The Artists Index Salon Series
The Southcoast Artists Index Salon Series
On the South Coast, the creative ecosystem has always thrived on relationships—between artists and audiences, between tradition and experimentation, and between those who make the work and those who help it endure. The Southcoast Artists Index Salon Series was created to honor and strengthen those connections, offering free, accessible gatherings where artists can share knowledge, ask practical questions, and deepen their understanding of the tools and systems that support their creative lives.
The Salon Series itself was conceived as a space where artists could step away from isolation and into conversation. Rather than traditional lectures, these salons emphasize dialogue, shared experience, and peer learning. They recognize that creative careers are sustained not only by inspiration, but by access to practical knowledge—often learned informally, passed along from one artist to another, or discovered through costly trial and error.
The Southcoast Artists Index Salon Series is part of a broader effort by The Artists Index to document, celebrate, and sustain the region’s creative community through public programs, publications, and initiatives like Dandelion Magazine. The Artists Index seeks to ensure that artists are not only visible, but supported—practically, professionally, and historically. By spotlighting local expertise and fostering shared learning, the Salon Series reinforces the idea that a strong creative community is built collectively.
For emerging artists, these workshops offer a foundation for making confident production decisions early in their careers. For established practitioners, it provides an opportunity to refine processes, ask deeper questions, and stay current in a rapidly evolving field. For all attendees, it is a reminder that behind every successful reproduction is a conversation—between artist and technician, vision and method, intention and execution.
Previous salons have featured Kevin Ribeiro, the owner-operator of several UPS Stores in the South Coast and Rhode Island. Kevin’s presentation was on best practices for safely packing, insuring, and transporting artwork locally and internationally. Zarla Ludin, the owner-operator of The Spare Studio, a creative reuse and second-hand retail art supplier, who was featured on Podcast Episode 213, presented how she collects, redistributes, and sells new, nearly new, and still-usable artists’ materials gathered from artists’ estates and other sources.
The Southcoast Artists Index Salon Series happens at Moby Dick Brewing Company from 6-7:30 and includes free appetizers and a cash bar. The Series is designed to inform, inspire, and connect local artists through a series of engaging workshops and conversations. Each session provides valuable opportunities for networking, sharing experiences, and building connections across the South Coast’s creative community.
The next Salon Series presentation – February 18th – continues that mission with a timely and highly practical workshop led by Bob Lecomte, CEO of Riverside Art in Somerset, Massachusetts. A family-owned and operated business has served the needs of artists, designers, photographers, and institutions across the South Coast and Rhode Island for decades. This free, one-hour workshop will explore the technical and artistic considerations involved in reproducing fine art, with a focus on the real-world needs of working creatives.
Whether producing limited editions, archival reproductions, or professional documentation of original work, artists today face a complex landscape of choices. Paper types, inks, color management, resolution, scale, and longevity all shape how a work is experienced—and how it survives over time. Lecomte’s presentation is designed to demystify those decisions and empower artists to make informed choices that align with their artistic intent and professional goals.
By bringing trusted professionals like Lecomte into the room, the Salon Series bridges that gap, offering artists direct access to expertise that is often hidden behind shop counters or industry jargon. As The Southcoast Artists Index Salon Series continues to grow, events like this one underscore its purpose: to create spaces where knowledge circulates freely, relationships are strengthened, and artists are equipped to carry their work forward.
The workshops are free and open to the public. Artists, photographers, illustrators, and creatives of all disciplines are encouraged to attend and take part in the conversation. REGISTER to save a seat!
The Salon Series is funded in part by a grant from the New Bedford Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Our Gracious Sponsors.
