Rhode Island stone carver Laura Travis will host an artist talk amidst the carvings and assemblage pieces that comprise her current exhibition, "Bridges and Doors", at the AS220 Project Space, 93 Matthewson St, Providence. The informal conversation will begin around 6 pm and the gallery will be open 5:30 until 8, the event is free and open to the public. The show will run until April 25.
A special highlight of this exhibition and the discussion is a selection of work from the artist group she helped found, An Droichead/The Bridge. The alliance was formed twelve years ago to set new standards in contemporary visual art and design which is based in artifact. The group has sponsored numerous exhibitions and forms the core of the art faculty at the heralded summer classes hosted annually in Goderich, Ontario.
Laura has exhibited in Baltimore, Toronto, New Bedford and Providence and teaches stone carving workshops internationally during the summers, including at the Young Artist program at RISD and at her own studio near the ocean. Her work is informed by stonework from Ireland and other Celtic historical and traditional material, including the music, with which she has been involved for over twenty five years as a radio show host, writer and dancer.
In 2007, Laura spearheaded an effort to salvage the limestone facing left when the Providence Police and Fire Headquarters was demolished. With much assistance from area artists, The Steelyard and AS220, the effort succeeded. Laura's students at Hope Arts High School have recently completed some work in this limestone, currently on display at AS220's Youth Gallery. Laura has taught Visual Art in the Providence Schools since 1989, holds an MFA in Sculpture from Maryland Institute, and was 2007's RI Art Educator of the Year (Secondary Level). She recently completed her National Board Certification.
For more information, please call 401-490-6164 or see the artist's web site at campus.digication.org/lauratravis