Special recognition Award- Catherine Bert
The Bert Gallery was founded in Providence in 1985, and specializes in the artists that were lived and painted in Rhode Island with its envisions dating back to the late 19th century. Catherine Bert is both the founder and owner of Bert Gallery for the past 24 years. Keeping to the mission of researching and exhibiting paintings from the region, she has organized over 50 exhibitions dedicated to both historic and contemporary area artists. She has researched the early Providence Art Club and Rhode Island School of Design artists, along with the importance of Rhode Island women artists of the 19th century. These studies have been used for historical purposes and publications. She is one of the founders of Gallery Night Providence and is on the National Advisory Board of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. She holds a Masters of Arts Degree from the University of Connecticut, as well as a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Providence College. In 2005, Catherine received the Patron’s Award for her work in the National Museum of Women in the Arts 2005 in Washington, DC.
Small Business Award- Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects
The extensive works and designs of the Westminster Lofts, the RI State House, AS220 and Brown University’s Admissions Office can be attributed to Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects. This firm has been contributing to the beauty of Providence and re-adapting buildings since 1994. They have brought a great amount of prosperity and wealth to the buildings of Rhode Island, making sure that our structures possess that extra notation of eccentricity. This group of architects consists of 26 employees, 12 of which are registered architects, and 11 are LEED accredited professionals. Steven Durkee and Doug Brown are the two original founders of the company, who were former classmates from the architecture program at Rhode Island School of Design. Their employees are known for their drive toward the firm's reputation of designing buildings that are sustainable, afforable, and make a positive contribution to the built enviroment.
Arts Advocate Award- Lisa Carnevale
Lisa Carnevale is an individual who believes passionately in the value of the arts, and has devoted her time toward efforts to sustain the creative sector in Rhode Island. For the past 7 years, she has been advocating policy initiatives at the national, state, and local levels. As Director of Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts, Lisa was instrumental in passing the Scratch Ticket for the Arts, which increased funds for the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts in 2007. She helped protect the 1% for the Arts Public Art program from several legislative proposals in 2008. As Co-Founder of Partnership for Creative Industrial Space, Lisa worked to pass the West Side Arts District in Providence, which established a tax incentive zone for artists and galleries in the West Side of Providence. With the Providence Commercial Relocation Program, Lisa works to provide a financial stipend and a 30-day notice to creative businesses that are displaced from commercial spaces due to re-development. With a background in Public Relations, Lisa uses her skills to keep the arts top of mind with decision makers throughout the state.
Jabez Gorham Award- Community MusicWorks
Community MusicWorks, as well as its founder Sebastian Ruth, has
been bringing free music education and mentoring programs to the
children of Providence for 12 years. A Brown Graduate, Sebastian has
assembled musicians and community organizers to build Community
MusicWorks, a nonprofit organziation that provides transformative
social and musial experiences to at-risk youth and their families in
the urban neighborhoods of Providence. Since 1997, the company has
quickly grown from an experimental project with a $15,000 budget in
1997, to an organization with 12 staff members and a budget of
$650,000. Built around on the neighborhood residency of the Providence
String Quartet, monthly educational workshops, concert trips for entire
familes, and a program called "Phase II" (a leadership development
group for teens), are just some of the efforts which have made a
noticeable difference in the lives of families in Providence's West End
and South Side communities. To date, Community MusicWorks serves more
than 100 children every year, and the success of the program has
resulted in a 90% re-enrollment rate for children who participate, some
for as many as 10 years.
By adding a two-year training
program for young professional musicians, and developing additional
methods for dissemnating its core findings, Community MusicWorks is
responding to the current national interest in creating new career
paths that combine artisty and public service. In May 2009, Community
MusicWorks will introdue the semi-annual Institue for Musicanship amd
Public Service in Providence.
Encore Award- Lifespan and Paula Most
Paula Most is coordinator for the arts at Lifespan in Providence, Rhode Island. In this role she initiates and coordinates programs and projects pertaining to the arts at Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and the other Lifespan hospitals. She is the director and co- founder of the hospital based art program, Museum on Rounds, which began in 1991 as a collaboration between the Child Life Department of Rhode Island Hospital and The Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of Art. This program has grown to include all outpatient and inpatient areas of Hasbro Children’s Hospital and has expanded to Rhode Island and Miriam hospitals. Several Lifespan Healing Arts Programs have won both regional and national awards. Currently, Paula is a member of the nationally recognized organization, Society for the Arts in Healthcare (SAH), and served on the SAH board for six years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in the Fine Arts from Pratt University as well as a Master’s Degree in Art Education and Printmaking from Rhode Island College.
Individual Achievement Award for Performing Arts- Larry Rachleff
Larry Rachleff has served as Music Director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra for 13 seasons. In that capacity, he conducts the concerts, programs the season repertoire, selects guest artists and serves as the artistic leader of the Orchestra & Music School. He is also the Director of Orchestras at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Musicfound in Houston, Texas. He has served as a guest conductor with such prestigious orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Houston, Seattle, Indianapolis, Toledo, Utah and Kansas City Symphony Orchestras. He is in constant demand as a conductor and master-class clinician. Frequently, he is invited to lead other conservatory orchestras including Juilliard, England’s Royal Northern College and the New England Conservatory. He has conducted and presented master-classes at the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, the Zurich Hochschule and the Sydney and Queensland, Australia conservatories. Larry spends several weeks during the summer months conducting at international music festivals including the Grand Teton, Aspen, Tanglewood, Interlochen, Colorado Music Festival and Music Academy of the West. Larry also is present conducting throughout the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy and the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut and a Masters of Music from the University of Michigan.
Individual Achievement Award for Visual Arts- Jonathan Bonner
Jonathan Bonner has displayed impressive sculptures throughout the buildings, museums, and streets of Rhode Island. These unique works are found at locations such as “Mirth” at The Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, “Metamorphosis” at Rhode Island College, and the golden leaf sign at AS220. His sculptures are unique and eyecatching, but implement the use of simplistic oval shapes which are usually located on the exterior of buildings. These works produced by Jonathan have even captured the eye of those residing down south. Proudly, he designed the interior Lobby for the Psychology Building of the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The Degrees that Jonathan holds are a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Philadelphia College of Art and a Masters in Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. All in all, Jonathan has more than 40 shows and has representation throughout the United States due to his memorable sculptures, installations, and drawings.
