 This fall, the Bristol Art Museum invites audiences to experience CONFLUENCE: Creative Connections and Contrasts, a conceptually rich exhibition that brings together five contemporary artists united by a single challenge: to explore the expressive potential of black. The exhibit will be on view from Sat., Nov. 1 to Sat. Dec. 20. An Artist's Reception is scheduled for Sun., Nov. 2, from 2 to 4 p.m.
CONFLUENCE features the work of Dwo Wen Chen, Sandra Kunhardt Basile, Mimo Gordon Riley, Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, and Eileen McCarney Muldoon. This group of artists’ work spans painting, photography, mixed media, and sculpture. Each artist responded to the shared prompt with a spirit of experimentation, curiosity, and dialogue. Viewed together, these works reveal how diverse creative voices can both resonate and diverge, creating an exhibition that celebrates individuality while exploring shared undercurrents of process, perception, and emotional intent. “This exhibition is a testament to how a simple formal prompt can open endless avenues of creative exploration,” said Mary Dondero, Bristol Art Museum curator and board member. “By focusing on black as both subject and medium, the artists invite viewers to look beyond color and into emotion, space, and light. CONFLUENCE challenges us to see how art can bridge differences and reveal shared human experience.” Through this shared focus, the artists found both connection and contrast, a fitting reflection of the exhibition's title. The exhibit becomes, in effect, a conversation in form, texture, and tone: a confluence of distinct perspectives navigating a common thread. “Black can be foreboding or neutral; it can suggest negative space or act as a curtain of black; it can be lustrous or smoky, a sharp silhouette or the soft edge of shadow,” says participating artist Sandra Kunhardt Basile. “Imbued with meaning and mood, black often carries an aura of mystery, stillness, and introspection.” During the Artists’ Reception, visitors will have the opportunity to meet the featured artists and view their works up close. Later in the exhibition’s run, the Museum will host an Artist Talk titled “Cross Currents: How Artists Inspire One Another” on Sun., Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. During this special event, the exhibiting artists will reflect on their collaborative process, the creative surprises that emerged from their shared prompt, and the ways influence flows between artists.
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Bristol Art Museum Offers “Photography: An Introduction” with Veteran Photographer Shane Gutierrez10/10/2025  BRISTOL, RI — The Bristol Art Museum invites photography enthusiasts to take part in Photography: An Introduction with professional photographer Shane Gutierrez, a four-session course designed for beginners who seek to learn how to use their cameras more effectively and confidently.
Those who would like to register for the class can do so here. The class, scheduled for Thursday evenings from October 23 through November 13, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., offers a hands-on approach to understanding the fundamentals of photography, including ISO, resolution, aperture, shutter speed, and shooting modes. Participants will learn through lectures, demonstrations, and weekly assignments, building the skills needed to move beyond automatic settings and capture intentional, well-composed photographs. Gutierrez’s teaching philosophy emphasizes both technical understanding and creative exploration. A seasoned commercial and fine art photographer, Gutierrez brings more than four decades of professional experience to the classroom. “I started photography probably more than 40 years ago when as a sophomore in college I received a camera and read everything about it,” Gutierrez shares. “I never thought of photography as an art form before I got the camera and started reading about people like Edward Weston and Ansel Adams.” Since founding his photography business in 1988, Gutierrez has worked in corporate, product, and event photography, while maintaining a personal portfolio of landscape and portrait work exhibited in galleries and libraries throughout the region. His passion for teaching began with free community classes at local libraries, which eventually led to positions in adult education and now at the Bristol Art Museum.  The Bristol Art Museum invites artists to declare, reflect, and respond: What does it mean to witness, participate in, or remember the course of human events? BRISTOL, RI — In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Bristol Art Museum invites artists from across the country to submit works on paper or of paper for its annual national juried exhibition, ‘When in the Course of Human Events…’ on view from Feb. 22 to Apr. 10, 2026. An Opening Reception is scheduled for Feb. 22 at the Museum. Artist Meredith Stern will judge all works. As part of the Town of Bristol’s commemorative celebrations, this exhibition invites reflection on the enduring words of the Declaration of Independence and their relevance in our contemporary world. Artists are encouraged to consider the evolving landscape of freedom, identity, and community, exploring how moments of upheaval, celebration, and transformation shape our shared human story. “When in the course of human events… how do we respond?” asks the Museum’s call. “Whose voices are heard, and whose stories remain untold? What declarations do we make today—individually or collectively?” All works on paper (drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, photography, or mixed media) are welcome. Paper, as both material and metaphor, offers a powerful platform for expression, documentation, and imagination. Artists may submit works for consideration here. “Paper has carried humanity’s greatest declarations, from freedom to faith to protest, and continues to be a surface for both personal and public reflection,” said Museum Curator and Board Member, Mary Donodero. “This exhibit invites artists to use that same surface to explore what it means to live, create, and participate in the course of human events today.” The exhibition will be juried by artist Meredith Stern, a member of the Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative whose work is represented in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress, the RISD Museum, the Obama Presidential Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art. Important Dates:
Cash awards will be announced. Full submission guidelines and entry details are available through OnlineJuriedShows.com |
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