Friday, August 26, 2016

RHODE ISLAND FILMMAKER'S NEW MOVIE OPENING NATIONWIDE AUGUST 26, 2016

RHODE ISLAND FILMMAKER'S NEW MOVIE OPENING NATIONWIDE
AUGUST 26, 2016

The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is pleased to announce that Rhode Island residentChris Sparling’s latest film, THE SEA OF TREES, will be released nationwide on August 26, 2016. Starring Matthew McConaughey (INTERSTELLAR, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB); Naomi Watts (BIRDMAN, THE RING) and Ken Watanabe (INCEPTION, THE LAST SAMURAI), the film deals with a suicidal American who befriends a Japanese man lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji as the two search for a way out.

THE SEA OF TREES is produced by Gil Netter (LIFE OF PI, THE BLIND SIDE), Ken Kao (THE NICE GUYS), Chris Sparling, F. Gary Gray, Brian Dobbins and Kevin Halloran and edited by Pietro Scalia (GLADIATOR, THE MARTIAN, J.F.K.). It is directed by former RISD student, and multiple Oscar nominee, Gus Van Sant (GOOD WILL HUNTING, MILK, FINDING FORRESTER).

Writer Chris Sparling (BURIED, MERCY) attended North Providence High School, graduated from Roger Williams University and currently resides in South County.

THE SEA OF TREES was nominated for the Palme D'or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Chris Sparling can be reached directly at chris@scarredheelproductions.com.




The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is a government agency under the umbrella of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) 

Thursday, August 18, 2016

R.I. HISTORICAL PRESERVATION & HERITAGE COMMISSION TO HOLD PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS REGARDING COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES DAMAGED BY HURRICANE SANDY

R.I. HISTORICAL PRESERVATION & HERITAGE COMMISSION TO HOLD PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS REGARDING
COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES DAMAGED BY HURRICANE SANDY

The Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) will convene two public stakeholder meetings to discuss the nature, significance, and management of coastal archaeological sites damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Native American settlement along Rhode Island’s coastlines over the past 5000 years has generated a rich and irreplaceable archaeological record. Unfortunately, much of this record may be destroyed in the coming decades by rising sea levels and coastal storms of increasing intensity and frequency. Following Hurricane Sandy, the RIHPHC noted extensive damage to archaeological sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NR) and many sites eligible for listing in the NR on Block Island and along the South Coast. Using Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Grant funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, the RIHPHC designed and administered surveys to identify and evaluate these sites. The recently completed surveys identified and documented archaeological sites damaged by Hurricane Sandy, evaluated the significance of these sites, projected their susceptibility to future storm damage, and proposed management options.

The RIHPHC will hold two public meetings to present survey findings and solicit comments and suggestions regarding long-term site management. State Archaeologist Timothy Ives explained that “Local engagement is the foundation of both coastal resource management and historic preservation in Rhode Island.”

Information on the two meetings are as follows:

South Coast Archaeology Stakeholder Meeting
The Towers, 35 Ocean Road, Narragansett
Tuesday, September 13
7:00-9:00 PM

The Public Archaeology Laboratory Inc. will present the results of their survey of archaeological sites damaged by Hurricane Sandy on the South Coast of Rhode Island. Their study area consists of coastlines on the east side of Point Judith Neck (extending from Narragansett Pier southward to Point Judith) and along the southern shores of Narragansett, South Kingstown, Charlestown, and Westerly to Napatree Point. Archaeologists will discuss several Native American archaeological sites, in addition to Fort Mansfield, an Endicott Era coastal artillery installation. Public questions, comments, and discussion will follow.

Block Island Archaeology Stakeholder Meeting
Island Free Library, Dodge Street, Block Island (New Shoreham)
Tuesday, September 20
1:00-4:00 PM

This meeting will feature a presentation by the Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. on a seventeenth-century Native American site exposed by the washout of Corn Neck Road, the only land route between the northern and southern portions of Block Island. Next, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center will present an overview of archaeological sites along the island’s perimeter and low-lying salt ponds. Their findings show that Native American sites across the island are more diverse and widely distributed than previously thought, substantially recasting local research and preservation priorities. Public questions, comments, and discussion will follow.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

羅島華協夏日野餐 600多人同樂

羅島華協董事們。
出席野餐活動民眾紛紛和克蘭斯頓市長馮偉傑(右五)合影。
羅德島華人協會86日在羅傑威廉斯公園舉辦2016年夏日野餐會,又一次讓數以百計羅州居民在風和日麗,景致如畫的環境中享美食,玩遊戲的歡度一日。
羅德島華人協會為增添活動趣味,今年還請來一名氣球藝術家,為小孩子們做各色氣球,又安排了高中生,大學生在現場為人畫臉。當然,吃西瓜比賽仍然是最多人興奮圍觀的活動。羅德島功夫俱樂部的表演也一如往常的大受歡迎。
亞洲燒烤餐廳老闆陳任卓(Charles Chin)大方捐贈了600個竹葉包的粽子,600根熱狗,不但讓大夥兒吃得開心非常,也幫羅得島華協募到一筆善款。

克蘭斯頓市長馮偉傑特地出席,與眾同樂,也為野餐活動做了開場講話。
羅島華協董事章賢信表示,星星中文學校將於九月十日新學期開課,羅德島州每年一度的龍舟賽將於九月三日在黑石谷河畔舉行。
(圖片全由羅島華協提供)

http://shiguang0.kagirl.cn/kphoto/showbook.php?bookid=dD2nhG888UzJ48d6OYWdXUK7jFwcEshJPVmwpJ5UxaM&wxid=shiguang&shareid



羅州功夫俱樂部表演。




羅島華協董事章賢信主持活動。

Mayor Fung Announces Historic Pension Decision in Favor of the City of Cranston

Mayor Fung Announces Historic Pension Decision
in Favor of the City of Cranston

CranstonMayor Fung today announced that RI Superior Court Justice Sarah Taft-Carter upheld the City of Cranston’s pension reforms that ensure the long-term solvency of the locally administered police and fire pension system and lock-in over six million dollars in annual savings for Cranston taxpayers.  Judge Taft-Carter specifically determined that the actions of the Fung administration were taken for a “significant and legitimate public purpose” and that they were “reasonable and necessary.”

Mayor Fung stated, “This is a historic day and I am extremely pleased with this decision, which has been a long time coming.  I am proud that we were the first government entity in Rhode Island to reform our troubled pension system and have our actions withstand a legal challenge after trial.  This decision saves the troubled pension plan, but more importantly, ensures that we did so without unduly burdening our residents with more taxes or deeper cuts in services.
I would like to particularly thank our attorneys, William Dolan and Will Wray, and also our actuarial expert, Dan Sherman, for the excellent job they did in representing the city throughout this lengthy process.  It was a difficult legal challenge but our team did a fantastic job in presenting our case during the long trial, which lasted more than a full week,” concluded Fung.

State Arts Council Announces Call for Artists: GREEN SPACE Gallery at TF Green Airport

State Arts Council Announces Call for Artists: GREEN SPACE Gallery at TF Green Airport

(Providence, RI – July 21, 2016)


The GREEN SPACE Gallery at T.F. Green Airport is accepting art submissions for their 2017 exhibitions.  The gallery program is a partnership between RISCA and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation that promotes outstanding work by artists living and working in Rhode Island.  The spaces will present art to an ever-changing audience of local, national and international travelers.
Works in all media will be considered.  Note that GREEN SPACE includes several large walls and open spaces that are particularly suitable for large-scale works.
Eligibility:  All participating artists must be RI residents.  No students please.
Entry Deadline:  October 1, 2016
Selection:  Artists will be selected for the 2017 exhibitions by a review panel that will include practicing artists, arts professionals and community members. Artists included in the 2017 exhibitions will receive a $300 stipend for participating in the program.
Artists are encouraged to apply to the gallery, even if they have applied in previous years and not been selected. Artists who have exhibited previously are ineligible for new consideration for a period of two years.
To apply, please submit the following via email:
-A link to your current web site that includes images with captions (title, year, media, size), a current bio and artist’s statement;
Or
-A link to a Flickr page showing images of one’s artwork with captions  (title, year, media, size) and attach to the email a current bio and artist’s statement.
To apply, please email submissions to AirportArtsRI@gmail.com. Please note “GREEN SPACE” in the subject line of the email. Note that GREEN SPACE selects nine artists to exhibit in three group shows per year.
If selected, artists agree to suitably frame, wire or otherwise prepare their artwork for display at their own expense. Artwork is hung at gallery coordinator’s discretion, and gallery coordinator reserves the right of final selection of artwork and approval of installation. Artwork is not insured by the galleries during exhibition; artists are encouraged to carry their own insurance. Artwork may be listed for sale if desired, and any sales are direct without commission to the galleries.
To learn more about this opportunity and view photos of the exhibition space, please visit: http://www.arts.ri.gov/public/airports/  and the Public Art Archive,http://www.publicartarchive.org/search/apachesolr_search/TF%20gReen%20airport?filters=im_work_coll_nid%3A77451 .
Please address any questions regarding this call to Molly Dickinson, Coordinator, at AirportArtsRI@gmail.com or 401-845-0890.

About RISCA:The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.
About RIAC:The Rhode Island Airport Corporation operates T.F. Green Airport and is a supporter of the arts in Rhode Island and the five general aviation airports in Rhode Island.  A long-time supporter of public art in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation has worked with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts on a number of public art commissions for T. F. Green Airport.

State Arts Council Announces East Greenwich Art Club Exhibit in State Art Gallery

State Arts Council Announces East Greenwich Art Club Exhibit in State Art Gallery

(Providence, RI – August 9, 2016)

The Last Day of Summer by artist Christine McIntyre-Hannon
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) announced today that a show organized by the East Greenwich Art Club is on display until August 19th at the Atrium Gallery at One Capitol Hill, the gallery space run by RISCA and located in the State's main administration building.
The show, titled A Passion for Art, features the work of 28 Rhode Island artists in a variety of media, from oil painting, acrylic and mixed media.
A free public reception honoring the artists will be held at the Atrium Gallery on Thursday evening,August 11th, 2016 from 6:00-8:30pm
About the East Greenwich Art Club
Fifty-seven years ago, East Greenwich residents and the Rhode Island Pendulum (a local newspaper at the time) decided to put on an art show in the town. It generated much interest and led to the formation of the East Greenwich Art Club. The first formal meeting was October 5, 1959 and continues to this day. Throughout the years, the East Greenwich Art Club has brought artists together to encourage each other in their art, and to foster the production, exhibition and sale of works of art by Rhode Island artists. Our membership has grown is currently made up of artists from at least 19 communities around the state. To learn more about the East Greenwich Art Club, visit our website at www.eastgreenwichartclub.org or like us on Facebook
About the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.
About the Atrium Gallery at One Capitol Hill
The Atrium Gallery at One Capitol Hill was developed to exhibit the work of Rhode Island artists in the State Capitol Complex. It hosts exhibits on a rotating basis, in partnership with several state agencies & organizations. The art gallery enhances Capitol Hill as a destination point for visitors, as well as for the many people who visit Administration offices or attend conferences at One Capitol Hill. It also enriches the work environment for the hundreds of state workers who spend their workday in the building.
The Atrium Gallery is located in One Capitol Hill, the state's main administration building, and is managed by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. It is open weekdays from 8:00am to 5:00pm, and closed on all State holidays.

RANDY’S CANVAS TO BENEFIT THE AUTISM PROJECT OF RHODE ISLAND

RANDY’S CANVAS TO BENEFIT THE AUTISM PROJECT OF RHODE ISLAND

Sugar Baby Entertainment, Eye Scream Films and Rhode Island’s Shquib TV will collaborate on Sean Michael Beyer’s latest film, RANDY’S CANVAS, starring Kevin G. Schmidt, Scout Taylor-Comton, Marycarmen Lopez, Richard Riehle, Shawn Pyfrom, Michael Emery, Massi Furlan and local actor Adam Carbone in the title role of Randy.

Written by Matthew Luke Andrews & Sean Michael Beyer and directed by Sean Michael Beyer, the film will be produced by Adam Carbone, Sean Michael Beyer, Richard “Dick” Lebeau and Kevin G. Schmidt. Debbie Pearl will serve as Executive Producer, with Raz Cunningham as Line Producer. Principal photography begins this week throughout the State.

RANDY’S CANVAS is the fictional story of a young man abandoned by his birth parents at a very young age. He lives with his “brother from another mother”, Henry, near Providence. Randy, who is autistic, is an amazingly talented artist with a kind and sensitive heart. When he falls in love for the first time, his life begins to spin out of control as he tries to deal with a roller coaster of emotions and first-time experiences.
Actor Adam Carbone said, “In preparing for my role as Randy, I spent a great deal of time with teens and young adults on the autism spectrum to ensure my portrayal is as accurate as possible. The role of Randy is more than a character I portray, it’s something important that I need to do… and do it right.”
Director Sean Michael Beyer added, “The entire film will be shot in Rhode Island, and I’m beyond excited to bring this wonderful project here. I come from Southern California; so many projects are shot there and, well, they look like it. The landscape, architecture and nice Rhode Island residents are going to make this film look amazing; something that just couldn’t be accomplished in Hollywood.”

Executive Producer Debbie Pearl commented: "Being part of a film that has the ability to touch so many lives is an extremely rewarding experience. Being able to film this movie in Rhode Island is very exciting. Besides the overall beauty, there is so much culture, which will no doubt add immensely to this film".
Producer Richard “Dick” LeBeau added, “We’ve put in a lot of effort preparing for this movie. Along with a tremendous amount of research, we have had to review the case studies of and interview many children and young adults on the autism spectrum. It's such a pleasure to be able to cast them in the movie. I just love it.”
Joanne Quinn, Executive Director of The Autism Project stated “We’ve been working with this production for quite some time as they’ve conducted their research. It’s been a learning experience not only for them, but us. We’re very grateful to Sean, Adam and the whole team for putting the work in to make the portrayal of Randy extremely authentic. We, and the kids, think this is important as we want the world to know what living on the autism spectrum is truly like.”
Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office, said, “I think this will be a wonderful film and look forward to seeing it come to fruition. It’s exciting to see our talented Rhode Island cast and crew join efforts for such a worthy cause. We support the production wholeheartedly.”

Once released, all profits from the film will benefit The Autism Project located in Johnston, Rhode Island (http://www.theautismproject.org). 

For additional information regarding the film, visit www.randyscanvas.org.