Four Cranston Artists Display Their Craft

The Pawtucket Arts Festival started on Sept. 9, giving four artists from Cranston an opportunity to share their passion with the community.

The four talented artists, Jon Almond, Donna Brown, Mike Lombari and David Andrews, each use a completely different medium. Almond works with watercolors, Brown is a jewelry artist, Lombari creates wall art using various materials, and Andrews is a photographer.

Almond has been painting since 1995. Since retiring in 2008 after 41 years as a full-time United Methodist pastor, he’s had more time to devote to his art.

The self-taught artist has received awards for several of his paintings. At the festival in Pawtucket, he’ll have about 25 framed paintings on display, including a new one of Slater Mill.

Brown became an artist eight years ago, while pregnant with her second daughter. She started by giving discarded furniture a second life.

“I would find old, out-of-date, or just tossed away furniture,” said Brown. “I painted them and used different parts of the furniture to make something else that would be useful in the home.”

Since Brown works out of her house, she felt the need four years ago to work with materials that would be smaller in scale. She switched to jewelry, using recycled materials.

“I create beads by using recycled newspapers, magazines and catalogues, as well as decorative papers,” explained Brown. “I also recycle plastic bottles, cardboard and other materials to make bracelets, earrings and journals. The possibilities are endless. I love to find objects or materials that were made for a certain use or function, and reuse them for something else.”

Lombari also became an artist eight years ago, using an entirely different medium than he uses now. In the beginning, he worked with oils and watercolors. Currently, he creates wall art, using pieces of mirror, stained glass, fabric, metal and other materials.

“I have chosen this form of art because of its versatility and freedom to express myself,” said Lombari. “It is also rewarding to see the reactions of people when they see the work for the first time. It is a mix of curiosity and surprise when they realize that a lot of the materials used are recycled items. I guess you could consider it ‘green art.’"

Almond and Brown will also have their art on display at upcoming events. Almond’s artwork will be available at the Fall Out of Summer Festival on Rolfe Street in Cranston on Sept. 25. Brown will be showing her work at the Folk Art & Artisans Show in Rehoboth on Nov. 4 and 5 and the Courthouse Artcraft Show in West Kingston on Dec. 3 and 4. Her art is also sold at The River's Edge Flowers and Gifts on Broad Street in Cranston’s Pawtuxet Village.

Andrews could not be reached for comment, but there is a Facebook page dedicated to his digital photo art. It describes his work as “original images printed on canvas and fine art paper.”