A “plein air” simply means we’re painting outside. We’re enjoying the fresh air of summertime. All levels are warmly encouraged to come join us and learn about the fun of painting outside!
Dianne Panarelli Miller is an amazing artist. Be sure to visit her website here:
She’ll be leading us through a plein air painting session at Capron’s Dam in Uxbridge, MA. All are warmly welcome to attend! If you don’t have your own paints, let us know in advance so we can bring some for you. Or you could just come and watch!
First she’ll do a demonstration so we can all watch and learn her technique. Then we’ll break out and do our own paintings, in whatever style and paints we want. She’ll lend a hand and offer personalized support!
Here’s some tips for doing plein air painting, if you’re curious!
Plein Air simply means we’ll be painting outdoors, and attempting to paint the landscape we see. It’s a great way to get out into nature, relax, and have some fun. If you’ve never done plein air painting before, come join us! We warmly welcome newbies to come. We have all the supplies! Come try it!
We’ll meet at 10am and paint for an hour or two. If you want to stay longer, or show up later for light reasons, that’s quite fine! This is a casual, relaxing painting and photography day.
The Blackstone River is an incredibly powerful waterway, going 46 miles from Worcester to Pawtucket, RI. Over that length it drops a full 450 feet in height. This awesome power is what gave motion to the many mills which developed along its length. It’s also what carved out the beauty of the Blackstone Gorge.
The Blackstone Gorge, with the Rolling Dam right above it and the Tupperware Mill right below it, is right on the border of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Rolling Dam is in Blackstone, Massachusetts while the Tupperware Mill is in North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
Directions and Time Parking is found at the corner of Staples Lane and County Street in Blackstone, MA. To find that, search on:
66 County Street Blackstone, MA
The parking lot is immediately across the street from that house.
Date: Sunday, July 14th, 2019 Time: 10am to around noon, or you can stay longer if you have your own supplies.
Supplies We’ll have tray watercolors, brushes, and watercolor paper available. If you’d like to bring a beach chair to sit on, and snacks / drinks, feel free. If you have your own painting supplies, that’s fine too!
During its heydey, the Blackstone River was the powerhouse behind the many mills which sprung up all along its length. Town after town boomed due to the jobs and products created at these mills. Many of these large brick structures represented prosperity for the entire town. The mill owners would often build smaller brick houses for their workers.
The Ashton Mill complex is a great representative of what these communities were like. The area was put onto the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1984.
Come on out with us to get a solid look at this amazing part of our history! What would it have been like living in the era of the mill? Where all your family and friends worked in the same place and could hang out together side by side on weekends?
Location and Time The location is now apartments. The address to get there is: Ashton Mills 51 Front St Cumberland, RI 02864
We’ll start at 10am – this is a CASUAL event. Lisa Shea will be on hand at 10am to greet people and answer any questions about the BVAA. She’ll wear a BVAA t-shirt. Feel free to come whenever you wish and to stay for however long you’re entertained. Bring paints, cameras, notebooks – whatever strikes your fancy!
Across the street is the The Captain Wilbur Kelly House Museum which has great exhibits about the mills.
This is just one part of our month-long Celebrating the Blackstone artistic celebration. Be sure to check out all of our events!
This month-long celebration is sponsored by Constellation, an Exelon company.
a community artistic exploration of the Blackstone River
For hundreds of years the Blackstone Valley has been defined by its river. Native Americans treasured it for a safe means of travel through thick forest. The Industrial Revolution puts its currents to work powering mills all along its length. In modern times we can still see remnants of the Blackstone Canal and its many locks.
Throughout the month of July 2019 we’ll provide a wealth of ways for you to explore your creativity, get in touch with the history of our beautiful landscape, and have some fun.
Here’s just a few of the events we’re planning. Dates and times are subject to change as we finalize the schedules. Be sure to check back for more details as we get closer!
On Monday, June 24, 2019 from 5:70-7pm there’ll be an invitation-only event held at the Singh Performance Center in Whitinsville, Mass. This inspiring evening will bring together 20 local community members from all walks of life to learn about each other, explore their creativity, and try out a variety of fun activities.
If you’ve been invited to attend our Unexpected Connections event – welcome! Here’s what we are planning.
5:15pm – arrival period and community sculpture creation. Participants receive colored name tags which sort them into four groups of 5 each.
5:30pm – introduction and song singalong
5:45pm – icebreaker! Each group creates fun “machines” with our bodies.
6:00pm / 6:15pm / 6:30pm – the groups rotate through three stations:
Creating string art
Planting edible flowers
Writing a joint story
6:45pm – light snacks and drinks are provided. People relax and share their thoughts
7:00pm – goodbye song
This event was developed out of a workshop series on “Arts in Complex Community Change” – a series designed to help local community leaders in the Whitinsville area develop new ways for the arts to help foster improvement in community relations. It’s run by EmcArts.
A purpose of tonight’s event is to help play-test the idea of having events which are focused on a particular topic, such as gardening, storytelling, music, and art creation. We’re interested in finding out which types of activities individuals would be interested in attending. We’re also examining if this type of activity helps to foster stronger bonds between diverse members of our community.
We look forward to seeing you there! Ask with any questions!
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is showcasing a delightful selection of photography, watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, jewelry, and more for the month of December 2019. Be sure to stop by and see what we have available! Perfect for gift giving! We’ll also have fun events on every Saturday in December to entertain and intrigue you!
When: November 9th 2019 to January 3 2020
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Entering the Show This show is open to BVAA members only. The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly. Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
All wall-hanging items must be properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing artwork for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. This show is free to participate in. Each artist may submit up to five items under 11×17 or up to three items if they’re 11×17 or larger.
Drop Off of Works Drop off your works on Saturday, November 23rd from 10am – 3pm.
All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
Opening Reception The opening reception will be on Friday, November 29th from 5-7pm. This is Black Friday so hopefully we’ll get some visitors in to rest and relax! And buy!
Pick Up The pick-up for the Great Gifts show will be on Saturday, January 3rd from 10am – 3pm.
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is proud to be a part of the 2019 Alternatives / Open Sky Community Tapestry Art Show! The public is warmly invited to participate! This show is open to all forms of artistic expression. We would love to see watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, sculptures, pottery, mixed media, drawings, pastels, photography, cyanotypes, and other forms of art.
When: October 25th to November 22nd, 2019
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Entering the Show The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly. Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
All wall-hanging items must be properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing artwork for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. This show is free to participate in. Each artist may submit up to two items. The deadline to submit is October 19, 2019 at 3pm EST.
Drop Off of Works Work must be dropped off Saturday, October 19th between 10am and 3pm. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
Opening Reception The opening reception will be Friday, October 25th from 5-7pm. Invite family and friends – all are welcome!
Pick Up Pick up is on Saturday, November 23rd from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, contact us for other arrangements.
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is sponsoring our annual members-only Fall Show! This show is open to all active members of the BVAA. Entries can include all forms of artwork on any theme. This show will be judged for cash prizes.
When: Fri, September 13th to Fri, October 18th, 2019.
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Entering the Show The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly. Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
All wall-hanging items must be properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing artwork for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. The fee to participate is $8/piece or 3 for $20 for members. You can submit up to 3 pieces. As this is a judged show, you cannot enter anything which has been entered into a previous BVAA judged show. The deadline to submit is September 7, 2019 at 3pm EST.
Drop Off of Works Work must be dropped off on Saturday, September 7th between 10am and 3pm. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
Opening Reception The opening reception will be Friday, September 13th, 2018 from 5-7. Invite family and friends – all are welcome!
Pick Up Saturday, October 19, 2019, from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, contact us for other arrangements.
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is sponsoring our third annual “Show of Hands” open art show! The public is warmly invited to participate! This show is open to all forms of artistic expression EXCEPT photography. It is the counterpoint to our photography-only show in January. We would love to see watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, sculptures, pottery, mixed media, drawings, pastels, and other non-photographic forms of artwork.
We award cash prizes!
When: August 2 to September 7, 2019
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Entering the Show The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly and is not photography. Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
All wall-hanging items must be properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing artwork for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. The fee to participate is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. You can submit up to 2 pieces for that fee. The deadline to submit the online form for labels is MONDAY JULY 29th, 2019 at midnight EST.
Drop Off of Works Work must be dropped off on Saturday, July 27th between 10am and 3pm. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
Opening Reception The opening reception will be Friday, August 2nd, 2019 from 5-7. Invite family and friends – all are welcome!
Pick Up Saturday, September 7th, 2019, from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, contact us for other arrangements.
If you’re interested in painting, drawing, and illustrating, we have the perfect Saturday lined up! It’ll be a great time with laughter, conversation, creativity, and the space to stretch out!
We’ll do hands-on help with Instagram for anyone who brings in a smart phone or tablet!
Open Paint 10am-3pm For the entire day, it’s an open paint! All are welcome, including the public, family, and friends! It’s free! We have watercolors and acrylics on hand, or bring your own if you wish.
If the weather is nice out, visitors can also embark on an Uxbridge sketch walk. We have the maps all ready.
When: Saturday, June 22, 2019 10am – 3pm
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Art Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
Our Saturdays at the gallery include an open paint session where all styles of art are warmly welcome. Whether you’re 12 or 102, whether you’re a new beginner or a seasoned artist, we would love to have you. It’s completely free to participate in the open paint. You can bring your own paints or we’ll have watercolors and brushes to share.
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Feel free to show up for some or all of the day to paint. Some come for just the morning, some for the afternoon, and some for the entire time. There are several options on the same block to grab lunch if you’d like. We also bring in a pizza and those who want slices chip in a few dollars.
Our Saturday events are free, casual, relaxed, and fun! All levels are welcome.
Ask with any questions – we’d love to have you join us!
This Uxbridge gallery is supported in part by BVAA member dues, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and by ValleyCAST. The space use is kindly donated to us by Open Sky Community Services. Open Sky uses this space for client activities during weekdays. They allow the BVAA use of the space – and its gallery walls – on evenings and weekends.
