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ART! Shades of Blue at Artist Cooperative Gallery of Westerly
The Artist Cooperative Gallery of Westerly’s August exhibition is “Shades of Blueâ€, featuring Artist Members Madeline Beaudry and Sarah Machowski.
The show opens on July 30 and runs through August 31, 2025. The opening reception is Friday August 1 from 5 – 8 PM and is free tot he public.
The Cooperative is located 14 Railroad Avenue, Westerly, 02893 – Phone: (401) 596-2221 – website:
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Featured artists in August are Madeline Beaudry and Sarah Machowski. See our Current Exhibition page for information about them and their works. The reception for this show will feature hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks as well as wine provided by Perks and Corks of Westerly. The August show will be made possible, in part, by the generous sponsorship of  Seaside Pharmacy in Westerly and Hoyt, Fillippetti &Malaghan, LLC.,CPAs and business advisors with offices in Westerly and Groton, CT.
With paper, clay, acrylic and silk, featured artist Madeline Beaudry creates art that explores and expresses emotion with deep, intense color and boldness. A mixed media artist working between Wakefield, RI and DeLand, FL, her artistic practice is grounded in a love of materials and the creative process, itself. Trained in ceramic arts, Ms. Beaudry’s journey has evolved into a multidisciplinary approach, weaving together fiber arts, dollmaking, and mixed media painting. No matter what the medium, her work is deeply influenced by the organic forms and evolving patterns found in nature. Beaudry reports having spent six months preparing for the August show.  Starting from a dark place, in early January, she gradually began exploring new directions, working with a limited yet vivid palette. She came to challenge traditional ideas of balance and contrast, opting instead for deep, intense color and emotional boldness. Here is her artist’s page: https://westerlyarts.com/madeline-beaudry/.
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Sarah Machowski works in clay. From childhood, she admired the handmade pottery her mother collected and used. She became a keen observer of what made each handmade vessel unique—from the throwing rings to the style of handles, and to the ways in which each one was fired, she came to appreciate what made each potter unique.
As a high school student, Ms. Machowski expressed an interest in studying pottery but was re-directed by her guidance counselor to more academic pursuits such as math and science. It was not until her 30s that the artist had the chance to lay her hands on clay and she never looked back.
Machowski says that pottery is a tactile experience both for the potter and the user. She believes a bowl should be light: the handle of a mug needs to fit one’s hand, and the piece should be well-balanced.
Drawing inspiration from fishing excursions with her husband, the artist has recently started creating works that depict striped bass, fluke, scup, and mackerel caught by the couple along the coast of Rhode Island. Â The pieces are designed to be hung on a fence, outdoor shower, or wall, whether indoors or out.