, a work of art.