13 Years In The Making: Shady Lea Mill Open Studios ready for its biggest event yet!
The award winning Artists and world-renowned Craftsmen and Women of the Shady Lea Mill proudly open their doors to celebrate 13th year anniversary.

The historic Shady Lea Mill, situated on the scenic Mattatuxet River in North Kingstown, houses over 40 artists, artisans, and craftsmen and women working in various media. This 13th Year marks the biggest 2-Day Event in The Mill’s history. On Saturday and Sunday December 4th and 5th from noon to 5pm, The Shady Lea Mill will host Open Studios for each artisan to showcase his/her skills. Just in time for holiday shopping, some of Rhode Island’s many talented residents open their doors to the public and offer a wide array of hand made local gifts. Featuring one of a kind pottery, metal sculpture, painting, mixed media collage, glass blowing, hand made pewter frames, photography, woodworking, jewelry and classes in art, guitar making and furniture building.  The Shady Lea Mill is home to an artistic magic that permeates through every Studio.

As an addition to this year’s event, the artists of Shady Lea Mill are again asking guests to bring non-perishable food items to fill North Kingstown Food Bank’s empty shelves and gently worn jackets and coats your family members have outgrown . There is a great need for these donations this year, and with the holidays approaching, the Open Studios is a great time to get people together in donating to this hard-working local charity. Collection bins will be placed at every point of entry. Food items of greatest need are proteins – peanut butter, canned meat and fish, beans, etc.

Anchor Bend Glassworks, in suite 100 of the building and a cornerstone of the mill, is a unique and award-winning art glass company. Along with the always-popular Glassblowing demonstrations  Owners Michael Richardson, Justin Tarducci, and Timothy Underwood are proud to showcase the range of new designs and colors being created. Among these original designs are new collaborations with other talented artists of The Mill.

Woodworking Designer Ryan Baird of Golden Rule Designs collaborated with Anchor Bend on the 2010 OSTAR Trophies for the Royal Western Yacht Club of England. These prestigious Trophies are awarded to the winners of the world’s oldest single-handed Trans-Atlantic race in history.  Archival Art Printing, the husband and wife team of Mark and Casey Nascimento,  are the photographers for AB and several others in the mill.  The world-renowned metal sculptor Roberto Bessin creates the elegant frames for the mosaic glass canvases of Anchor Bend’s Seascape line. This year Roberto is working on 2 very large birds which will grace the side of Mt Fuji in Japan. Their glass eyes are the incredible work of Anchor Bend.  Another exceptional collaboration is evident in David Christensen’s legendary cane glass beads. His stunning new jewelry and other creations will also be a highlight at the Open Studios.

Betsy Bentsen Convery and Kristine Bentsen Stamps of Sew Many Things are a sister team of exceptional fabric and furniture artists. The decades of fiber and furniture training is the backbone of their thriving business and evident in every piece they work on. Rich Fyans of The Narragansett Clock will open his doors to showcase the world of exquisite antique American Clocks. 
 
 Petri Kymlander ,a talented Jewelry Designer and Manufacturer will be showcasing his unique pieces.   Also on display is the award-winning work of artist Claudia Flynn.   Her sculpture represents her conceptual articulations of the traditional, the spiritual, and the esoteric.  Her interest is in the physical character and presence of everyday objects assuming poetic qualities.  Her paintings range from small miniatures to large portraits and are made entirely with nail polish.  The imagery varies from the literal to the enigmatic.  She is a traveler in artistic pursuit, spending time in Europe, South and Central America, South East Asia, North Africa, and most recently in the Yucatan Peninsula.  She is currently preparing for a two-person exhibition with Troy West in the spring of 2011, in France.

 Welcomed additions to the mill this year are The Shady Lea School of Art for Children run by Allie Hunt,a great addition for the home schooling Mom, the eye catching illustrations of Marne Webster and the unique hand-made jackets and spectacular hats from the Gypsy Diva herself, Trish Loader. 

Biomes, a privately owned marine science education center, is one of the original Mill members. Biomes houses over 100 different species of local marine fish and invertebrates – some of which you can touch and hold! 

The number of Open Studio participants continues to grow over the years as new people have come into the mill. This year, we are working unmaking the 2-Day Event  the biggest yet. Don’t miss all the magic The Mill has to offer!