Robert Easton’s Portraits of Pawtucket Artists at Gallery 175

Gallery 175 in downtown Pawtucket is exhibiting large-scale photographic portraits by Robert Easton from March 5 – April 30, 2022. The photographs are of Pawtucket artists. The Gallery is located at 175 Main Street in the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center; hours are 9 am to 5 pm daily.

Since the 1990’s, many of the mills that once housed thriving textile and jewelry industries in Pawtucket, Rhode Island have been converted to affordable studio and lofts for artists and other creative businesses. As Pawtucket became known as one of the most artist friendly cities in the country, artists from New York City, Boston, and other locations moved into these spaces to form a vibrant creative community. Today, building on this recent history, the repurposing of mills continues.

The exhibit at Gallery 175, “Portraits of Pawtucket Artists,” showcases seventeen of the artists who occupy studios in the city. The artists are painters, sculptors, printmakers, photographers, mixed media, installation and fiber artists who exhibit their work regionally and nationally. The photographer, Robert Easton, has captured these artists at ease and in natural light in their working studios.

Easton, a resident of Pawtucket, gained his technical expertise with a camera while serving in the military. While back in civilian life, he studied at Clark University and the Worcester Museum of Art where he pursued creative approaches to photography. In recent years, time, travel, and digital technology have enabled Easton to become more engaged with his sharp focused photography. His themes are wide range, but he tends to favor documentary, literal abstraction, and patterns, all with rich color.

A reception for Easton and the artists will take place Sunday, March 13 from 2 to 3:30 pm in the gallery. The event is open to the public, but masks are required. For information about Gallery 175, visit www.Gallery175.com.