In July 2019, in addition to Luke Jerram’s “Museum of The Moon” exhibit, there were three displays including “Milky Way” a mural by John Sabraw and the Aspect Collective, “The Overview Effect” paintings by Rhode Island artist Jeremy Schilling, and LivableRI Posters Campaign by Civic Alliance for a Cooler Rhode Island. “Milky Way” which was on display in the main hall, is an interdisciplinary multimedia, interactive experience of art, science, and technology that explores and examines issues of scale-from molecular to the astronomical. “The Overview Effect” which was on display in the visitor center, focuses on astronauts, gravity and space. The LivableRI Posters Campaign which was on display on movable walls throughout the space; the posters focus on artwork that would convey the messages of urgency to combat the threat of global warming and climate change echoing the WW1 Food Administration posters. These displays were apart of a larger series of events and exhibitions throughout Rhode Island in July 2019, as part of WaterFire’s Summer of Science #Art4Impact Event Series. The July 20th WaterFire event was marked the 50th anniversary of man’s first landing on the Moon with the Apollo 11 mission on July 20th, 1969 and celebrate RI’s involvement in space exploration.
John Sabraw – “Milky Way“
An 85’ long charcoal drawing, was the brainchild of Assistant Professor John Sabraw and was created with the Aspect Collective—a cooperative group of students, artists, scientists, and visionaries. This collaboration resulted in an all encompassing accurate mural depicting our home galaxy based on imagery from NASA. Sabraw is a Professor of Art at Ohio University where he is Chair of the Painting + Drawing program, and Board Advisor at Scribble Art Workshop in New York. He has most recently been featured in TED, Smithsonian, New Scientist, and Great Big Story.
Jeremy Schilling – “The Overview Effect”
An ever-continuing, introspective narration of thoughtful reflections, Jeremy’s artwork explores the human psyche and the internal conflicts which dwell within it. He pushes the relationships between figures and their environments.
His artwork has been featured in publications such as Cliche Magazine, 3×3 Illustration Annual, and Direct Art Magazine. His work has been on display at Gold Gallery in Boston’s SoWa District, The Wickford Arts Association Gallery, Mystic Arts Center Gallery, The Wickford and Scituate Art Festivals, and RISD Craft Exhibition for the past 2 years. Recently he has been the featured solo artist at Counter Weight Brewing Company in Hamden Ct during December 2018, Perkatory Coffee Roasters in Middletown CT during January 2019 and AS220’s Main Project Space in Providence RI for February 2019.
In Jeremy’s current series The Overview Effect, his artwork focuses on astronauts and space, specifically exploring the concept of the space suit and how it acts as a shield between a person and their environment. Using oil paint, pen and ink, silkscreen and watercolors, these images are emotionally charged examining homesickness, the acceptance of change, and the loneliness of exploration. Jeremy grew up in Connecticut where he was trained as a landscape painter before attending the Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied Illustration.
Would you like a print? Prints from “The Overview Effect” are available during the length of the show at the WaterFire Store in the WaterFire Arts Center, open the same hours as the exhibit. A small selection of prints are also available on our online store, store.waterfire.org.
Civic Alliance for a Cooler Rhode Island – “LivableRI Poster Campaign”
The LivableRI Committee created the concept for these posters to call out for civic alliance to reverse global warming. They asked local artists for artwork that convey’s the messages of urgency to combat the threat of global warming and climate change echoing the WW1 Food Administration posters. The substitution of Secretary of the Future is Kurt Vonnegut’s idea that government must better account for long-term interests of future generations. The LivableRI seal indicates the place of origin with cattails representing local flora at the edge of our coastline in this vulnerable state. Once all the elements were compiled, a graphic designer and layout artist helped create the body of work.
The art work was generously donated by local artists and professionals eager to be part of a transformative civic response to the ominous threat of a changing climate. The artists include Irene Allen, Jim Bush, Bob Chatham, Lucy Handy, Mimo Gordon Riley, Janet Downing Taylor, and Edith Vonnegut. The project manager was Paul A. Roselli and the artist director was Janet Downing Taylor. The concept was developed by Seth Handy with valuable contributions by many volunteers.
Civic Alliance for a Cooler Rhode Island is a Rhode Island grassroots volunteer organization which assesses, informs, and activates efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in or attributable to Rhode Island. CACRI is philanthropic and includes promoting social learning about climate change, including especially the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improving the commonweal, and protecting the environment and the functioning of the ecosystem. We continue to look for volunteers and donors for many of our position papers and projects.
LivableRI was created by CACRI to put words into action that we in Rhode Island, in our households and communities, can take to reduce the state’s contributions to climate change. It’s also a guide to building relationships – with each other and with the natural world – creating a larger cultural and political shift away from a fossil fuel economy, toward a more livable future.
Have Posters. Will travel: This series of 26 posters can come to you. For more information contact us at [email protected] or call us at (401) 447-1560.
Would you like a poster? For a donation of $100, we will print and ship (unframed) one poster of your choice. Samples of each poster are online at www.livableRI.org. Please identify the poster by title. Make the check out to the Burrillville Land Trust (the fiscal agent for CACRI) and send it in care of the Burrillville Land Trust, PO Box 506, Harrisville, Rhode Island 02830. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. For more information contact us at [email protected] or call us at (401)
For more information on the posters and LivableRI, visit http://livableRI.org
About the author
I've worked at WaterFire Providence since 2003. For the first 9 years of my career, I worked in the Production Shop learning all of the details that go into the physical production of the event. In 2012 transitioned to the role of managing WaterFire's social media and web presence. I now head up WaterFire Providence's digital projects including, web, social, databases, and our physical IT infrastructure.
