Warwick Center for the Arts

An very
under appreciated
museum

A woman that works at the museum told me that the Warwick Museum of Art was voted the most under appreciated Museum in all of Rhode Island. I'm not sure if she told me exactly who did the voting but the statement is easy to believe.


The museum is in the cool old Kentish Artillery Armory located right in the center of historic Apponaug. It's a place many people go by every day but probably not many actually stop to visit. Parking on the street is usually impossible and the whole area is a mess. They have been talking about fixing the road forever but probably never will. You have to be a bit creative in finding parking.

The museum is more of a cultural center than an actually museum because the emphasis is on the new and not the old and things are always changing. The main display area is one large room and they have about a dozen or so exhibitions a year. Different things by different local artists throughout Rhode Island. A chance to check out the talent in the area.

The last time I dropped in the exhibition was art by talented middle school kids and their teachers. Although I have to admit I wasn't very excited when I heard the display was going to be by kids, I was pleasantly surprised. Many very creative and original pieces were present and the talent was obvious.

Besides the art shows the museum also has various music, theater, comedy and poetry readings through the year. Things are constantly changing but the one constant is the emphasis on local talent. There is no fee to see the art exhibitions and different prices for the other performances. The Warwick Museum of Art is a small place that offers a lot of different talent. It's a shame that instead of just driving by more people didn't actually take the time to drop in.

"Museum" is not really the right word for this place, as it has no permanent collection. It shows works by living artists and sells them. So it's a gallery that is subsidized by the city, as a way of supporting the local arts community. That's fine. Just not what I was expecting when I first entered this "museum." Most of the works deal with some Rhode Island-y themes: lots of beaches, views of Narragansett Bay, landscapes, etc. with various "modern" twists to them, as well as some crafts (i.e. jewelry). That's fine, too--but for me, ordinarily what catches my attention is edgier/more conceptual stuff. I did get bewitched, though, by a quilted piece by Michele Leavitt, a bay scene created from ragged, irregular scraps of fabric, with the bits of thread that hold them together hanging from the surface and adding to the already wild texture. So many different, vibrant hues of blue! I didn't pay much attention to the boat-shaped sculptures, assembled from big, found pieces of wood and metal, the maker of which--I learned from the museum's binder--taught engineering at the University of Rhode Island and started making art a couple of years ago, after his retirement. I was with my father--an engineer like the artist, and someone who doesn't usually look at art--and though I didn't pay much attention to the boats my dad said he really appreciated the craftsmanship that went into them. He actually lives in Warwick, so the museum is there for him, and that's a good thing.