Artclectic New England

For May, I thought it might be time to bring a little fun to this quarantine situation, so I reached out to the Providence Improv Guild. I first learned about PIG at my first Pecha Kucha event held in the PIG rehearsal space. The event was aptly titled “When Pigs Fly,” a saying that feels somewhat less comical now that the impossible seems to happen each day. But let’s take a break from the neverending sad type of craziness and learn about the happy type of craziness of the Providence Improv Guild. Back in 2012, a group of local improvisers looking to create a more cohesive community for other improv groups and improv enthusiasts around Providence started the Providence Improv Guild. The Guild is a school and performance space for improv and sketch theater and is currently located in the Southside Cultural Center at 393 Broad Street in Providence. They teach four levels of improv classes, do workshops for businesses, students, or any group that wants to build up their “so-called ...

To kick off April (and my first post on Artclectic New England ), I decided to reach out to one of the oldest arts organizations in the Creative Capital. As the gallery manager told me, " The Providence Art Club was founded in February of 1880 to ‘promote art culture’ in the City of Providence and beyond. Founded by six women and ten men, we are the first organization of our kind to be jointly founded by men and women and to include women as full and equal members from the start. We also count the noted African American artist Edward Mitchell Bannister among our founders. The Club is home to three gallery spaces, two classrooms, a café, and fifteen individual private artists’ studios.” The Providence Art Club is still home to many artists in the state and host new exhibitions every three weeks (totally free and open to the public) and have various classes and workshops available for the accomplished artist and those just starting. I was able to speak to Michael Rose, the ...

Hello and welcome to Artclectic New England – this is Episode #6 – and it’s a program not about a particular style but a celebration of many…I’m your host, Dennise Kowalczyk.   This podcast was created to celebrate…spotlight…and elevate the variety of incredible arts, culture, lifestyle, and beauty found here in New England. Thanks for listening! On today’s show, a chat with the Charna Ethier – owner and operator of the Providence Perfume Company…Anita Crackinstuff returns with her fun shenanigans, if you know what I mean…two new segments: Maureen Taylor of Oldpvd.com shares some background at a local landmark and local stand up comic, Kristen Ferreira shares her musings…music from local musician, Allyse Callery….. But first, my interview with local author, Amy Lewis.   The two of us met through Frequency Writers and, as it turns out, we are both members of What Cheer Writers Club – so Rhode Island. I love it.   Amy is a bit of a renaissance woman.   She is...

·         An interview with Maureen Taylor of Photo Detective and oldpvd.com .   Maureen has been enjoying solving mysteries around old photos for years and has been called the ‘nation’s foremost photo detective’ by The Wall Street Journal. She is based in Providence and recently, launched a mapping site of historic properties in Providence. You can learn more about Maureen, her work with photos, her site about historic homes in Providence, and her podcast by visiting maureentaylor.com . ·         The Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island has been a space for community offerings since the mid-1900s.   Today, it looks to be the “go to” location for an eclectic assortment of arts, culture, and community celebrations.   Recently, Richardson Ogidan, the executive director of the center, and the newly appointed program director, Taylor Jackson, joined me in the studio at What Cheer Writers Cl...

I finally made it to my very first Gallery Night in Providence and it didn't disappoint! Gallery Night has been going strong for over two decades and it is FREE of charge.  A core group of dedicated volunteers manage all the details and each third Thursday of the month (from March through November), its all about the arts in Down City. You can take one of the trolley tours or stroll around and explore a walking tour. You can also take the bus (with a Gallery Night button). New this year is an accessibility tour that is completely wheelchair accessible.  And, get this:  every gallery and museum in Providence is FREE. My friend, Lisa, and I jumped on the first trolley tour of the night at 5:30 which offered a look at some of the historical perspectives in Providence. The guided tours include a very knowledgeable guide.  There were about 30 of us in a very comfortable trolley that picked us up at One Regency Plaza (you can park in the lot) and delivered us to P...

Podcasting is a great way to share information, whether it has a local or global perspective.   If you have just starting producing your show – or you are thinking about launching one – this is going to be a very helpful session for you! I have over two decades’ experience in the world of radio and producing other audio content.   A few months ago, I launched an audiozine called Artclectic New England. It spotlights arts, culture, and lifestyle in the region.    You can listen to it here:   https://soundcloud.com/artclectic-new-england This two class session will feature tips and tricks on how to rock your podcast because it is all about the planning, the execution, and the distribution so you can share it with the world.   Here are some of the things we will be talking about: interview prep, working with a co-host, creating an editorial calendar, creating a script – just to name a few. The cost is $30 for both classes – that’s it! And, I’ll eve...

I attended a really fun event at AS220 Industries back in April: DRINK + INK!  It is a ticketed event at the space that provides supervised access to some of their equipment to make things and, of course, there is wine (plus some tasty snacks). I was familiar with the general scope of offerings made by the arts organization  which includes a performance space and gallery along with classes.  I had an impressionable conversation with their community membership manager, Edwige Charlot, that led me to sign up for my very first class: Intro to Letterpress (the special discount I received from attending the social event helped, too!). A class on letterpress had been on my bucket list for quite a few years now, so I was pleased as punch to see that my June schedule aligned with the date the two-part class was taking place. I had a great time with the other attendees learning how to make a plate to make my very first letterpress art.   If you have in a s...

I took my very first class with  Frequency Writers  this past weekend at  What Cheer Writers Club  and what a fantastic class it was! Frequency is a growing community of writers based in Providence, Rhode Island. Through workshops, free events, talks, readings, and open mics, they aim to engage writers of all levels of experience, ages, and backgrounds. The studios they offer are both to challenge and support students, while also encouraging collaboration with other local creative communities. Frequency is a moving creation of the people in it. Kristen Falso-Capaldi  is a writer and teacher who served as our instructor for the four hour session on how to manage your time so you can prioritize your writing. There were nine of is in the room and each of us came with our own unique story as to why we want to write and what prevents us from doing it. I walked away with a fantastic reading list and share it here with you (thanks, Kristen!) if you are inter...

I am one of the sixteen people who has never seen Little Shop of Horrors.  How can that be?  Well, it took me some time but I did get to see a very fine production of it this past week at Trinity Rep. If you are on of the other fifteen people who have also never seen the show, here is a quick rundown: A strange and unusual plant seems like just the thing to save a beleaguered Skid Row flower shop and its hapless employees, Seymour and Audrey. But when that plant turns out to feed only on blood and is inclined toward world-domination, well… things get a little messy. The off-off-Broadway show of the early eighties was based on the low budget film from 1960.  Later, in 1986, Frank Oz directed a film that started Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and Bill Murray (!). It has a typical Hollywood ending from what I gather. Trinity Rep, set designer, Sara Brown, offered up a colorful stage set up that offered ample opportunity for actors to move around and really use the spa...

I am so excited to launch my new podcast, Artclectic New England !  Thanks to What Cheer Writer's Club, Anita Crackinstuff, and The Callouts for being part of this program.  Here is the script to give you and idea of what is included in the show! Hello and welcome to the first episode of Artclectic New England…I’m your host, Dennise Kowalczyk.  This is a new podcast created to celebrate…spotlight…and elevate the variety of delicious arts, culture, lifestyle, and beauty found here in New England. It is a work in progress but expect to hear a lot about my new hometown, Providence, in every episode because, well, it is that amazing. On today’s program, a reflection piece that includes a song by local band, The Huntress and Holder of Hands , but first, an interview with the staff of What Cheer Writer’s Club – it is a non-profit located in downtown Providence, RI – and full disclosure:  I am a new member and producing Artclectic New England in the new podcast st...

Upon arriving in Providence, I started hearing about a new resource:  What Cheer Writers Club .  It is a non-profit supporting Rhode Island's makers of written, spoken, and illustrated word.  As a blogger and a podcast producer, I made beeline down the space on Westminster Street to get the scoop. What Cheer Writers Club is a membership community supporting all kinds of writers in Rhode Island, including: Writers, editors, journalists Graphic novelists, illustrators, comic creators Indie publishers, agents, writing-related organizations Podcasters, narrators I met with one of the founders, Anne Holland, a co-founder of the non-profit to do a tour and to learn about the benefits of becoming a member.       The gorgeous space offers an option to use co-working spaces, a board room for meetings, and classroom to teach a workshop, and a salon to host an evening celebration.  There is also a podcast studio...