Last month I posted a link to sign up for the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Newsletter. This month they go one better—they've started a weblog. You can sign up for emails which will be sent each time they update the blog. To quote from RISCA's website "An enormous amount of information flows through our door invoving job opportunities for artists, competitions here and throughout the country, interesting things that are happening in the area of arts education, artist housing, health care, practically any topic of interest to the Rhode Island arts community."
"We've enjoyed producing our electronic newsletter (and plan to continue offering that to the public), but there are many times we wished we had a more immediate mechanism for communicating this information. The RISCA Weblog is our attempt to do that." Sign up at http://www.arts.ri.gov/blogs/index.php

Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Newsletter - Twice a month RISCA sends newsletters to its list-serve with information on grants, exhibitions, performances, and auditions for Rhode Island artists. The newsletters contain a lot of good information not readily accessible on their website.
You can sign up for the newsletter at www.arts.ri.gov.

Kate's Studios holds open life drawing classes every Wed. evening from 7 - 10pm. The studio is located on the 4th floor at 9 Newman Avenue in Rumford, RI., which is the studio building known for it's popular open studio tours, held every fall for the last 8 years. The fee is $6.00 per session. There is no instruction, just a relaxed and supportive environment. For more info call Kate at (401) 440 5997.

Explore printmaking - etching, lithography, woodcuts and more at Mary Harman's well equipped studio in scenic Foster. Each class will have mini-lecture and demonstration and a setup to work from, or work from your own imagery, photos or drawings. For teens and adults with no previous art-making experience but all levels welcome. Most materials, all tools and some paper will be supplied. Students will be asked to pay for any metal plates or boards that can not be reused and for high quality printmaking and art papers.
Bring aprons, rubber gloves to wear for cleanup and inexpensive brushes. Storage bins available if people want to leave tools and materials at the studio.
February and March on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. -12 noon at the Harman Creative Studio, 69 Foster Center Road, Foster
Cost is $65 per month (two classes) Register or Email questions mharman@fosteringarts.org or call 397-4386 for more information.

This information courtesy of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.
The Rhode Island Free Clinic offers FREE high-quality medical care and preventive health services to artists who do not have health insurance or cannot afford to purchase those services. The clinic is staffed by volunteers and serves as an educational site for trainees in health care fields, providing services under the supervision of clinicians from leading academic institutions in Rhode Island.
The Free Artists Clinic is held on the first Tuesday of each month from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Walk-in patients are requested to arrive at noon for initial intake information. The clinic continues to operate at capacity so please arrive on-time. Once patients have entered through the walk-in clinic, they are given follow-up appointments based on physician recommendation. RIFC also offers internal specialty clinics for its patients, as well as access to a wide range of no/low cost diagnostic and specialty services. Only uninsured individuals over the age of 18 qualify. Services are free, but donations are welcome. No STD testing will be conducted. Questions? Call (401) 274-6347 Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between 1-2 pm. The clinic is located at 655 Broad Street, Providence, RI, 02907 More health care information for artists from RISCA

The Steel Yard is located at the historic Providence Steel and Iron site, along the Woonasquatucket River in the heart of Providence’s industrial Valley neighborhood. With a 5612 square foot industrial shop featuring a foundry, ceramics studio, blacksmithing shop, and welding shop, as well as studio space and outdoor work and exhibition space, the Steel Yard is a multi-use venue. The Steel Yard’s program areas, focusing on arts education, the incubation of new business and arts initiatives, and the establishment of a lasting community arts resource, cater to working artists, students and community members, tradespeople, arts educators and entrepreneurs.