2021 Rivers to the Sea by the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators at the Atrium Gallery

Rhode Island State Council on the Arts presents "Rivers to the Sea" by the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, New England Chapter, an educational art exhibit at the Atrium Gallery @ One Capitol Hill.

The Guild’s N.E. Chapter was founded in 1999 to provide encouragement for scientific illustrators through networking, technique workshops and public education. The members represent a wide range of fields including natural science, scientific, botanical, medical and veterinary illustration. They are art educators, freelance illustrators, staff illustrators, backyard scientists and students who paint, sketch, sculpt or work digitally.

Participating Artists: Melissa Guillet, Albert Pointe, Frances Topping, Carol Schwartz, Jeanette Compton, Dorie Petrochko, Patricia Cassady, Wendy Chadbourne, Sau-Mei Leung, Mark Lefkowitz, Nancy Minnigerode, Peggy Rambach, Nanci Worthington

Statement from the Guild of National Science Illustrators
When man first started to colonize the world, one major determinant to where we established our communities was the presence of and access to water. If you look at any modern maps, you can’t help but notice that our major cities are in close proximity to water. This phenomenon is very much the same with the natural world. If you take a hike anywhere here in New England, you will find an abundance of biodiversity near sources of water.

The land is divided by rivers, streams and creeks, each with their own watershed. A watershed is a land area that drains and channels precipitation back to the sea in a constant cycle. Each of these watersheds are unique – supporting a vast array of ecological systems. These ecological systems support a wide variety of biodiversity which changes as you travel from the upland headwaters of a river all the way to the termination into the sea.

All this biodiversity relies on the precious resource of clean water flowing past without obstructions. The watersheds provide critical life support to the animals and plants living in them, including drinking water, migration routes, nurseries, and irrigation for native plants which provide sources of food and shelter as well as prevent erosion of the land. It is a complex and interconnected web of communities upon which the actions of man can have serious and long-lasting impacts.

The members of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators New England Chapter are celebrating the biodiversity of watersheds in their chosen media, to help bring awareness to the fragile communities which rely on healthy watersheds all through New England. No matter how far you physically live from a body of water, you are having an impact on the watershed that drains into that body of water. The overall health of these fragile communities, and ultimately our own, relies on healthy watershed systems.

Partnerships: Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, New England Chapter. For more information visit https://gnsi-ne.org

Atrium Gallery at One Capitol Hill
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) developed the Atrium Gallery to recognize talented artists from communities throughout the state. The Atrium Gallery hosts multidisciplinary exhibitions in partnership with diverse artists and cultural organizations. The gallery features a stunning tall glass ceiling with light that cascades into an open space surrounded by three walls of artwork. This has become a destination point for visitors and the many people who frequent the Administration offices at One Capitol Hill, while enriching the environment for hundreds of state workers in the building.

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. To learn more visit www.arts.ri.gov